David Lock

My local soccer club play on the pitch bordering my garden. If I lean over the close boarded fence I can see the touchline about 15 yards away. They say thay have now been told by the County Football Association that they need to install floodlights. They are about to apply for planning permission for 6 number 18 metre lights.
Now I reckon that my garden is so close that lights will seriously impinge on the enjoyment of my garden with it being so close. Views please. dl

falkster

Only thing you can do is get your neighbours together and oppose the planning application with the reasons behind it. If the planning application has enough opposition then it shouldnt go ahead!

When I was selling my old house I was selling it to a doctor and he was going to convert it into a surgery which would have benefited the area greatly. There was only one opposed party and the application was denied.

FlightMan

Turn a -ve into a +ve. Knock down your back fence, install a granstand, and start selling Bovril and pies!

David Lock

Well at least they'll be able to see what they are eating

LG John

Saxo Boy = Planning Officer

That is completely untrue. In fact, I pay little heed to the numbers of objections my applications receive as I'm only interested in the content of those objections and whether they are material planning grounds for objecting. It infuriates me when people go door to door to get their neighbours all to send the same objection letter and I have to then read them all only to learn they all say the exact same thing in a slightly different way. It's a waste of time and resources. If you wish to object then write your letter in as constructive a manner as possible and list all the grounds upon which you feel the development will affect your amenity.

FWIW, most floodlight installations we deal with are approved with a condition requiring that the lights be positioned and directed such that the pitch is illuminated and that the level of coverage does not extend beyond and into neighbouring properties.

David Lock

Thanks SB. It's your last para in particular that is of interest. In fact the club withdrew an application in 1999 as they heard that Highways Dept would object as lights might pose a danger to passing traffic even though the main road is 30-40 yards away which doesn't quite square with comment about encroaching on neighbouring properties. dl

Lee247

I wish you worked for our council, Saxo Boy, they are absolutely useless.

LG John

No you don't 84 of 300 - I'm pretty useless to. Seriously My interests are in cars and I've come to realise that you should follow a career in something that interests you. Pretty late now as a qualified planner though I try to plod by but its hard to be fully committed to something that you don't particularly care for.

DL, after the application has been assigned to an officer allow him 2 weeks to get a feel for it and then phone him and talk it through - ask him what his thoughts on potential light encroachment are. You'll be able to sound out from that if they intend to restrict the development in the manner I've suggested or whether they are minded to approve/refuse.

sti-04!!

Brown envelopes usually work

wakeboardar

they do but you need a awful lot of them to keep the light out
try sticking two on you eyelids when you go in the garden