The role of the case officer in a PP application?

[indus]

Hello

My PP application is now being checked and has a case officer assigned. If there are no objections from neighbours etc then doea the CO make the decision on his own whether to grant pp or not? Or is it still discussed by a team?

Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Theoretically the case officer makes a recommendation to the head of planning and it is he or she who make the final decision. That's why planning approvals (or rejections) are always signed by the head of planning not the officer.

 

[indus]

Thanks Freddy
So on the whole is it fair to say that if there are no objections and the co recommends to grant pp the head of planning will follow his advice? Or have I oversimplified the matter?How much would the head of planning actually look at the details of the case?

Thanks again

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Your application will be granted if it falls within the Local Council planning guidelines. If it does not it may well be refused unless it can be justified why an application that does not fall within the guidelines should be approved. Sometimes letters of objection or in favour will be taken into consideration or sometimes they will be ignored, depends if they are valid or not. At least that's the theory.

 

[indus]

Hi Freddy

I'm sure I don't need to tell an expert like you how much the local planning guidelines are open to interpretation. I know quite a few people who have initially their pp denied to then have won at appeal. This just goes to show how much the guidelines are subjective.

So what I'm asking is in the absence of any objections( justified or not) does the head of planning just tend to go with the case officer's interpretation of the guidelines?

Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Usually unless the application is unusual or there are any extenuating circumstances. Theoretically the recommendations sit in the head of plannings' in-tray when he glances at them and agrees or otherwise with the recommendation. Heads of Planning take leave etc and are not always available. The stream of planning decisions going through the system do not pause whilst he is unavailable .........

 

[indus]

Thanks Freddy.

The reason I ask is that the CO appointed is the same person I spoke to in the role of duty planning officer. When I showed him the drawinghs back then he seemed to think the proposal was sound. I know he can of course change his mind but it just makes me feel a bit more confidant that unless a neighbour complains he'll make the majority of the decision.

Now all I need to know is what's an acceptable amount to offer him as a bung to make sure it goes through? Lol

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No lowly duty officer will be in any position to act on a bung!

Does your proposal fall within LA guidelines? If not ..........

 

[Possel]

The reason I ask is that the CO appointed is the same person I spoke to in the role of duty planning officer. When I showed him the drawings back then he seemed to think the proposal was sound. I know he can of course change his mind but it just makes me feel a bit more confidant that unless a neighbour complains he'll make the majority of the decision.

Don't bank on it. I haver twice been lead up the garden path by the Conservation Officer who said (once on the phone, once at a meeting face to face) that my proposal would be OK and then denied permission. See my blog, especially http://houseintheenchantedforest.blogspot.com/2011/09/lets-start-again.html

And although you talk about objections from the neighbours, there are the other officers and agencies who get their say where relevant - County Council Highways, the Council Tree Officer, Environmental Agency etc. All it takes is for one of them to find a reason and the planning officer will go with their view.

Best of luck - perhaps it will sail through!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Don't bank on it. I haver twice been lead up the garden path by the Conservation Officer who said (once on the phone, once at a meeting face to face) that my proposal would be OK and then denied permission. See my blog, especially http://houseintheenchantedforest.blogspot.com/2011/09/lets-start-again.html

And although you talk about objections from the neighbours, there are the other officers and agencies who get their say where relevant - County Council Highways, the Council Tree Officer, Environmental Agency etc. All it takes is for one of them to find a reason and the planning officer will go with their view.

Best of luck - perhaps it will sail through!

No disrespect but a conservation or planning officer should never be taken at their word. I'm not suggesting they are liars but pointing out that they are in no position to say it will get approved.

 

[Possel]

No disrespect but a conservation or planning officer should never be taken at their word. I'm not suggesting they are liars but pointing out that they are in no position to say it will get approved.

The annoying thing was that at the meeting she actually suggested what we could do, and then she herself rejected the application even though we had followed her suggestions. What a waste of time and money. Words fail me.

 

[indus]

No lowly duty officer will be in any position to act on a bung!

Does your proposal fall within LA guidelines? If not ..........

Freddy, how can I say whether it falls within guidelines or not when we have this illdefined concept of material considerations? The officer might feel that though my works would.have no impact on traffic, my neighbours light, won't overlook anybody etc it has a negative impact on 'street scene'

This is so subjective that no document I read will help me predict it.

Thanks

 

[indus]

No disrespect but a conservation or planning officer should never be taken at their word. I'm not suggesting they are liars but pointing out that they are in no position to say it will get approved.

The annoying thing was that at the meeting she actually suggested what we could do, and then she herself rejected the application even though we had followed her suggestions. What a waste of time and money. Words fail me.

Sorry to hear about that!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well the most anyone can do is comply with the guidelines, a good designer will have a good feeling for what the planners will feel is within keeping. There has to be a system and this is the one we have. You wanna try having it form an integral part of your working life!

 

[Possel]

Well the most anyone can do is comply with the guidelines, a good designer will have a good feeling for what the planners will feel is within keeping.

What irks me is that there are not any published guidelines. It seems that a lot of decisions are the CO's interpretation of some principles, and the final outcome is based very much on their own views and preferences, rather than a clear set of rules. We had a brand new sash window designed and made for us, and she wouldn't allow double glazing on the (incorrect) grounds that "you can't have double glazing in a listed property". I would probably have won on appeal but instead when I break a pane or two in the future then I will fit DG.

One of my applications had a comment from the Planning Officer which basically said that they would probably lose if I appealed so they would allow it - that seems a strange basis for a decision.

You wanna try having it form an integral part of your working life!

I sympathize if that's your situation. I shall be delighted when I finish my house and won't need to speak to them again. I now know how far I can go without bothering them!