Planning application delays

[oldbanger]

If a planning application has been made, paid for and assigned an application number, but nothing else has happened, what happens once 8 weeks passes? This is for a single story extension which probably falls under permitted development, so nothing complex. Council planners are completely non- responsive.

Are these kinds of delays normal or particular to our local council?

[Busa mav]

Most councils are presently inundated with householder applications , and most aren't dealing with them in a timely manner.

Strangely enough , the council that were firebombed by an angry resident 6 months ago are dealing with everything before the deadline.

South Oxfordshire planners are amazing in how they all buckled down and got on with their tasks.

[oldbanger]

Thanks, I was thinking we had fallen down some crack in space time.

We originally asked for planning comment in August. After 17 weeks passed we thought we were safe to start and put in a notice to that effect. The builder was immediately advised that we couldn't start and that we needed to make a full planning application. So, here we are, having put the application in a couple of months back ... Nothing on the website even, just the portal receipt and initial acknowledgement from the council with the application reference.

[Busa mav]

Definitely give them a call. They are generally quite approachable

Check on the council web site to make sure they haven't written to you requesting further information.

[037]

Salford planning have had my drawings for over 10 weeks now. Beyond useless!

[oldbanger]

Thanks, I will try to call. Emails have gone unanswered and there is nothing on the council website relating to the application. Builder did the portal application for us so all we have are the copies of the portal receipt and initial email from the council with the application number.

Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 5th July 22:10

[Busa mav]

oldbanger said:

Thanks, I will try to call. Emails have gone unanswered and there is nothing on the council website relating to the application. Builder did the portal application for us so all we have are the copies of the portal receipt and initial email from the council with the application number.

Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 5th July 22:10

I hate to say this , but I suspect he has been asked for further information and is yet to supply it.

Phone them

[oldbanger]

Busa mav said:

I hate to say this , but I suspect he has been asked for further information and is yet to supply it.

Phone them

That's always a possibility, yes.

[Job38]

At the end of the 8 week statutory period you are entitled to appeal for non-determination.
Your local planning authority has a duty of care to explain their time commitments.
Planning applications and Certificates of Lawfulness for permitted are two different things.

[ColinM50]

OK, I'll stick my head above the parapet. For my sins I was elected a Town Councillor in the May elections and am on my Town's planning committee and I have to question what you all expect to happen in just a few weeks? Our council had a full meeting late May and then established the various committees in early June. We've had just one Planning meeting since, the next is later this week and we've got 48 applications to consider. We're all new to this and have had to spend our own time finding out the correct processes.

Please bear in mind that we all do this work UNPAID with most of us holding down jobs too. To then see comments like "useless t8ssers" and "waste of space", really makes my blood boil. We do our best but we can't just drop everything to deal with your application. And if you saw some of the applications it'd make you cry. One we have is literally on the back of a corn flakes box and the applicant says, "I want to convert my garage like what xxx the bloke next doors done I'll copy his work".

So go on all you experts, what should we say to him?

I chose to go on the Planning committee because I want to try to make sure my town develops in a sensible manner, but it does take time to get it right. We're more keen to get it right than do it quickly.

[Busa mav]

Most applications such as that the OP has submitted wont even get before the blue rinse brigade they will be treated under delegated powers.

[oldbanger]

It appears in my case that it's not been validated yet. 3 docs are down as missing which I believe have already been sent. Chaser emails asking if they've been received have also gone unanswered. The clock won't start ticking until it is validated, unfortunately.

It's been assigned to an officer who only works part time and whose working days aren't diarised. So I have been instructed to call back Monday next week as he usually works Mondays.

I've asked the builder to send everything again, copying me in, and I'll take copies in by hand if that doesn't work.

[Busa mav]

oldbanger said:

It appears in my case that it's not been validated yet. 3 docs are down as missing which I believe have already been sent. Chaser emails asking if they've been received have also gone unanswered. The clock won't start ticking until it is validated, unfortunately.

It's been assigned to an officer who only works part time and whose working days aren't diarised. So I have been instructed to call back Monday next week as he usually works Mondays.

I've asked the builder to send everything again, copying me in, and I'll take copies in by hand if that doesn't work.

The technical officers are normally very accurate with their checking.

Your builder will have received a request for further information. Ask him to tell you what he has sent and I will tell you what he has missed.

Has he sent a CIL form , that is causing huge delays at present due to people submitting applications without this, it only became a requirement 2 months or so ago so he may not realise .

Is your property outside of the settlement area or in a conservation area ? If so , he needs to have submitted a design and Access statement .

Personally , I think the builder is sitting on the list of required information as he is not in a position to start on the promised date, it's easier to blame the planners , but I could be wrong

[Busa mav]

It could also be as simple as the drawings not having a scale bar against each different scale , or the north point may be missing from the block plan, it can be as basic as that .

