council rip off - planning

[kevindgas]

we put in an application to build a simple 2 bed end terrace house to New Forest Council
today the theiving barsteward sent us a letter stating they want over £15k for permission to build a house that won't be worth more than £175k when finished!
they are taking the ****!!
needless to say it won't be built now so that one less affordable house in NFDC area
having spoken to several builder friends they can't believe it either
they want £9k for social housing, 3.5k for infrastructure plus other ridiculous charges
what the F*** is going on in this F****ing country!!!!!!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Everything is negotiable ............

 

[jeds]

Everything is negotiable ............

Exactly right. You need to look carefully at the local authority documents on affordable housing contribution and particularly at the viability analysis. Authorities recognise when setting targets that not all sites will be viable at the standard preset. If that's the case with you then you can negotiate.

But be prepared to contribute something.

 

[DevilDamo]

One would expect applicants to look into this (and other LA requirements) to some extent before submitting an application to prevent applicants spending unecessary fee's for other reports and documents, which form the basis for a planning application.

 

[kevindgas]

One would expect applicants to look into this (and other LA requirements) to some extent before submitting an application to prevent applicants spending unecessary fee's for other reports and documents, which form the basis for a planning application.

we did and were told around £1,500 which i would have had no problem with but £15,000 is a ridiculous amount.
so we will now not bother so NFDC have lost any money that we would have happily given towards the area's improvement
this crap has only been introduced in april 10, we submitted the original planning app in dec 09!

but the fact is that this will prevent a lot of building even getting off the ground so the need for housing will ultimately become more acute with that prices will rise end result no affordable housing being available. so as i see it they have scored an own goal!!

 

[DevilDamo]

Seems bizarre the cost increased that much!

Did you originally go in for Outline Consent or go in for a Full Application? And when you mention the "original" application, was the previous refused? Obviously if the application was submitted to the old rules/regulations then fine, but it seems you have since submitted another application after April 2010?

If you were told it was £1,500 but you have now been told it's £15,000 and you have something in writing, why not argue it or at least come to some kind of agreement with them? As mentioned above, it can be negotiable.

 

[^woody^]

How is the fee of £15k determined?

 

[jeds]

One would expect applicants to look into this (and other LA requirements) to some extent before submitting an application to prevent applicants spending unecessary fee's for other reports and documents, which form the basis for a planning application.

we did and were told around £1,500 which i would have had no problem with but £15,000 is a ridiculous amount.
so we will now not bother so NFDC have lost any money that we would have happily given towards the area's improvement
this crap has only been introduced in april 10, we submitted the original planning app in dec 09!

but the fact is that this will prevent a lot of building even getting off the ground so the need for housing will ultimately become more acute with that prices will rise end result no affordable housing being available. so as i see it they have scored an own goal!!

When the local authority studied the contribution levels it would have predicted the financial consequences of x, y and z percentages for different types of development. Each scenario must have worked out financially viable otherwise no development would take place at all.

What you need to do is see if your situation falls into one of those examples. If their figures do not agree with your individual assessment then that's the basis of your negotiation.

 

[kevindgas]

How is the fee of £15k determined?

£3,745 improvements to transportation
£2,336 public open spaces
£9030 affordable housing (this is a F*****g joke!!)

on top of that the architect says that there is another £6k in fees for everything else.

this country makes my blood boil!!

the section 106 agreement was meant to get developers of large sites to contribute not give the theives at the town hall carte blanche to rip evryone off.

what really annoys me is the reason there isn't affordable/social housing available is because they sold the council houses off in the first place!!

 

[Nige F]

they want £9k for social housing, what the F*** is going on in this F****ing country!!!!!!

Thatcher sold them .Then withheld the £ from the councils Love these Post Thatcherite years ,bet you voted her in

 

[chappers]

You are right the section 106 arrangements are only for larger developments.
Here in Oxford they only kick in for developments of 10 units or above.
I can't believe they apply to a single development even in an area like the New Forest.Have you looked at your local plan to confirm they have got this right.
Even with regards to large developers it can still be a rip off.
For example on affordable units here in Oxford they often tell the large developers that they don't want affordable housing on the site and get them to stump up cash instead this is negotiable but can in theory be upto the cost of providing the quivilant affordable housing elsewhere.
The fees collected are supposed to only be used towards affordable housing, but we all know that that probably isn't the case

 

[damoollie]

Total con! Grant Shapps and the other b*llshit*ers claim they want to encourage building and the self build market then somehow this stealth tax seems to turn up without being told! My local council sold off al their affordbale housing to a Housing Association, so where is my money going to go? Certainly not towards building affordbale housing, and I doubt I will see any of the roads being improved or street lights added or more police etc etc in the area where I am building! They want almost 5% of my total build budget for nothing! Not to mention the stamp duty and other taxes... Time we all stopped accepting this sh*t and started challenging it! Perhaps thats why they introduced this without telling anyone!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Total con! Grant Shapps and the other b*llshit*ers claim they want to encourage building and the self build market then somehow this stealth tax seems to turn up without being told! My local council sold off al their affordbale housing to a Housing Association, so where is my money going to go? Certainly not towards building affordbale housing, and I doubt I will see any of the roads being improved or street lights added or more police etc etc in the area where I am building! They want almost 5% of my total build budget for nothing! Not to mention the stamp duty and other taxes... Time we all stopped accepting this sh*t and started challenging it! Perhaps thats why they introduced this without telling anyone!

Great first post, welcome to the Forum!

 

[jeds]

There are areas of the country where affordable contribution is for 2 units or more. i.e. build one, give one away.

 

[joe-90]

The council needs social housing. Where else can they put all the Roma Gypsies?