Planning application representation question (Aberdeen city)

[Kiltie]

I have received notification of a demolish / rebuild project across the road from me.

On the face of it, the proposal looks fine with regard to how the new house will look.

I have concerns regarding how the project will be executed though. These include the following.

• I'd like to know how the project is scheduled and what the overall duration is. If it's based on component parts being fabricated off site and delivered / assembled and it's only going to be a few weeks, that's fine. If it's going to drag on for months and months, that may be a different matter. I say this because some other local building works have now been ongoing for over a year as they seem to be planned in dribs and drabs.

• I’d like a statement that no external work involving the use of machinery or power tools will be conducted outside, say, 09:00 – 16:00 and not at weekends. On a site within earshot, they fire up their tools at first light. I recognise that this may be at odds with the point above.

• I can’t see where; materials, plant and machinery are going to be stored apart from on the adjacent roads. I'd be worried that this might cause access issues as a result of parking being used up.

• It’d be good to see a statement that this is really truly believed to be all the applicant intends to do with the site. I say this because, in my view, some others locally were a bit naughty by not mentioning a garage in the original submission and then submitting a separate one. I think it’s not on to do planning applications in a drip feed basis.

Will the planning department be interested in these views or are they just interested in how the end product will look?

If they're not likely to care, is there another route / method for having my concerns listened to?

Edited by Kiltie on Thursday 20th February 13:23

[rossybee]

It isn't a certain Mr D. Trump by any chance?

[Kiltie]

If it is, I'll be submitting a counter application for some wind turbines in my garden.

[rossybee]

And stocking up on beans?

[sleep envy]

This may be England specific, as I'm not up to speed with Scottish Planning, however;

Kiltie said:

• I'd like to know how the project is scheduled and what the overall duration is. If it's based on component parts being fabricated off site and delivered / assembled and it's only going to be a few weeks, that's fine. If it's going to drag on for months and months, that may be a different matter. I say this because some other local building works have now been ongoing for over a year as they seem to be planned in dribs and drabs.

Developers have a duty to commence within 3 years of being given consent to develop. I have yet to see a consent which conditions the works to be completed within a certain timeframe.

Kiltie said:

• I’d like a statement that no external work involving the use of machinery or power tools will be conducted outside, say, 09:00 – 16:00 and not at weekends. On a site within earshot, they fire up their tools at first light. I recognise that this may be at odds with the point above.

Your local council will set the times for works on sie (normally 8am - 6pm Mon to Fri and 8am to 1pm on Sat, no working on Sundays or bank hols). They also state limits for noise and vibration but your request for no machinery or power tools to be used between 9am and 4pm is both unworkable and unreasonable.

Kiltie said:

• I can’t see where; materials, plant and machinery are going to be stored apart from on the adjacent roads. I'd be worried that this might cause access issues as a result of parking being used up.

Should there be no space on site it is likely that the developer may seek a partial road closure to use as a compound.

Kiltie said:

• It’d be good to see a statement that this is really truly believed to be all the applicant intends to do with the site. I say this because, in my view, some others locally were a bit naughty by not mentioning a garage in the original submission and then submitting a separate one. I think it’s not on to do planning applications in a drip feed basis.

An applicant is entitled to submit Section 73 notices how they see fit, it is down to the planning officer to either grant or reject the application although you may be entitled to object should you so choose.

Kiltie said:

Will the planning department be interested in these views or are they just interested in how the end product will look?

Write to them to voice your concerns, they may add conditions to the consent.

Kiltie said:

If they're not likely to care, is there another route / method for having my concerns listened to?

No.

[bigblock]

Your local community council is a statutory consultee on all planning issues within their area. If you contact them and ask them to voice your concerns/proposals to the local planning officer it usually carries a bit more weight than doing it on your own.