The Planners are Coming

[elster]

Just watching this.

Basically the guy has loads of old bikes and books.

He stores them on his drive. Yet the council say that this isn't legal.

I never knew it was illegal to store things on your drive. Apparently planning laws have been broken.

Is this right?

[Colonial]

Council planners and enforcement officers are scum of the earth.

• note my judgement may be biased because I work in the private sector*

[JCB123]

Planners are so detached from reality.... the majority have NO design training, this is why you see such awful extensions and new buildings being constructed.....it needs to be sorted!

[ceriw]

JCB123 said:

Planners are so detached from reality.... the majority have NO design training, this is why you see such awful extensions and new buildings being constructed.....it needs to be sorted!

Can't agree with that I'm afraid - the problem is that the planners have limited powers believe it or not.
A planning officer can't disallow a crap design just because it looks crap - thats a subjective call - its the homeowner who has no idea about design who says he wants/or accepts a crap design and asks for the planning consent.
The planning officer may wish to refuse it, but unless he has good grounds to within the guidelines, he can't do anything.
Its crap 'designers' that are at fault.....

[Jasandjules]

elster said:

I never knew it was illegal to store things on your drive. Apparently planning laws have been broken.

Is this right?

Didn't see the show but are they perhaps claiming he is using it as a facility of some kind? i.e. he's a business rather than his own domestic use thus breaching planning? (Just guessing here).

Still, how dare the fellow try and use his land for what he wants eh?

[ceriw]

Jasandjules said:

elster said:

I never knew it was illegal to store things on your drive. Apparently planning laws have been broken.

Is this right?

Didn't see the show but are they perhaps claiming he is using it as a facility of some kind? i.e. he's a business rather than his own domestic use thus breaching planning? (Just guessing here).

Still, how dare the fellow try and use his land for what he wants eh?

but one isn't 'allowed' to keep a property in a poor state. It offends the neighbours etc...social decorum breached etc...
probably the case here.
a picture of the CS might be helpful?

[JCB123]

ceriw said:

JCB123 said:

Planners are so detached from reality.... the majority have NO design training, this is why you see such awful extensions and new buildings being constructed.....it needs to be sorted!

Can't agree with that I'm afraid - the problem is that the planners have limited powers believe it or not.
A planning officer can't disallow a crap design just because it looks crap - thats a subjective call - its the homeowner who has no idea about design who says he wants/or accepts a crap design and asks for the planning consent.
The planning officer may wish to refuse it, but unless he has good grounds to within the guidelines, he can't do anything.
Its crap 'designers' that are at fault.....

I agree crap designers are at fault in the first instance....but Planners need to do more to stop them getting their plans passed....planning approvals around here can be done by virtually anyone, a brief sketch seems to suffice.....it makes work for people like myself very difficult when 'some guy down the pub' will sketch up plans for £50.....!

I disagree with the comment about Planners not being able to refuse on the grounds of poor design....they have guidlines to follow and should interperate Design and Access Statements to ensure that, for example, new houses suit there surroundings (I'm not saying they have to match, a contrast oftens works just as well)....there are too many houses and extensions thrown up with materials pruchased from Wickes!!!!

Planners are there to ensure that development is controlled, this includes the design, as well as the use, scale, layout etc.