The joys of planning permission

[Smith31]

We received planning approval around 2 years ago for a new building. The planning went straight through without any objections. However, we have been busy with other things and the weathers been dreadful, so only started ground works earlier this week.

All week people have been parking up taking photos. To be honest we thought nothing of it and just carried on. People are always taking photos, as we are sheep farmers and cute little lambs running about in the fields, always attract photos at this time of year.

Anyway earlier today a car pulled up, a chap with a Hi Viz jacket turned up with a camera and a clipboard.

There was no hi or hello, just a I am from the council, who is in charge of this site?

So I came off the dumper and said hello.

He said you need to stop work, apparently what we were doing was illegal and that if we didn't stop a notice or something would be issued as he has had over 20 complaints.

So I pointed out we were only doing what we had planning permission for.

He said no you haven't. Apparently he had checked!

After 20 minutes of nearly losing my temper with him, I said wait a minute, got my phone out and showed him a screenshot of the approval decision notice which was displayed on the councils website!

His face dropped like a lead balloon.

I must admit I got such a lovely feeling in my stomach, when his face sank. Just thought for gods sake leave us alone to get on.

I know for sure if we had just started work without approval thinking sod it or tried retrospective planning there was not a chance in hell that it would have been approved, so it was £90 or so well spent on a planning application.

So a bit of a warning to others, sometimes its cheaper, less stressful and easier to do things right from the beginning.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Doesn't sound like he'd checked then, surely not a council employee throwing their weight around without knowing the facts.

 

[Smith31]

Doesn't sound like he'd checked then, surely not a council employee throwing their weight around without knowing the facts.

He had checked using the farm address and the planning history logged against it. However the architect had used a land grid reference not the farm address, so the application did not show up against the farm address. So he came fully prepared to warn us that he would be issuing a notice if we didn't stop work.

He did apologise once I showed him the approval notice on my phone and said he should have double checked against the online map before he came to site threatening us with notices. His attitude changed altogether and was polite.

The aim of the post was to warn fellow farmers not to try and risk it without planning, as it only costs around £90, people complain more when they see work start.

 

[rob1]

He had checked using the farm address and the planning history logged against it. However the architect had used a land grid reference not the farm address, so the application did not show up against the farm address. So he came fully prepared to warn us that he would be issuing a notice if we didn't stop work.

He did apologise once I showed him the approval notice on my phone and said he should have double checked against the online map before he came to site threatening us with notices. His attitude changed altogether and was polite.

The aim of the post was to warn fellow farmers not to try and risk it without planning, as it only costs around £90, people complain more when they see work start.

Perhaps he should have done his job properly and if he was still unsure he could have asked politely if you had permission not come on site throwing his weight about. A friend told methis week of a wilts enforcement officer who went to his house while he was away and was very forceful with his 75 year old mother, uncalled for and they are scared to go on gypo sites as they get threatened yet happy to scare old ladies

 

[betweenthelines]

Why hadn't the 20 complainants raised objections to the planning request?

I would have thought anyone directly affected (ie local) would have, if they were concerned

So, were these just 20 random moaners/busybodies who complain about anything?

Did the council officer say what the substance of the complaint was, or did he just react to vague "something's happening that I don't like"

If they complained without knowing what you're doing, they're some sad people


Some of the land I used to farm has been taken by an open cast mine, using a 30 year old consent---no f**ker complained about that!

 

[Stuart2]

Typical council bulls**t they don't let minor details like facts get in the way .

 

[Nearly]

Interesting putting a grid reference rather than fam name. Hmmmmm.

 

[Smith31]

Why hadn't the 20 complainants raised objections to the planning request?

I would have thought anyone directly affected (ie local) would have, if they were concerned

So, were these just 20 random moaners/busybodies who complain about anything?

Did the council officer say what the substance of the complaint was, or did he just react to vague "something's happening that I don't like"

If they complained without knowing what you're doing, they're some sad people


Some of the land I used to farm has been taken by an open cast mine, using a 30 year old consent---no fudgeer complained about that!

There were no complaints to the application 2 years ago and was approved first time.

So I don't know who or why they complained now. Maybe now that the diggers are here people don't like to see change? I didn't ask the enforcement officer either, we just wanted to get on whilst it was dry.

 

[Cowcalf]

presume he is now in the foundations permanently

 

[sherg]

Interesting putting a grid reference rather than fam name. Hmmmmm.

Going to have to try that one next time

 

[Tom_o_m]

You normally only have 2 years to start work before planning expires. You must have been running that a bit close!

 

[wasted years]

There were no complaints to the application 2 years ago and was approved first time.

So I don't know who or why they complained now. Maybe now that the diggers are here people don't like to see change? I didn't ask the enforcement officer either, we just wanted to get on whilst it was dry.

What you quite often find is that people don't care about 'due process' and doing things the right way , they just want to cry like babies when something happens they don't like.
Be thankful they don't keep an eye on the Planning system, they may well do in fututre.

 

[nonemouse]

Interesting putting a grid reference rather than fam name. Hmmmmm.

One or two applications locally come up as, ‘field opposite (insert name of neighbours farm rather than land owners farm)’

 

[Bruce Almighty]

You normally only have 2 years to start work before planning expires. You must have been running that a bit close!

As far as I'm aware, with agricultural 28 day notice you have 5 years to complete

 

[betweenthelines]

presume he is now in the foundations permanently

Then you really could say "Planning Officer supports this development"

 

[Pan mixer]

Someone had to post it.

 

[Still Farming]

Why hadn't the 20 complainants raised objections to the planning request?

I would have thought anyone directly affected (ie local) would have, if they were concerned

So, were these just 20 random moaners/busybodies who complain about anything?

Did the council officer say what the substance of the complaint was, or did he just react to vague "something's happening that I don't like"

If they complained without knowing what you're doing, they're some sad people


Some of the land I used to farm has been taken by an open cast mine, using a 30 year old consent---no fudgeer complained about that!

Can't read os grid ref.no's most prob.?

 

[Still Farming]

One or two applications locally come up as, ‘field opposite (insert name of neighbours farm rather than land owners farm)’

Wasters try that around here?
So put a letter in to correct them.

 

[RWG Contracts]

You normally only have 2 years to start work before planning expires. You must have been running that a bit close!

5 years to make a reasonable start

 

[RWG Contracts]

I once had a bloke turn up on site. Same thing, come wandering over told us he was from planning and we was in breach, I didn’t have a clue cause customer sorted planning. After a bit of conversation I asked him for some id cause what he was saying didn’t make sense, I don’t have any he said, despite a card hung around his kneck. Crafty barsteward wasn’t even from planning, just a jealous nimby bloke from down the road