Problem with local council

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mickthemechanic

Original Poster:

326 posts

105 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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Hi

Wondering if there is anyone on PH who could advise me on a problem I have with the local parish council. I will try to explain this as best I can.

My house borders a open park area that consists of a of grassed area with a kids park etc. The local parish council have decided in there wisdom to permanently site a 20ft steel container right outside my fence line which they are using to store the equipment to cut the grass on the park. Now, I am not normally one to complain to council etc. but this has wound me up beyond belief. I have tried speaking to the local parish councillor but he does not seem to think there is a problem. I have had to stop communications with him as it was getting to the stage where I was going to say something to him that would not help the situation. I have also contacted the county council planning office. They set up an investigation and sent someone out to check on the situation. I received an email yesterday stating the container was within permitted development rights of the parish council also the parish council own the land that the container is sited on.

I am just not sure where to take this now. Would I have a legal case here as I feel this is an eyesore and devaluing my property.

longshot

3,286 posts

197 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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Any photos?

mickthemechanic

Original Poster:

326 posts

105 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
Hi

Yes but I am not sure about posting pics of where I live on the internet.

TooLateForAName

4,729 posts

183 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
Talk to the clerk of the council. You want to raise it properly rather than in a chat with a councillor.
Concentrate on the impact it has on you, if it cuts out light or overshadows your garden.
Is there a better alternative location?
and for gods sake dont do the 'devalues my property' line.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
mickthemechanic said:
Wondering if there is anyone on PH who could advise me on a problem I have with the local parish council. I will try to explain this as best I can.

My house borders a open park area that consists of a of grassed area with a kids park etc. The local parish council have decided in there wisdom to permanently site a 20ft steel container right outside my fence line which they are using to store the equipment to cut the grass on the park. Now, I am not normally one to complain to council etc. but this has wound me up beyond belief. I have tried speaking to the local parish councillor but he does not seem to think there is a problem. I have had to stop communications with him as it was getting to the stage where I was going to say something to him that would not help the situation. I have also contacted the county council planning office. They set up an investigation and sent someone out to check on the situation. I received an email yesterday stating the container was within permitted development rights of the parish council also the parish council own the land that the container is sited on.

I am just not sure where to take this now. Would I have a legal case here as I feel this is an eyesore and devaluing my property.
Sorry, but they're right.

"Permanently site"? How long's it been there? It's a temporary structure placed on their land.

Is it tactfully positioned? No.
Is it deliberately placed there to offend you personally? Almost certainly not.
Is there anywhere it could be placed that wouldn't cause this problem to _somebody_ (and you just happened to draw the short straw)? You tell me.

Time to head to the garden centre.

Pothole

34,367 posts

281 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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mickthemechanic said:
Hi

Yes but I am not sure about posting pics of where I live on the internet.
Move on, everyone. This tells us all we need to know.

mickthemechanic

Original Poster:

326 posts

105 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
Pothole said:
Move on, everyone. This tells us all we need to know.
Hi

Not sure what your trying to say in your reply.

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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A lot of people would be grateful for a 20' container the other side of their fence, me for one. All I have is a residential road and around 30 windows all with a view into my garden or back bedrooms.

Dan_M5

615 posts

142 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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mickthemechanic said:
Hi

Not sure what your trying to say in your reply.
Because a picture of your garden with a shipping container outside the fence will really give away the location you live in won't it.

Unless you have a large sign on the container stating your name, address, NI number.

mickthemechanic

Original Poster:

326 posts

105 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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Hi Pothole

Would you like a tin of custard on top of the container ?

PS Thanks to all the other posters who have replied.

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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Ugly, but you dont have any windows on the upper floor facing that way, and once the growths on your fenceline are wrangled back under control, you should have a good sight screen from those.

I'd be tempted to cavil at the temporary tag - while the container obviously is, the nice shiny new hard-standing doesn't scream temporary to me.

essayer

9,011 posts

193 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
If that's your house on the left then I don't think it's that bad.

It looks like it'll be blocked by the hedge in summer and it's a suitably subdued colour?


TorqueVR

1,838 posts

198 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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As you've said the parish council has done nothing wrong as planning was not required because the container is within permitted development rights. There is no legal right to a view and there is also no right to stop somebody doing something legal on their land. Surely mowing the grass and stopping scrotes from stealing the mower is a good thing? As regard the value of your house the container will have no effect whatsoever.

mickthemechanic

Original Poster:

326 posts

105 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
Ugly, but you dont have any windows on the upper floor facing that way, and once the growths on your fenceline are wrangled back under control, you should have a good sight screen from those.

I'd be tempted to cavil at the temporary tag - while the container obviously is, the nice shiny new hard-standing doesn't scream temporary to me.
Hi

Thanks for the reply. I know I cant see it from inside but its just annoying me that its there and as you say its ugly. Also the council have stated that it is stating there permanently.

mickthemechanic

Original Poster:

326 posts

105 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
essayer said:
If that's your house on the left then I don't think it's that bad.

It looks like it'll be blocked by the hedge in summer and it's a suitably subdued colour?
Hi

Yes that's my house on the left. To the right is the open grass area.

Chris Type R

8,018 posts

248 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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That's a bit of an eye-sore.

You might also find it used as a goal when the weather gets warmer.

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
mickthemechanic said:
I might be annoyed if I lived in one of the houses in the background. Even then, it's quite a distance away.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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It doesn't look that bad, as someone else said where else on the plot could it go to be better placed ? Cropped google screenshot from above?
You could always use the arrowslit in your roofspace to ward off council workers.

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah

12,787 posts

99 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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mickthemechanic said:


Hi Pothole

Would you like a tin of custard on top of the container ?

PS Thanks to all the other posters who have replied.
As annoying as it is I can't see you getting anywhere with this one. As far as I can tell/see it isn't actually of detriment to you in anyway that is measurable. I believe the last word is key; if you could demonstrate that the loss of light was killing your garden, or the kids losing an hour of evening garden play or it was stopping you trimming your bush border then there may have been grounds they'd consider. As others have said don't go down the devaluing your property angle, it won't go down well.

You could always pay some local chavs to vandalise it a few times, so the council get fed up and move it?

  • I accept no liability for damages or trouble should you decide to act on this joke !

Pothole

34,367 posts

281 months

Friday 24th February 2017
quotequote all
I can't see a problem.