31 replies to this topic

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A christmas present from the planners. Yes despite this issue being live from June we recieved our Planning Contravention Notice on Xmas Eve. For those who might consider this a coincidence we were told in a telephone call and this was confirmed in an email as they seemed concerned we would not recieve it in time. Sadly the tactics have not worked and have added impetus to our desire to achieve what is offered under present legiislation. Nice try "scrooge".

We are Required to remove static caravan by Jan 31st despite the fact a static has been sited there consecutively for over10yrs and that we do not need permission for a welfare unit.

Under the Mansi Principle no enforcement should take away your normal rights. To achieve there ends they could have sought that we cease residential occupation. This will be an interesting example of whether our approach works. So watch this space and keep your fingers crossed.

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Well the threatened Enforcement Notice did not arrive and last week we met again with enforcement and the Head of Planning. Our case has now attracted the attention of the top man and probably indicates our situation can not be dismissed as easily as first thought.
At this meeting we offered to put in an application for an Occupational Workers Dwelling in connection with the Care Farm we run on site. The Rationale is that 8mnths down the line means it will be almost a year before the application will be determined. By the time any appeal is heard we would have been on site about 18mnths which we think the inspectorate would deem sufficient time to have completed works. Incidentally it is within the time frame we offered we offered to the LPA.
How does this relate to the books 5yr claim, well if we get ths 3yr temp we are very close. When we go for planning we will be able to show we have met viability for a year and functionality will be the key issue.
So for us the blueprint has worked and it now depends on us to create the farm. Consultants charge £120 ph making the book a snip at £25 considering the forum backup.
OWD need to pass the same tests as AWD but there is less case law and we believe ours could well be unique for now at least.
So for now round two is delayed and we remain quietly confident.
Yesterday our first lambs were born (twins) heralding the start of a new farming year. Hopefully the year will continue in this vain.

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Time for an update. We have submitted an application for an OWD and await the outcome. We explained elsewher that the photos taken by the enforcement team had been published online. We have now been visited by the planner dealing with our case. Wanted me to sign a copy of the planning application they had altered. This was a previous application that we withdrew as they altered the wording on the planning notice. Asked them where our application was and it would appear they have lost it. More worrying with less than two weeks to go the officer dealing with it has not read our financial information. Why not? youve guessed it they have lost that as well despite being clearly marked Private & Confidential.
Checking their planning site they have listed the wrong application as well as posting two Site Notices both of which are wrong.
The planner is back at work Tuesday, agenda to be published the next day with their report.
Lets hope the Officer does not spend the first two hours drinking coffee and scra...................

I realise this could all be a co-incidence and we just have an incompetent team feel free to comment in "General Chat".

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Spoke to planners today who not only can not find my paperwork they are now questioning wether I submitted it.
The final bombshell despite 13 public comments and 23 documents mostly not mine they are considering delegating the decision to planners.

http://www.shropshir...lanning-powers/

Read the link and be assured people were right to be worried.

Looks like I might have to trust my fate to an organisation who alters my application and loses my paperwork.

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Went to PC meeting last night as our planning application was on the agenda. The council told me there was no develpoment land in the parish and we could not get permission on our land as it was agricultural. Explained about PPS7 but they said it did not apply
Asked them if they had read the documents sent by the planners. They then said they had not recieved any paperwork from the council so should not even be discussing it and deffered it to the next meeting.
You could not make it up and available to anyone for £335
Our planners are getting a 5% pay cut in September and they are complaining about it.
Frankly if I ran my business like this I would not have a business.

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PC have stooped to a new low. Despite the fact they said they could not discuss it and did not take a vote on the application they must have reopened the discussion after the meeting. They have now posted an objection to the planning application. How underhand can you get

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Yesterday was D DAY for our decision. The day before I emailed the elected head of the council and the planning committee members with my concerns over the application being determined under delegated powers. Low and behold when I rang the planners to find out their decision I was told that the Chief Planning Officer had decided to refer it to the Committee due to the complexities of the case. So over 2 months down the line they have a eurika moment. It could be a coincidence but I suspect that more is achieved talking to elected representatives that council officials who toe the line and seem to have great difficulty "thinking outside the box" or infact thinking at all.
The decision is allready outside the 8 week period and we now have to wait tilll the 25 aug for a decision. She did tell me that her report would recommend refusal so no surprise there Asked if I could have a copy of the report, and was told it would be published the week before the meeting. Ah well helpful to the end what a jobsworth.

