In dealing with a number of enforcement appeals directed at the change of use of agricultural land alongside the River Medway in Kent to leisure plots the inspector had cause to consider the extent of the planning unit (DCS Number 400-034-976).
Monthly Archives: March 2022
Home truths
An inspector has granted a lawful development certificate for the conversion of a garage at a terrace property in Essex to a workshop, overruling the council’s finding that the property could not benefit from permitted development rights as it was a flat rather than a dwelling (DCS Number 400-034-837).
Happy birthday, small llama
Taken from a recent appeal case (DCS Number 400-034-836):
“The indoor space would provide an area for small llama birthday parties…”
Happy birthday, small llama, happy birthday to yooooooouu.
There is a section on rural visitor attractions at 18.4 of DCP Online.
Not many people know that
A couple of interesting points have arisen from a recent appeal against the refusal of a certificate of lawfulness for extended operating hours at a concrete works in Essex (DCS Number 400-034-793).
A drop in the ocean
A recent appeal case (DCS Number 400-034-627) provides an example of reasoning which is seen so often that we have held off questioning it.
“The proposal would add 2 dwellings to the Council’s housing stock. However, while every dwelling makes a contribution to housing supply and is therefore of benefit, including smaller and unallocated windfall sites, set against a significant deficit in the Council’s housing land supply the positive attributed weight of 2 units to this shortfall would be limited.”
Printed preferred
An inspector dealing with an appeal against an enforcement notice alleging the change of use of 10 west London flats to serviced rooms has explained exactly why it’s not a good idea to rely on web-based evidence (DCS Number 400-034-629):-
On the prowl
There is an exclusion zone of 400m for net increases in dwellings around Ashdown Forest in east Sussex, which is designated as a special protection zone and special area of conservation because of its value as habitat for rare bird species including the nightjar and Dartford warbler. Accordingly, it can be difficult to achieve consent for housing within the exclusion zone, and other such areas elsewhere, due to concerns about disturbance by dog walkers and predation by cats. Has anyone ever found out how far cats actually prowl, however? They have:-
News from PlanningResource
- ‘Fall in number of planning permissions is hitting vow to build more homes’ June 24, 2022Mortgage Strategy’s survey of industry leaders demanding planning reform leads our round-up of today’s stories.
- Mayor agrees in principle to 515-flat tower despite harm to listed viaduct June 24, 2022London’s mayor has provisionally approved 515 homes in three blocks up to 32 storeys high on one of the capital’s most visible brownfield sites, on condition that breaches of the London Plan are remedied.
- 262,471 sqm industrial and warehouse hub approved on former steelworks June 24, 2022A 262,471 sqm industrial and warehouse complex with its own rail line has been approved on the site of a historic steel works.
- Essex council rejects 2,800 home replacement of shopping mall for a second time June 24, 2022An Essex council has again rejected plans to replace its town centre shopping mall with a scheme including nearly 3,000 homes, prior to an inquiry which will hear the developer’s appeal on the grounds of non-determination.
- What street votes would mean for councils and communities June 23, 2022Making use of the levelling-up bill’s proposal to let residents propose and then vote through development on their street may not be easy, but it could stifle opposition from neighbours
- Government will change planning advice to make freight hubs easier to develop June 23, 2022Planning guidance will be altered to make it easier to build freight interchanges, the government says.
- ‘Developers of nearly 10,000 new homes will need to reapply for permission because of rule change’ June 23, 2022A report that claims that a building standard rule change will invalidate consents for nearly 10,000 homes leads our round-up of today’s media.
- Court backs rejection of caravan site expansion despite the lack of an upper limit on units in the permission June 23, 2022The Court of Appeal has blocked the expansion of a 40-year-old caravan park in the heart of the Dartmoor National Park (DNP).
- City edges towards planning restrictions on second homes June 22, 2022Brighton & Hove City Council is to continue to explore the introduction of planning policies that would seek to restrict second home ownership in the city.
- Government figures show year-on-year falls in housing starts and completions June 22, 2022Completions of new build dwellings in England fell 11 per cent over the past year, while starts on new build properties fell seven per cent over the same period, latest government statistics have revealed.