Council's Mad Decision?

[securespark]

'I spent 5k on a driveway for my disabled wife - now I've been told to rip it up' - Manchester Evening News https://share.google/VF2gRP9x1CrEmERsC

Basically, the story is, years ago, he paid the council to put in a dropped kerb, but didn't start building a drive until years later, when she got disabled. Now the council are moaning that he didn't get planning and it all needs to be reverted back, when, at the time of having the dropped kerb done, planning wasn't mentioned (or possibly needed).

They won't even make it retro, because it will encourage others to do the same.

Wait, what, the council would rather people park on the street that build a drive and have them off the road?
Bear in mind that some houses on the same estate already have their own driveways, so a precedent has been set.

I'd have thought a Welsh council would have been better that this, especially with the disability thing in the mix.

 

[denso13]

Sounds a bit harsh but ignorance of thew rules is no defence unfortunately. It does look a bit of an eyesore IMHO.

 

[Highway Man]

OMG he wouldn't get away with that hideous looking drive with my neighbours in my village let alone the council. What on earth is he thinking.

 

[gas112]

take away that its going to be a drive way would you need planning permission to alter your front garden .
.
Similar happened to a mate he paid the several hundred fee told them where dropped kerb was going got the license saying it was ok few years went to renew the licence and they then said he couldnt have a dropped kerb as too close to a corner as i then happened they put a dropped kerb in on the corner for disabled so he just used that and nothing was ever said

 

[pete01]

It does look a mess but if he owns the house WTF has it got to do with the council......pppfffttttt

 

[Highway Man]

It does look a mess but if he owns the house WTF has it got to do with the council......pppfffttttt

I would go fill it in myself if anyone did that near me. I recall a chap in the village thought it was a good idea to paint his house pink one summer. We convinced him to put it back white or we will knock it down. That is the sort of world we should live in.

 

[gas112]

slight tangent dropped kerbs around my way is a we bit of a cartel you have to use one of the council nominated contractors so all the prices are amazingly the same . Glad i got mine done when i did at under 300 quid as they are now over 2 grand .
Couple of months back we had a council bod with a tablet walking up the street taking note of everyone with a dropped kerb

 

[Highway Man]

slight tangent dropped kerbs around my way is a we bit of a cartel you have to use one of the council nominated contractors so all the prices are amazingly the same . Glad i got mine done when i did at under 300 quid as they are now over 2 grand .
Couple of months back we had a council bod with a tablet walking up the street taking note of everyone with a dropped kerb

Yep same our way too, but if you drop the lads a couple of hundred when working nearby, they do it in their extended dinner break.

 

[motorbiking]

Surely a builder would know the basics of planning law. I suspect he would get away with a front patio which might have dual use.

 

[martygturner]

Its an ex council house in Wales, most were sold with the permitted development rights revoked, which was generally a good idea keep the housing stock the same as built thus limiting the potential for development and keeping houses affordable.

Sort off well we have to sell them off cheap but we will keep them cheap approach. You can still buy an ex council 2 bed house on the Hengoed estate for a £100k

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Wait, what, the council would rather people park on the street that build a drive and have them off the road?
Bear in mind that some houses on the same estate already have their own driveways, so a precedent has been set.

I'd have thought a Welsh council would have been better that this, especially with the disability thing in the mix.

What a load of jobsworths....

I wonder if he'd actually got the dropped kerb in, within time?

Here we paid £300 many decades ago, for a dropped kerb, with a short drive just to the front of the house. We didn't really need it dropped, the kerbs, are only a couple of inches above the road. Since when, with no permission sought, I extended the drive all the way back, past the side of the house, built a big garage, then a workshop on the back, summerhouse. No complaints, no problems. Many others in the street, have simply built their drives, and hard standing in the fronts, without bothering with permission, none have bothered with an official dropped kerb.

 

[noseall]

Surely a builder would know the basics of planning law. I suspect he would get away with a front patio which might have dual use.

Building Regulations possibly, if they have come through the ranks rather than on building sites (brickies etc).
Planning - not so. I'm not even sure the Planning Officers themselves know what's OK for sure.

Any major alterations to the principal or front elevation, should always be treated with trepidation. Street scene is a phrase often bandied about by planners and architects.

 

[securespark]

none have bothered with an official dropped kerb.

If you don't have a dropped kerb, you don't have a right to access the road across the pavement and technically are breaking the law every time you do.

I once innocently parked where there was no dropped kerb and someone rang the police to say I was blocking them in. Police turned up, saw there was no dropped kerb and said there was no issue.

The guy was in a real strop, but had to go out, so reversed out of the driveway, at which point the rozzers stopped him and booked him!

Building Regulations possibly, if they have come through the ranks rather than on building sites (brickies etc).
Planning - not so. I'm not even sure the Planning Officers themselves know what's OK for sure.

Any major alterations to the principal or front elevation, should always be treated with trepidation. Street scene is a phrase often bandied about by planners and architects.

But when a precedent has been set by others on the estate doing it, you look a real tw@t insisting on the guy demolishing his.

 

[gas112]

not mentioned but he is pretty close to the house to be going that deep wonder if foundations could be affected

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If you don't have a dropped kerb, you don't have a right to access the road across the pavement and technically are breaking the law every time you do.

Yes, I'm aware of that, and you would be struggling with your insurance, if you injured anyone, crossing the footpath. At one house, with no dropped kerb, the owner ripped all the hedge out, and they now have four vehicles lined up in front of the property, all able to get straight out. Our local council seems to take little interest.