The MP for Orpington’s private member’s bill to make unauthorised development without planning permission a criminal offence and to prohibit retrospective planning applications is due its second reading on 3 December. The bill no doubt has the support of residents in Kent who made representations on a recent appeal (DCS Number 400-032-938) against the refusal of planning permission for extensions to facilitate the change of use of a care home to eight flats.
Monthly Archives: October 2021
Build, build, build?
In making an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a new house outside the development boundary of a settlement in Hampshire (DCS Number 400-032-987) the appellants claimed support from a speech made last year by the prime minister.
No dope
In contesting the refusal of prior approval for a residential barn conversion in Somerset the appellant made a somewhat ill-judged claim regarding the former use of the building (DCS Number 400-032-919).
Last orders
Everyone knows that times are hard for rural pubs and that they are closing at a pace. Nonetheless, an inspector has ordered that a canvas-sided pergola at a pub in the Hertfordshire green belt should be removed despite the appellant’s plea for flexibility (DCS Number 400-032-356).
Silence is golden
An inspector has granted prior approval under Part 3, Class R of the GPDO for change of use to a storage and distribution use in Staffordshire notwithstanding the council’s protest that only the bases of the barns remained (DCS Number 400-032-422).
The same but different
In determining a certificate of lawfulness appeal concerning caravans at a Norfolk leisure park (DCS Number 400-032-675) an inspector raised the question as to whether both touring caravans and static caravans can be regarded as the same in legal terms. The site already benefited from planning permission and a certificate of lawfulness allowing touring caravans to remain on the site permanently without ever being moved, and the appellant wished to establish that permanent occupation of static caravans would be similarly lawful.
Spoonfeeding
In dealing with a costs application associated with a Class Q barn conversion appeal in west Gloucestershire an inspector has made an interesting remark regarding the role of the applicant (DCS Number 400-032-738):
News from PlanningResource
- ‘Somerset greenfields under threat after Planning Inspectorate decision on 200 new homes’ May 24, 2022A report that the Planning Inspectorate has given the go-ahead for a 200-home greenfield development in Somerset leads today’s news roundup.
- Secretary of state decision on nuclear power station delayed by six-and-a-half weeks May 24, 2022The secretary of state’s final decision on the proposed new Sizewell C nuclear power station has been delayed until July to consider “further information” from the developer and other parties following a post-examination consultation, a minister has announced.
- Government allocates £15m to councils to help deliver 42 garden communities May 24, 2022The government has announced £15 million of grant funding for local authorities to support the delivery of 42 garden community projects across England.
- Property firm takes over Oxford-based planning consultancy May 24, 2022A property consultancy has taken over an Oxford-based planning firm and announced that the smaller outfit's former director will become their new deputy head of planning.
- Southampton airport runway extension survives High Court challenge from campaign group May 24, 2022The High Court has upheld the planning permission granted for a controversial runway extension at Southampton International Airport, after a judge dismissed a campaign group's argument that the local authority should have waited for the secretary of state to decide whether or not to call in the plans before issuing its final consent.
- Plans for 70,000sqm 'once in a generation' hospital complex approved May 23, 2022Plans for a new 70,000 square metre hospital complex have been approved after a planning inspector found that, despite causing harm to a protected landscape site, the "once in a generation development" offered the “very best proposal in planning terms when considered in the round”.
- The 67 councils that failed to grant permission for any self build plots in 2020/21 - and those that granted the most May 23, 2022One in five English local authorities failed to grant permission for any self-build or custom-build housing in the 12 months to October 2021, recently published government figures show.
- Levelling up bill includes new powers to make 'non-substantial' changes to planning consents May 23, 2022Measures in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill will expressly allow councils to amend planning consents “in limited circumstances” without the need for a new planning application to be submitted.
- Inspector allows 28-storey Manchester student accommodation block May 23, 2022A planning inspector has allowed an appeal for a 28-storey student accommodation block in central Manchester, dismissing the city council's grounds for refusal on issues including whether there is a need for such developments and the scheme's location and design.
- ‘More than 300 homes permitted on Rotherham farmland’ May 23, 2022A report that more than 300 homes have been permitted on agricultural land near Rotherham leads today’s news roundup.