Making sense of the various permitted development rights for change of use under Part 3, Schedule 2 of the GPDO is a long way from easy. In particular, many have drawn the conclusion that a local planning authority which fails to determine a prior approval application within the requisite period has granted permission by default. Not so, as we highlighted in No worries.
Monthly Archives: July 2019
One giant leap
As we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing it appears that planning has made one giant leap backwards. Get this: in Hertfordshire an appeal has been allowed and approval granted for change of use from light industrial to windowless flats under the provisions of Schedule 2, Part 3, Class PA of the GPDO (DCS Number 400-022-545).
The hands of time
If William Morris were still here he might be interested to know that, whilst many of his ideas were considered revolutionary in his lifetime, some have since been absorbed into mainstream planning policy. In particular, he did not share his fellow Victorians’ enthusiasm for turning back the hands of time in relation to the preservation of ancient buildings, and an appeal decision against the refusal of listed building consent for internal alterations to a thatched cottage in Wiltshire (DCS Number 400-022-320) is in line with his philosophy.
Celebrity gossip
Readers who move in certain circles might already be aware that, after his problems with a proposed private chapel on his Suffolk estate, Ed Sheeran does at least now have his wildlife pond sorted out.
Truncated
An inspector has authorised shorter visibility splays than deemed necessary by the council at the access to six dwellings in Suffolk, finding no particular justification for insisting on visibility splays suitable for a trunk road (DCS Number 400-022-073).
News from PlanningResource
- Developer submits plans for 1,250-home development in south London April 14, 2021Plans have been submitted for a 1,250-home development on brownfield land in Bexley, south London.
- Join our free webinar on the future of town centres on Mon 19 April April 14, 2021Public and private sector planners and lawyers will examine the long-term planning implications of Covid-19 on the high street at a free webinar next week.
- 470-home London tower blocks get go-ahead despite tall buildings policy departure April 14, 2021Plans for a 470-home scheme up to 24 storeys high have been given the go-ahead in north London despite officers admitting that the development goes against the council’s adopted policy on tall buildings.
- Plans submitted for 2.4km road to unlock 9,000-home Essex 'garden community' April 14, 2021Plans have been submitted for a new 2.4km link road intended to assist in the delivery of a new Essex "garden community" of up to 9,000 new homes.
- British Land 'buying up retail parks and warehouses' April 14, 2021A report that developer British Land is buying up retail parks and warehouses features in today's media roundup.
- 'Illegally-demolished 100-year-old pub finally opens doors after brick-by-brick rebuild' April 13, 2021A report that a 100-year-old London pub unlawfully demolished by a developer before a judge ordered the firm to rebuild it 'brick by brick' opened its doors yesterday features in today's newspaper roundup.
- Judge refuses Sevenoaks Council's appeal against local plan cooperation failure ruling April 13, 2021The Court of Appeal has refused Sevenoaks Council permission to appeal against a High Court ruling that its local plan failed the duty to cooperate, with a judge describing the authority's case as "unarguable".
- Half of councils set high policy bar for off-site affordable housing provision, consultancy finds April 13, 2021While seven out of 10 English local planning authorities have a policy on off-site affordable housing, almost half of councils only accept the provision of such homes in “exceptional circumstances”, a planning consultancy report has found, which argues that such suspicion is holding back the creation of mixed communities.
- West Midlands councils appoint planning consultancy to produce regeneration masterplan April 13, 2021Birmingham City Council and Sandwell Council have appointed a planning consultancy to develop a masterplan as part of its Smethwick to Birmingham corridor regeneration project.
- Giant warehouse plans approved on unallocated countryside site despite objections from former planning minister April 13, 2021Councillors have narrowly approved plans for a 218,000 square metre distribution warehouse on an unallocated site in the Hampshire countryside despite an objection from former housing and planning minister Kit Malthouse.