Planning authority advice

hughjeffort

8 years ago

Hi All,

Have a question that i'm hoping someone will be able to help with...........

First a quick as I can background..........

I have a Victorian semi in a conservation area, building not listed.

I applied to have the kerb dropped and the front wall gate opening widened (Already agreed twice but lapsed)

Was refused on the grounds that the decorative wall was a feature of the area. Most of the wall is under 1m therefore can be removed under permitted development but the pier for the gate is 1.1m so cannot. I can remove the wall leaving the pier and have access but the angle would not be ideal.

I contacted the planning officer to see if a compromise could be reached and she was extremely hostile. I approached the permitted development angle and it was met with..'Well you'll have to re submit with better plans then I may still refuse with extra conditions' I wasn't sure how to take this so I thought i'd ask for some advice.

Is it possible that the council could refuse my application with the revised plans then add the condition that I can no longer remove the wall that is below 1m?

Would it be a good idea for me to remove the wall now, submit plans that have the wall rebuilt to the opening I require thereby not giving them the chance to take away my permitted rights? (I have checked with a planning officer on a site visit and had it confirmed I can remove the wall, unfortunately not the same one that refused it)

Any advice would be appreciated, the ideal situation would be to get them to agree I can move the pier leaving as much of the original wall in tact as possible but i'm worried the planning officer will not allow this then stop me from being able to get the opening at all.

As a footnote, although my house is 1 of only 2 in the street the wall is the same as almost all the other properties on the road and the majority have been modified in some way to allow access or just lowered.

Thanks

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Comments (5)

hughjeffort
Original Author
8 years ago
I know the post is a bit of a nause to read but can anyone offer any guidance?
PRO
GHS Special Projects
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Hi, sorry we cant offer any guidance on this so just replying so that your post appears back at the top of the list so hopefully someone might spot it now and be able to help! Hope things turn out well for you. Another thing you could try would be to post your question in the design dilemma section on here as that seems to be a more popular section with more replies rather than the 'other' section you have posted in, just a thought!
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I think it will look great to open up the kitchen and conservatory areas because the area is quite small. However, here are a few things to consider (this is from someone who lives in a house with a similar layout to your existing ground floor). The conservatory faces south and presumably overlooks the garden. Is this an area you are going to want to sit in because it will be beautiful and tranquil? If so, it would be better to keep the dining room in the centre area because you don't need a view when eating (except of the food). Then use the conservatory as a small sitting room. It looks like you have not drawn the plans to scale. The new hallway looks narrow and the new wall will take up space. Make sure if a new wall is put in that you will have enough space for a useable room plus a hallway. Why do you want to access the new downstairs bedroom/study from the living room? Wouldn't it be better to access it from the hallway at the bottom of the stairs. Good ideas though.
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hughjeffort
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi GHS,

Thanks for that bump, its been there a while but I guess its a bit of a unique question that not many would know the answer too, I certainly don't!
PRO
OnePlan
7 years ago
The others section is a bit slow - try reposting in dilemmas !
obobble
7 years ago
Have a look at Martin Goodalls planning blog. Search for control of demolition . There is a helpful (though technically challenging for us lay folk) analysis dated October 2014 which covers (towards the end) the different rules applying to demolition and alteration of front boundary walls in conservation areas and (if I have understood it correctly) may provide a way forward for you - or at least ammo when talking to planners.

Planning authority advice

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hughjeffort
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Planning authority advice

Comments (5)

hughjeffortOriginal Author

GHS Special Projects

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hughjeffortOriginal Author

OnePlan

obobble

COMPANY

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GET HELP

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hughjeffort
Original Author

hughjeffort
Original Author