10 replies to this topic

[KChally]

Hi,

Hope you are all hard at work in this almost impossible farming industry. We have today worked out how much our feed bill has increased since April 2010, a staggering 25%, with more increases to be expected according to our feed merchant. With that and the cost of fuel, it is becoming extremely difficult!!

Anyway, that aside, my question is:- This morning I rang my planning office to ask if I could look at an approved planning application paper file. She told me that it was all online, and she is correct, but I wanted to look at the financial details which would have been supplied with the application. These figures are not online and she told me that these figures are not for public viewing.

Is she lying or is this true?

Regards
KChally

[greenmeadow]

Hi,

I thought that all supporting documents formed part of the application and as such should be filed on line. Any applications I've looked at have all the details so I think she's probably misunderstood the situation - I'm a charitable sort so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt rather than call her a liar!

I should ask to speak to the legal department and mention the Freedom of Information Act.

Greenmeadow

[Piglet]

Hi,

I thought that all supporting documents formed part of the application and as such should be filed on line. Any applications I've looked at have all the details so I think she's probably misunderstood the situation - I'm a charitable sort so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt rather than call her a liar!

I should ask to speak to the legal department and mention the Freedom of Information Act.

Greenmeadow

My understanding is that if it is personal information regarding a third party then you may not be able to access it. I know that you can view all of your own planning folders although they do try to put you off as much as possible. I have just been in today to view one of my old (2006) folders but conveniently they have lost one - so I have put in a FOI request to view the lost folder. It just formalises the request. I am not sure if you are allowed to view the working folders for planning applications of other properties but no one has ever questioned that I have anything to do with the folder that I have requested.

To sum up, they cannot stop you from viewing your own working folder but I am not sure if you can view others!

[Piglet]

Thinking a bit more about it, you could just phone up and request to see a particular folder and give them the application number and see what happens.

[happymanoftheworld]

Thinking a bit more about it, you could just phone up and request to see a particular folder and give them the application number and see what happens.

I can tell you for a fact that the financial part is not available..... the resaon I know is because I was annoyed that mine were published on-line when I appealed. When I complained I was told that if I hadn't appealed, the financial part is sensitive and therefore kept private, but by going for appeal they are OBLIGED to publish all documents including financial.

[che]

I can tell you for a fact that the financial part is not available..... the resaon I know is because I was annoyed that mine were published on-line when I appealed. When I complained I was told that if I hadn't appealed, the financial part is sensitive and therefore kept private, but by going for appeal they are OBLIGED to publish all documents including financial.

Does this mean that all documents should go online ie enforcement file ,details of the "GRASS" etc.
Or is confidential a one way train.

[happymanoftheworld]

Does this mean that all documents should go online ie enforcement file ,details of the "GRASS" etc.
Or is confidential a one way train.

Sorry Dave C - I didn't explain well - tired with my own planning ordeal.....

For a planning application I can ask that my financial details are kept private as it is "sensitive" information ---- a bit like Blair/Bush conversations at the moment!!!

HOWEVER if you go to appeal everything is then published on-line ---- except the "grass"!!!!!!

[che]

Sorry Dave C - I didn't explain well - tired with my own planning ordeal.....

For a planning application I can ask that my financial details are kept private as it is "sensitive" information ---- a bit like Blair/Bush conversations at the moment!!!

HOWEVER if you go to appeal everything is then published on-line ---- except the "grass"!!!!!!

Thats what I meant it must be my answer that confused things

[alanandastrid]

I wanted to look at the financial details which would have been supplied with the application. These figures are not online and she told me that these figures are not for public viewing.

I have also found it difficult to get very specific figures in order to develop a realistic business plan.

In a world of smallholders where we are all so good at sharing produce, tools and skills it is bizarre to me to find some people being tight or secretive with this kind of info.

I can look over your fence and see the amount of stock you have. Why not help each other along.

I hope you get the info you require, one way or another, sooner rather than later.

Alan and Astrid

[surreydodger]

I do feel it is fair that people are not forced to disclose financial information to the public at large. It's a bit like being told to tell everyone how much your earn and we Brits have always been a bit gaurded on that front.

Of course, what would be professional is if the planners made it clear what they find as being acceptable in te way of finances. They don't and that is the REAL crux of the problem we face when submitting financial numbers.

I suspect they do that to allow them wiggle room in refusing various applications.

[KChally]

alanandastrid,

The financial details I wished to look at were for an application which had been approved, so I could determine the amount of PROFIT which needed to be made to warrant a permanent dwelling. NOT their particular business plan that enabled them to do this. Indeed, as I have said before it took us many many hours to compile our own business plan, as surely this should be based on your own circumstances, not somebody elses.

I agree with you that it is good to share working knowledge with regards to our animals, produce, tools, skills etc and you may well be able to look over my fence to see the number of animals that you will require to fullfil your application, but I would not be happy at sharing my banking/financial details with you.

If you research this forum further, I have actually given the information of how much it cost to rear a pig to 8 weeks at that time. This will of course have changed dramatically due to the increase in feed costs etc. Much will be the same with our business plan regarding costs, including other variables like fuel, electric, water etc.

I dont feel that I am being "tight or secretive" in keeping my business plan confidential as it took us a long time to construct and get right, so you need to do the same and research your own business plan and put in place your own figures, costs etc. This will inevitably take you lots of time as it did ourselves, and if you also engage agricultural/planning consultants lots of money aswell. I dont expect a new supermarket chain would be very well received if they went to Tesco and asked to see their business plan, would they?

You must understand that what we are all trying to achieve is not easy and I am very happy to help anyone the best way I can.

SD is right, planners will wriggle as much as they can.

Good Luck

KChally