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Today was D Day for our application and yesterday afternoon I recieved a call from the CPO indicating If I had put in for a Sect 73A permission for3 yrs Temp Accomadation they might have been able to support it. I said I was surprisded he could suggest they might support this rather than the one I submitted. They had stated i did not meet the functional or viability tests so how could they recommend supporting the 3 yrs temp. To cut the story short he said we were inflexible and I said we thought they were. But it was the first sign they had shown any positivity to our case. I had that week sent my 3rd set of info to all the planning committee. The change left me uneasy but I did indicate I would submit another application if this one failed as it was allways what we intended and we now knew the councils stance.
The site visit took place no questions asked by anyone.
We were last on the agenda and the application was turned down in line with the recomendation. However to a man/woman they indicated that if resubmitted as a Sect 73A they would support it. Two even voted against the council wanting us to recieve the consent there and then. One said it was unreasonable in this day and age to expect anyone to live in a cold draughty
caravan in our weather (reminded me of HMOTW mussings last winter I do miss his contributions and hope is doing well now he has the planners on side.) Another though the idea we could live 5miles away was ridiculous. All seemed to think it was a project they should support.
Frankly I was over the moon with the outcome even though it was rejected. I will now be putting together a new application hoping they will be as good as their word. I purchased a bottle on the way home, there may be a long way to go but I now feel the journey is well and truely underway. Asked my lad how he felt answer "emotional".
I will post application details elsewhere for those who have not already come accross and give people the chance to comment.
Never thought I would be so happy with a NO.

Planning it's a funny old game

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Ah Well

No change on the council front. Rang them re submitting Sect 73A as suggested by the committee. Answerphone gave me another No to ring and this one was a recorded message telling me the gentleman had left the LPA in April !!!. Told the planner I would reproduce the application but with new application form and site plan for Sect 73A and was told I could not, had to be new application with new appraisal etc. Told them i would still be using the same submissions with some extras added. I was told my file was closed and the info could not be transferred. Explained when I changed my application previously on their request they had allowed it. Answer " it was not me who dealt with that"
Shropshire were recently challenged over spending a lot of money providing I Pads to councillors only 2 years after providing them with laptops. Reason given they wish to become a paperless council. Why then do they want me to photocopy 37 pages in triplicate of documents they already have. Answers on a postcard direct to Shropshire council.
Thursday I recieved a letter from the council confirming my application had been refused along with an email saying it had been granted "What a Shambles"
Think the email was sent to all who had commented on the applications so there would have been a few objectors who nearly chocked on their cornflakes . I also assume the phones were busy as it was corrected on Friday.
Aware that most of my posts are doom and gloom so will try and balance it up. A couple of weeks ago I was off to a footy match and got a call to pick up some goat food as our supplier was out of stock. Whilst in this store I saw an add for "Free Piglets". Getting my priorities right I called to see them after the match (we won lucky omen)
Turns out the lady had bought Micro Pigs which grew into something much bigger. She had got her money back and now due to illness just wanted rid to a good home. So the six piglets came with three sisters from a previous litter plus dad and mum who was pregnant again. Last week she had a litter of 7. So we have an assortment of kune/pot belly x which we will attempt to make sausages from, all thanks to good old football.

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Good news arrived today from the council. They have changed there mind and are now recommending granting our permission. took us a bit by surprise so its everything crossed for next Thursdays planning meeting. Just shows that persistance pays.

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MORE GOOD NEWS TODAY OUR TEMP PLANNING APPLICATION WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Only alteration is members requested it be for two years rather than three which suits us.
Hopefully this will spur others on.

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Well it’s been a while and much has happened. Firstly I had to surrender my driving license on medical grounds and with no alternative transport to the rural farm have taken a back seat. My son who had diabetes later became seriously ill and needed a kidney and pancreas transplant. Prior to this the need for dialysis meant he had to leave the caravan on site just as the time approached to submit full planning permission. If that was not enough the illness cost him his sight.
What effect has this had on an enterprise that planners had deemed unsustainable by local planners? Well it’s not been easy but with help of his wife and daughter the project continues. For a while some of the activities were reigned in.
Some 9yrs on the project continues to serve the needs of local schools and their pupils who are struggling with mainstream education. My son has come to terms with his disability but is still fully involved with the day to day running.
Of late more emphasis has returned to the breeding aspect of the farm. This has meant more frequent overnight stays and perhaps the time has come to try again for the elusive planning permission.
I will also open another post in planning permission for friends new and old to contribute.