Planning Applications, PD and the like (General Chat)

Dookist

Member
It's an absolute racket... my planning dept is insisting on an ecology report to be carried out during September/October, even though it won't be accurate if done at this time of year... I've already given them a list of several protected species which are on the site...what more do they want?! Dx
 

Dookist

Member
I've informed the planning dept that on this site there are Pipistrelle bats, Adders, Grass Snakes, common Lizards, Slow Worms, Water Voles, newts and frogs...
Yet they still want me to go to the trouble and expense of a survey to tell me something I already know and which I have made them aware of in relation to a planning application...This is just plain crazy. Dx
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
It's an absolute racket... my planning dept is insisting on an ecology report to be carried out during September/October, even though it won't be accurate if done at this time of year... I've already given them a list of several protected species which are on the site...what more do they want?! Dx
Jobs for the Boys....

All these folks with degrees in Environment and Ecology and the like need work...
 
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Nearly

Member
Location
North of York
Either accept that you live on an overcrowded little island where you are ruled by jobsworth idiots that are incapable of taking responsibility for a decision without a report from someone who they can blame or go live in a hut on a tropical island.
Also, you've challenged their authority, pee'd them off and they've decided to make it absolutely by the letter of the rules.
 

teslacoils

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
It's an absolute racket... my planning dept is insisting on an ecology report to be carried out during September/October, even though it won't be accurate if done at this time of year... I've already given them a list of several protected species which are on the site...what more do they want?! Dx

They want you to pay someone to do the report.
 

Dookist

Member
You mean copy and paste a report. The only bit they write up is the address and postode.
Get a quick degree in ecology and license to literally print money.
If only it was that easy... I provided a Flood Risk Assessment..it's site specific but was carried out for the previous landowner...so I can't use it...
 
They all seem too busy at the moment to carry out a survey... must be a last minute rush...
We have just been informed one of our jobs needs a third overnight roost survey after a pippestrel bat was seen entering the gable end. The only available date is the last day of the survey period and we had 2 hours to get the clients approval before they gave that slot to the next customer. This is from a very prominent nationwide company.
 

Kidds

Member
Horticulture
I was selling a property a few years back and the flood risk assessment suggested that one part of the building may be at risk of flooding. The potential client at the time pulled out of the deal as a result.
This was when loads of places were getting flooded around the country and it was high profile news at the time so almost understandable but if the building did flood it would mean half of Cheshire would have had to be under water. I had lived there for 50 years and seen a few heavy rain events but only 3 times have I seen the water high enough to flow over the lane, it would have to rise a further 3 metres of open countryside to flood the building. It is not going to flood unless the polar ice caps melt.
 
FRA's need to be based on the EA modelling data for the 1 in 100 year flood + 10% allowance for climate change. This can make sites that have never flooded seem vunerable. We had a sit ethat fell into this category and our Flood Risk Consultant advised us to get a topo survey done to GPS levels and it showed this property to be significantly higher than the EA model suggested.
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
FRA's need to be based on the EA modelling data for the 1 in 100 year flood + 10% allowance for climate change. This can make sites that have never flooded seem vunerable. We had a sit ethat fell into this category and our Flood Risk Consultant advised us to get a topo survey done to GPS levels and it showed this property to be significantly higher than the EA model suggested.
The EA data is certainly not infallible....

I argued for the correction of quite a bit locally while I was still there.
 
The EA data is certainly not infallible....

I argued for the correction of quite a bit locally while I was still there.
It's understandable really when it is based on LiDAR data, it can only have a certain level of accuracy. It's the same with OS data, when you read the technical info o believe at 1:1250 a line can be up to 4.2m from its true position.

As for flooding the current priority is not just whether the site floods but also whether in a time of flood emergency vehicles can get to the property. So if a property is on an 'island' surrounded by FZ3 then the Local Authority (not the EA) will have to determine whether it is safe for allow development there.
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
It's understandable really when it is based on LiDAR data, it can only have a certain level of accuracy. It's the same with OS data, when you read the technical info o believe at 1:1250 a line can be up to 4.2m from its true position.

As for flooding the current priority is not just whether the site floods but also whether in a time of flood emergency vehicles can get to the property. So if a property is on an 'island' surrounded by FZ3 then the Local Authority (not the EA) will have to determine whether it is safe for allow development there.
Yes, for residential development they're has been a requirement for "safe access and egress" for many years. That means not having to cross flood water, especially fast flowing water of ANY depth (just 6" of fast flowing water can take a fit adult of their feet).

I've seen some very creative solutions to that proposed in some places..... :rolleyes:
 

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
Yup.

The question was "omg what do the planners want" and the answer is "someone independent with the letters after their name so we can tick a box and cover our backsides".
Planning is all about writing cheques and arse covering . Commonsense doesnt come into it at any point, the sooner an applicant accepts the above the less stressed they will become. Its a maddening experience even when you get your project passed.
 
Planning is all about writing cheques and arse covering . Commonsense doesnt come into it at any point, the sooner an applicant accepts the above the less stressed they will become. Its a maddening experience even when you get your project passed.
My whole job now is pretty much checking all our submissions against Local Authority Validation Checklists, EA Maps, Historic England databases etc.
There is a National Minimum Requirement for Planning Validation but from that starting point LPA's can make up their own validation requirements - we have worked in 30 different LPA's in the past 3 years, it is a full time job just keeping up!
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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