 |
|
Home Fixer - Home Repair & Home Improvement |
|
|
Home Fixer - Home Repair & Home Improvement |
|
Planning Permission Tips UK - Trees and How They Can Affect Development when Applying for Planning
Like most folk, I believe that more can be achieved in life by open & transparent negotiation - laying ones cards on the table for a reciprocal arrangement & courtesy. Unfortunately, like most things in life, there will be times when one side will try & gain the advantage at the detriment of the other party using this method. Nothing is more relevant to this fact in Planning issues than TREES on or near a site that you want to develop or extend. I had an historic situation where a prime site ripe for an infill plot had a bank of protected trees on its rear boundary. In the middle of the garden was one sole Walnut tree of mature height that was not protected. Research at the Planning Offices revealed that it was only protected by a very obscure & old Planning Condition back in the sixties for the original estate that required all mature trees on the site to be retained (non were specifically identified). The options of how to play this when entering into pre-application negotiations with the Planning Dept. were put to the client which entailed either taking a chance & removing the tree now to expose the plot for an obvious new dwelling but at the risk of having to incur some sort of costs for Planning rectification measures or leave the site as it is & start talking to the Planners. The client did not want to take the risk so we left the site unaltered. Upon entering into sketch scheme designs & negotiations with a Case Planning Officer & their 'new' urban design team it soon became clear that the Planners were resistant to a property on this site mainly for siting issues (not the trees) but our approaches to the Councils Tree Officers were unusually non-responsive. After 4 weeks of messages & non-returned calls I was eventually told that the Walnut tree had now been issued with a Tree preservation order (TPO) without any form of discussion from them. Even half expecting this as the 'worst case scenario' it was still very shocking & upsetting to find that your trust of fair play in the system had been well & truly shat on. Also, that a perfectly good site had now received another layer of problems to overcome. It was also clear that 'internal events' had taken place between all sections of the Planning Dept. in order prevent development on this site due to the initial negative response from the Case Planning Officer. I wouldn't want to go so far as to indicate that 'dark powers were at work' but it is clear that in the close knit 'chummy' atmosphere of the Council Offices, Planners & other consultation specialists had conspired together to form a united front against development on this site even though we had tried to negotiate separately on the tree issue. The conclusion to all this is clear - Don't trust any part of the Planning system during pre-application negotiations when trees are involved. On this particular site we had now entered into an adversarial position not of our own making. We would have been no better of if we had simply removed the tree first & argued about the legality of this action afterwards after all it was not formally protected. You can understand why some arrogant developers do this - Honesty & openness simply doesn't pay when dealing with some aspects of Planning. Our 'Maximum Build Planning Guide' explains this tree issue in more detail & sets out various risk assessment procedures that you can incorporate within your scheme when dealing with trees. I would not advocate removing any trees from a site until you have accurately identified the problem areas - some trees on a site will actually assist your Planning application so an overall assessment & the formation of a plan is vital if you are to avoid further TPO's being applied to your site. The TPO route is one of the best tools Planners have in preventing your development - it's fairly quick to implement, it's in-house & it's secretive until the day the order is placed - you have been warned. Planning permision and planning approval.
MORE RESOURCES:
Home-Improvement - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Stair Railings Styles Cordless Impact Wrench - Not the Same Tool as Your Cordless Drill The cordless impact wrench is quickly gaining in popularity among professional mechanics and the hobby mechanic as well. You may be thinking "I already have a cordless drill that I use for impact applications, why do I need a cordless impact wrench as well?". Fixing Old Wooden Chairs Fixing Old Wooden ChairsIF you have some old chairs that have broken or missing rungs or posts. Don't throw away the chairs, repair them. Measuring For Your Vinyl Replacement Windows Let's say you're tired of those old wood windows, and you decide it's time to upgrade to vinyl replacement windows. You get 2 or 3 contractors to come out and give you an estimate. Family Fun - Is Swimming In A Safe Pool Family fun is one of the most important things you can strive for to give your children some lasting memories they will always cherish; even into adulthood. Your children will always remember the times you spent together as a family on vacation or at home. Planning Permission Tips UK - Understanding Your Local Planning Officer - They are Only Human This time of year often sees an explosion in new enquiries for development schemes but the irony of this fact is that most people think that they are in time for a Spring/early summer build if they start the Planning & design process now through the Local Authority?? Sorry but this thinking should have been at the end of last summer - September at the latest. In most cases people do not seem to realise the time scales involved . How to Choose a Freezer for Home The average household freezer is a silent slave. It operates year in and year out, requiring nothing other than a constant supply of electricity. What Are Circuit Breakers? Circuit Breakers are devices that stop the electrical current of a circuit in the event of excess or very high voltage. Circuit breakers are handy, not only because they can protect against electrical fires but also because they can be reset. A Few Simple Facts About Gas And Electric Heating Systems To make your home more energy efficient, you need to understand the energy efficiency of different types of heating and cooling systems. Many times people are confused by inaccurate information they receive from manufacturers and sellers of heating and cooling equipment. CCTV for the Home Securing your property is one of the growing domestic issues in the UK today. Some research suggests that at least one home is broken into every minute. Operation Closet When the wife comes to you one fine day and says, "dear, I think we need a new closet for the bedroom", the heart surges in joy. Immediate thoughts of grabbing the coat and rushing off on a mission to the nearest DIY center enters the mind before realization dawns that first must come a shower and then work. Home Automation Enhances Your Lifestyle and Saves Money - Exciting Home Automation Applications Wouldn't it be nice to have your home take care of things for you, automatically, without you having to lift a finger? You bet it would. That is the promise of home automation. Prefabricated Home Packages This is by no means an exhaustive list of what's available in the area of prefabricated homes and buildings. This article is to introduce you to the world prefab. Microwave Convection Ovens - Double Benefits Microwave convection ovens have both microwave and convection facilities. Microwave ovens cook the food with amazing speed by heating the food only and nothing else. Repairing Your Own Machine Components Many industrial concerns have workshops of their own. For the repair of worn shafts, the lathe machine is excellent. Remedies for a Wet Basement A wet basement can be just a nuisance or even real nightmare. Each year, thousands of homeowners are faced with the unpleasant side effects of seasonal rainfall. Home Floor Plan Designing For Your Future Home Designing Your Own Dream Home for the New Home Builder: What is your dream home? Do you have an idea of what it will look like? Defining a dream home is very difficult, especially if you have a spouse or significant other that has tastes different than your own. Although you might be able to agree on a floor plan, do you both agree on what the purposes for each of the rooms? My solution to this matter is simple. Bathroom Designs Idea - Can I Design My Own Bathroom? A bathroom designs idea -- can I really design my own bathroom? Why not! Today, the bathroom is much more than just a room for grooming and a place to read. Bathrooms can be a good place for home exercise equipment and a good music system or TV, for example. Repairing Putty Window Glass Have you ever thought about fixing a broken window in your house, but didn't think you could do it because nobody ever taught you how to cut glass? Well, you really don't have to know how to cut glass in order to repair your window. If you knew how to remove the frame, you could order a replacement piece of glass from your local glass shop already cut to the proper size. Building a Garage Addition to Your Home One of the most rewarding home improvements I made to my house was to build a garage addition. For years I contemplated building a garage addition while I scraped the ice and snow from my cars and waited for them to warm up during the winter months.
|
