Permission to fill a pond in
Discussion
My garden use to be used to breed ducks by the previous owners, when I moved in there were 4/5 medium sized ponds about 3 foot deep, that where lined. They were in a disgusting state and void of any vegetation and wildlife, having had ducks in them. I believe they were added about 4 years ago. The garden which is about an acre, use to be an old pit and was partially filled around 4 years ago with 400 tons of soil, this was used to raise the ground level and create the ponds.
Over the last 3 months, I have slowly been filling them, landscaping the garden etc. I have added around 300 tons of soil, a ton doesn't go very far. I've used good quality soil and no rubbish has been dumped.
The garden is a conservation area and there is a very large natural pond which is too remain.
last week I received a letter from the Parish Council, they said there had been a question/complaint from someone. Basically they want a report stating what I am doing and why, the effects of what I am doing on the wildlife and biodiversity. Details of communications with the planning people, planning permission and surveyors reports, the list goes on.
I have spoken to the planning people over the phone, who say I need to compile a report then go and see them, however it's just about all filled in now.
Over the last 3 months, I have slowly been filling them, landscaping the garden etc. I have added around 300 tons of soil, a ton doesn't go very far. I've used good quality soil and no rubbish has been dumped.
The garden is a conservation area and there is a very large natural pond which is too remain.
last week I received a letter from the Parish Council, they said there had been a question/complaint from someone. Basically they want a report stating what I am doing and why, the effects of what I am doing on the wildlife and biodiversity. Details of communications with the planning people, planning permission and surveyors reports, the list goes on.
I have spoken to the planning people over the phone, who say I need to compile a report then go and see them, however it's just about all filled in now.
Keep an area of the garden as a wildlife garden basically you let it grow wild and plant a mix of seeds that butterlfies like this is all the rage now and will put minds at ease plus your keeping the one pond which is good.
As for a report and permission to fill in the other ponds i've no idea.
As for a report and permission to fill in the other ponds i've no idea.
Just as a thought, does Google Earth (no pun intended) show the previous ponds and the garden as it was?
Was planning needed or sought when the previous owners dug them?
Otherwise, tell them you're constructing a nature reserve to encourage wildlife. If they are unaware of how the garden used to be, then you should be ok.
Was planning needed or sought when the previous owners dug them?
Otherwise, tell them you're constructing a nature reserve to encourage wildlife. If they are unaware of how the garden used to be, then you should be ok.
JQ said:
Does the Parish Council even have the right to demand such information? My quick google search suggests they don't, but I'm no expert.
no , it will just be sme jumped up nosey old git who is actually on the parish council wanting to know what you are doing in "their" village..hedgefinder said:
JQ said:
Does the Parish Council even have the right to demand such information? My quick google search suggests they don't, but I'm no expert.
no , it will just be sme jumped up nosey old git who is actually on the parish council wanting to know what you are doing in "their" village..Thanks people for your suggestions, interestingly the last picture on google earth shows the garden as a big flat area of grass with no ponds at all, which must have been taken in the summer, so is of great help. The house is definitely in a conservation area and all your views of the parish council are correct!
Typically the original letter says, 'you could be endangering the badgers and newts that could possibly nest there' Surprised they didn't mention the risk to the Panda's as well.....
Typically the original letter says, 'you could be endangering the badgers and newts that could possibly nest there' Surprised they didn't mention the risk to the Panda's as well.....
mattyboy279 said:
Thanks people for your suggestions, interestingly the last picture on google earth shows the garden as a big flat area of grass with no ponds at all, which must have been taken in the summer, so is of great help. The house is definitely in a conservation area and all your views of the parish council are correct!
Typically the original letter says, 'you could be endangering the badgers and newts that could possibly nest there' Surprised they didn't mention the risk to the Panda's as well.....
I've been planting Bamboo to encourage pandas.Typically the original letter says, 'you could be endangering the badgers and newts that could possibly nest there' Surprised they didn't mention the risk to the Panda's as well.....
mattyboy279 said:
Typically the original letter says, 'you could be endangering the badgers and newts that could possibly nest there'
They think badgers nest in ponds?As per the above comments, Parish Councils are often populated by busybodies who are more interested in disrupting everyone else's lives than just getting on with their own.
You are lucky that they actually wrote to you, mine simply inform the Borough planning department of anything they don't like without even contacting me first or applying any knowledge of permitted building rights and then try to hide behind the anonymity that apparently is given to all nimbys - even the official ones. It's happened twice now, neither one led to any action but one did mean a six month delay on a build :bang head:.
The Parish Council has bugger all powers to enforce anything. Until you get letters from the actual Council planning department, I would ignore.
Our PC is full of busybodies and we are also in a conservation area. They called us in after our build, claiming that we had built 'not in keeping with the house, and with plastic windows' (<actual wording of the complaint). The planning officer came out for a chat and was laughing with me immediately. He could see from inside his car that the windows were wood, and that the rest of the build was completely in keeping with the area (and our planning permission).
Our PC is full of busybodies and we are also in a conservation area. They called us in after our build, claiming that we had built 'not in keeping with the house, and with plastic windows' (<actual wording of the complaint). The planning officer came out for a chat and was laughing with me immediately. He could see from inside his car that the windows were wood, and that the rest of the build was completely in keeping with the area (and our planning permission).
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