Planning refused one house but advised for 2.

[Dale Johnson]

Hello I am just after abit of advice/knowledge about a planning application I put in.
It was for a single dwelling on the side of my house on a large garden plot. I put in for a single dwelling and was told to withdraw the application and put in for a pair of semi’s.
There are not any single dwellings on my estate but I can’t get my head round them wanting two instead of the proposed one. Has anyone come across this before???

 

[Dale Johnson]

The plot is roughly 30m in length by 19 metres wide. The proposed house was 9.5m by 8.5m. Planning even made me downsize at first and change the orientation of the house to face the turning head. Re-submitted plans and then they come back saying they have spoken to a senior officer and one house will not be accepted but I should go for a pair of semi’s. She said it is not in a similar pattern to our estate because there are no other single dwellings. I even asked if we could make it look like there was two houses but would be one. She flatly refused and sent a block drawing of where the semi’s should be.

 

[Dale Johnson]

Also there is a trunk water main running through the plot which has a 3m easement either side of 300mm pipe. So restricting some of the proposed development space.

 

[Mottie]

Build two, sell one if that’s all you want.

 

[Mottie]

I had the reverse - wanted to build two one-bed flats but was refused as local policy was against one bed dwellings. Was told to apply for a 3 bed house and permission was granted.

 

[^woody^]

There had been a housing shortage for many years. Planners typically want best use of available land, but "being told" to withdraw and apply for two houses is a bit odd on that alone.

 

[bernardgreen]

Planners typically want best use of available land

In some areas the councils are under pressure from central government burocrats to create large numbers of new homes, quantity not quality . This pressure creates local planning policies that will put as many houses as possible on land that is put up for development.

 

[Leofric]

Don't want to start a discussion on so called 'affordable' housing, but that might be the planners reason i.e.to encourage lower cost or starter homes which are unlikely to be larger detached dwellings.
ps what constitutes affordable housing is an ongoing debate in our local paper whenever any new housing development is proposed.

 

[John D v2.0]

Certainly in London they have a formula for density of new developments based on distance to amenities and public transport connectedness. I think it's so they can get as many people as possible in the best locations, rather than one multimillionaire taking the housing for 20 normal people in a good location.
However it isn't retrospective so you get an odd mix of 30s low density urban sprawl with redevelopments/infill being either small terraced houses or 5 storey blocks of flats.
However with house prices and availability being such a chronic problem i think it's positive to provide some housing, and the local plan is about the only way the local authorities can enforce it.