[Hub]

oldbanger said:

This is for a single story extension which probably falls under permitted development

So is it Permitted Development or not? If it is you don't need to make an application! What are the dimensions etc?

[oldbanger]

Dimensions are
New extension c29.6 sqm
Replacing old extension/outbuildings of 14.4sqm

This is on a standard 3 bed ex-council semi.

Hopefully I will get to the bottom of it when I can speak to the right person at the planning dept. The docs missing are, from memory, existing and proposed elevations, plus detailed site plan.

It's in the settlement area and outside the conservation area. A new neighbour has managed to buy, get planning permission and nearly complete a larger extension in less time than it's taken us to get this far.

The builder has already done internal work for us, turned up on time, did the job properly etc, so whilst I am quite cynical and do think the builder is probably at fault, I can't think of a motive for fobbing us off.

Edited by oldbanger on Monday 6th July 23:38

[Renovation]

ColinM50 said:

I was elected a Town Councillor in the May elections and am on my Town's planning committee and I have to question what you all expect to happen in just a few weeks? Our council had a full meeting late May and then established the various committees in early June. We've had just one Planning meeting since, the next is later this week and we've got 48 applications to consider. We're all new to this and have had to spend our own time finding out the correct processes.

Please bear in mind that we all do this work UNPAID with most of us holding down jobs too. To then see comments like "useless t8ssers" and "waste of space", really makes my blood boil. We do our best but we can't just drop everything to deal with your application.

And if you saw some of the applications it'd make you cry. One we have is literally on the back of a corn flakes box and the applicant says, "I want to convert my garage like what xxx the bloke next doors done I'll copy his work".

So go on all you experts, what should we say to him?

I chose to go on the Planning committee because I want to try to make sure my town develops in a sensible manner, but it does take time to get it right. We're more keen to get it right than do it quickly.

I expect you (the Council) to do exactly what you (the Council) have been paid to do within the timescale you have been given to do it.

As a paid building professional with a relevant degree I very much object to having to deal with complete newbies who have the power to delay / prevent development causing considerable costs. In what other field would this be deemed reasonable ?

The Application you mentioned does not meet the Planning Guidelines so the 8 weeks won't start until it does - hence you should tell him to look at the guidance and provide you with the required information - or rather you should tell your paid Planning Officers to do so.

[RichieSlow]

Renovation said:

ColinM50 said:

I was elected a Town Councillor in the May elections and am on my Town's planning committee and I have to question what you all expect to happen in just a few weeks? Our council had a full meeting late May and then established the various committees in early June. We've had just one Planning meeting since, the next is later this week and we've got 48 applications to consider. We're all new to this and have had to spend our own time finding out the correct processes.

Please bear in mind that we all do this work UNPAID with most of us holding down jobs too. To then see comments like "useless t8ssers" and "waste of space", really makes my blood boil. We do our best but we can't just drop everything to deal with your application.

And if you saw some of the applications it'd make you cry. One we have is literally on the back of a corn flakes box and the applicant says, "I want to convert my garage like what xxx the bloke next doors done I'll copy his work".

So go on all you experts, what should we say to him?

I chose to go on the Planning committee because I want to try to make sure my town develops in a sensible manner, but it does take time to get it right. We're more keen to get it right than do it quickly.

I expect you (the Council) to do exactly what you (the Council) have been paid to do within the timescale you have been given to do it.

As a paid building professional with a relevant degree I very much object to having to deal with complete newbies who have the power to delay / prevent development causing considerable costs. In what other field would this be deemed reasonable ?

The Application you mentioned does not meet the Planning Guidelines so the 8 weeks won't start until it does - hence you should tell him to look at the guidance and provide you with the required information - or rather you should tell your paid Planning Officers to do so.

I have to agree with this ^^^ in part anyway. Whilst anybody volunteering to serve their community should be applauded for doing so, they need to be capable of being competant right from the off and meeting reasonable deadlines. Lives and livelihoods depend on these decisions. Local authorities rely on volunteers to carry an increasing burden of responsibilities, unjustly so perhaps. Anybody who thinks the planning processes are fit for purpose should have a look at the Cotswold Water Park scandal that was almost a natural result of the silly system we have now.

[Busa mav]

Just got an email from the local council saying the 2 applications I submitted last week will be subject to a 25 day delay due to workload !

[ColinM50]

Busa mav said:

Just got an email from the local council saying the 2 applications I submitted last week will be subject to a 25 day delay due to workload !

So what do you expect your councillors to do? Our council are now discussing holding planning meetings weekly to meet the demand. How much time do you think us UNPAID councillors should give up?