Eaves height on a single storey extension under PD

[freddiemercurystwin]

So have you actually paid anything to or appointed this guy yet? Has he actually done any work for you?

Its a poor 'professional' who leaves his client feeling like you, no matter what the client is like (no offence meant), the art is to communicate effectively.

 

[ey143]

Have not paid anything but he did visit the local council who he know the senior planning officers there to discuss my previous PD refusal to know what he is getting himself into and minimise risk of future refusal.

I'm not 100% comfortable but I'm beginning to take offense at his patronising and even feel he is has advised me on solutions to what the council and wants and not what I want and I had to put him in his place. How do the fees appear?

 

[tony1851]

Can't comment on whether he would deliver the goods as you would want, but you clearly feel uncomfortable and that's not a good start.

I would question him speaking with council officials to 'minimize risk'; what this really means is that he is not sure and he is resorting to asking the council. A development is either p.d., or it is not and if he is in the business of domestic plan-drawing, he should know.

As for his fee, I shall be booking a seat on the first Virgin inter-city service to London tomorrow morning to set up a plan-drawing business.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You are clearly starting off on the wrong foot, whilst we don't know all the ins and outs he clearly sounds like a knob, I would look elsewhere and employ someone you can get along with and have confidence in.

Whilst this guy may not be RIBA, a 'wise' old architect told me once, RIBA Remember I'm the Bloody Architect! Arrogant Knob!

 

[ey143]

Just to follow up on my previous posts and comments here. I have decided to go with this new guy, he is decent and honest, albeit a little arrogant at times but he is decent.

Anyway, he is advising against going down the route of applying for a certificate of lawful development for my 8m rear single storey extension because he says that the prior notification will be more than sufficient as the council provides a detailed reply ensuring that the various rules relating to size, height etc on the plans are complied with. Is he correct in making this assumption? I'm just concerned I dont want any come back later if for any reason something wasn't PD. Could the council still be liable for anything not identified in plans submitted as part of the prior notification application?

 

[Nakajo]

'refusal stats against his name' I have never heard of this, and while no one wants a refuals I cannot think why anyone would care about the 'stats'. Local Authorities record both refusals and withdrawals, so a case officer is always going to be alerted to the fact that there was something contentious about a previous application.

Further, neither a refusal nor a withdrawal (nor indeed an approval) precludes an applicant's right to 'one-free-go', so what a withdrawal does is prevent the applicant from lodging an appeal, and save the case officer some work writing up the report. That said, these are not entirely unimportant considerations.

Oh, and I suspect your 'new guy' is right about the LDC - unless perhaps you want to sell in the next year.

 

[ey143]

This is the reply I just received from the council regarding the query about lawful certificate.

"If you want to apply for an extension that is more than 4m deep (maximum 8m) on a detached house you will need to at least submit an application under the new temporary prior notification system (which is free, and which takes up to 42 days). That is all you really need to do, and most people only do that.

It is not necessary to also apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (which costs £86 and which operates to a different time scale, taking up to 8 weeks), but we have had a few applications from people who wanted both. In that case you should do the Prior Notification first, then (if that is successful) apply for the Lawful Development Certificate. Some people like the reassurance that comes with having a formal certificate. It is also a good idea if you intend to sell your house because you will have a certificate to show the buyer's solicitor when he asks whether you have had any building work done and whether you can prove that it was lawful. "

 

[tony1851]

It is also a good idea if you intend to sell your house because you will have a certificate to show the buyer's solicitor when he asks whether you have had any building work done and whether you can prove that it was lawful. "

Yes, but a conveyancing solicitor should know the law relating to Planning and Building Regulations. He should be able to advise his clients whether or not any building work was lawful (assuming he was provided with approximate build-dates).

Why should a vendor have to spoonfeed a buyer's solicitor by paying £86 to get a piece of paper to prove that something is lawful, when the solicitor should be able to give the buyer this reassurance himself?