An inspector has declined to grant a certificate of lawfulness for the use of a former restaurant in the west Midlands as a day nursery (both Class E uses), being unpersuaded by a novel and rather clever argument on behalf of the appellants (DCS Number 400-036-148).
Monthly Archives: June 2022
A matter of speculation
An inspector has granted a certificate of lawfulness for the change of use of a terrace property in south-east London from a C3 dwellinghouse to a C4 house in multiple occupation under Part 3 Class L of the GPDO (DCS Number 400-036-104). In doing so he issued a reminder that it is not for a council to refuse a certificate on the basis of fears about future use.
Look closely
An inspector has granted prior approval for the residential conversion of an office in an Essex market town under Part 3 Class O of the GPDO (DCS Number 400-036-060), despite the fact that the original planning permission carried the following condition:-
One or both
In determining an appeal against the refusal of outline planning permission for 30 entry-level dwellings in a field outside the settlement boundary of a Buckinghamshire village, an inspector offered a useful insight into the meaning of ‘proportionality’ (DCS Number 400-035-950).
Putting a finger on it
This blog post concerns a topic we have raised previously, in On charge. That post related to the refusal of permission for an electric vehicle parking and charging area in front of a listed house in a Devon village. We raised the question of whether the implications of the move to electric vehicles had been properly thought through in respect of parking and charging.
Upwards and onwards
In determining an appeal against the refusal of prior approval under Part 20 Class A of the GPDO for the upward extension of a block of flats in south-east London to provide an additional two flats (DCS Number 400-035-947) an inspector has provided a useful ruling as to whether the effect on the character of the locality can be taken into consideration. Here is what he says:-
News from PlanningResource
- ‘We need to make the planning profession sexy again’, says MP August 12, 2022An MP has warned Parliament that the “brain drain” in the planning sector will impede the government's levelling up mission and called for the profession to be made “sexy again” to make it more attractive to new entrants.
- 114-hectare solar farm given the go-ahead on unallocated countryside site August 12, 2022An Essex council has given full permission to plans for a solar farm covering 114 hectares of agricultural land in unallocated countryside, after planning officers advised that the scheme's climate, economic and biodiversity benefits outweighed its negative impacts.
- ‘UK housing demand still outpacing supply’ August 12, 2022A report on the national supply of housing failing to keep up with demand, leading to claimed consequences including higher property prices and problems for potential first-time buyers, leads today’s media round-up
- Ten key things that happened in the past week August 11, 2022Ten of the biggest news stories from the past week, including consultancy WSP buying another large UK planning outfit and a secretary of state letter telling inspectors not to find local plans unsound this summer.
- The fall-out from the scrapping of one of England’s last strategic plans August 11, 2022Work on one of England’s few remaining strategic plans has halted after councils in Oxfordshire failed to agree on long-term housing targets. Observers say the move indicates both central government’s and local authorities’ lack of interest in strategic planning, and worry that local plans in the county may now be delayed.
- Local Plan Watch: Council adopts plan proposing 2,000 homes on green belt despite falling housing need August 11, 2022A local plan proposing to build more than 2,000 homes on green belt land has been adopted after planning inspectors ruled that the local authority could set a housing target higher than that produced by the government’s standard method.
- 'Fresh government delay to West Cumbrian coal mine decision’ August 11, 2022A report on a delay to the decision on “the first deep coal mine in the UK for more than 30 years” leads our round-up of today’s news
- Council pushes local plan adoption date back by two years August 11, 2022A council has approved pushing back the expected adoption date of its emerging local plan to 2024 - two years later than originally planned and after a key government deadline - to allow it to carry out a “meaningful engagement and consultation”.
- Neighbourhood Watch: Developer's court challenge fails to block Essex plan’s adoption August 11, 2022An Essex local authority has adopted a neighbourhood plan after successfully defending a developer’s High Court bid to block the move.
- Why an electricity connection logjam has prompted housing delivery fears among London councils and developers August 10, 2022A hold-up to housing developments in west London due to electricity capacity problems could "affect the delivery of thousands of much-needed homes", according to the mayor, and has prompted fears among housebuilders. Councils say they are also worried about hitting their housing delivery and land supply targets.