Planning permission in Green belt

[stationhouse]

Hi,

I was after some advice on best way to tackle the local planning office.

I am planning an extension of my 1930's detached property. I submitted the plans for which the regs were passed however then received a call off the planning officer stating I had gone over the 30% rule by 132 %!!.

Obviously I was amazed by this and booked an appointment to see her. She said that their policy is to go off the OS map to determine the original dwelling size or as it was in July 1948!.
I knew the OS map was incorrect as its pretty obvious looking at the property where the original footprint stood. She recommended I go away and find info to back up my claim.

I contacted the old owner who lived there for the majority of his life and he had plans of when the house was connected to the main sewage system. These are original documents however not dated. I then contacted Severn trent who confirmed the property was connected to the system and started paying for the service in 1950.
These plans show the footprint being as I thought and not those shown on the OS maps.

I dropped her an email outlining this and stating that it is very probable that the property was as per the Sewage plans 18months prior (July 1948).
She replied stating this was not enough evidence and she needed something dated pre 1948?

The property was extended in 1968 (again not show on OS map or no record at planning office), however taking this extension into consideration along with the footprint from the Sewage plans, my extension would then equate to 29% increase.

Sorry to waffle but can they be so unreasonable when I have evidence of how the house looked within 18 months of July 1948? Or is there anyway of proving the OS map is incorrect?

Your help and advice is much appreciated.

 

[tony1851]

You've come up against the bureaucratic, time-wasting nonesense that is the local planning department, staffed by jobs-worth's who contribute nothing to society, and who are basically anti-development.

But in their world, rules are rules. She will enjoy her little power trip of making you go to impossible lengths to try to prove not what the house was like 65 years ago, but what it was like 66 years ago.

However, there may be a different tack you could take. Have you thought of all the possible extensions you could do under permitted development? These rules still apply in the green belt. Show her plans of the maximum volume you could build, including 2-storey back extension, side extension, dormer addition to roof, front porch etc. This is known in the trade as your 'fall-back' position. If the plans look really naff, you could then ask her which is the better design - your initial proposal, or what you could do under p.d. rights.

 

[stationhouse]

Thanks for your reply Tony, your right they seem to be against any kind of development!! I have just looked into my PD rights, it seems crazy what I could do under that compared to what I am asking for. Will try that angle and see how I go. With my proposal I am not increasing the physical ground floor footprint at all, just in filling on the 1st floor. However can go back 3m with 2 stories under PD, crazy!!

Don't suppose you know anything about proving OS mapping to be incorrect?

Thanks again.

 

[nickjb]

We have aerial photos of our house from around the 2nd world war. Our local council has created a website of historic maps and aerial images. Very interesting from a history perspective but would be useful here. Maybe you can find something similar.

 

[stationhouse]

Yeah have tried that route, found some but not old enough.

 

[jeds]

I wouldn't mess around with the local authority. Once they decide on something it is impossible to change their attitude. Even if you present undisputable evidence - which you effectively have - they will still squirm a reason for not changing their minds. My advice is present them with your evidence. Make it crystal clear what the evidence shows or indicates and let them refuse it. Then go to appeal. If your evidence is as good as you say it will be allowed.

 

[stationhouse]

Thanks Jeds, starting to think that way. Spoke to her again this morning and she recommends I speak with her boss. Will have one last shot with him then let it go to appeal. Thanks