I have already phoned 30 times noone is ever at desk you leave a message they do not ring back, wrote 12 letters , emailed 10 times asking that and other questions no reply at all.
In a case like this, don't phone - too hard to have an accurate record of who said what, so it's easy for them to tell you one thing seemingly officially and then deny that.
Don't use email anyway - too many don't arrive these days.
Send a letter by snail mail, and either hand deliver it with a witness, or have a witness to posting it in a Royal Mail post box*, or send it recorded delivery. That way, they have had it and cannot claim otherwise.
If they haven't already been clear, set out in your letter that they are unclear, set out that you've made many attempts to contact them but they've been evasive (ie make them look bad for refusing to communicate with them), and give them a reasonable time to respond (say 3 weeks).
If they are still vague, then write back immediately and say so - ask them specific questions (ie what specific activities do they claim are residential use). If you still don't get anywhere, then make an official complaint - not a phone call whinging, but a written official complaint that cannot be ignored - about the planning department's harassment and refusal to be clear about what they are harassing you about.
Not sure who that complaint goes to - but i suspect recorded delivery to the leader of the council would be a good place to start.
Oh yes, have you spoken to you local councillor ? Depending on the political makeup, and his affiliation, he/she may be looking for an opportunity to get his/her teeth into someone/thing.
* By law, if it's posted by Royal Mail then it's deemed delivered the next business day for 1st Class or within 3 business days for 2nd Class. All you need is proof of posting (hence the witness).
That's a useful bit of law to remember if anyone says "I didn't get it".
