Snazy

Just a quick one. Some might remember the house next to mine that collapsed. We have just received notification that they are starting a new project at the end of the road now. Suprise suprise, they are building a basement, and ruining another perfectly good historical house with massive extension. Not to mention incredible plans to squeeze some 9 flats out of it. 13 bedrooms in total.

Naturally, I would like to oppose this, but wondered if there is a correct way to phrase my objection.
I know who to and by when etc.

Snazy

Have a look at the existing and propsed for yourselves.
The sheer amount of earth that needs to be noved for this project is shocking and worrying.

Lewisham Borough Council - Documents from Planning Application

bugeyeandy

You might struggle if the outside view is going to remain the same. Could go down the route of lack of parking for all the new flats.
Did that collapsed heap next to you ever get rebuilt?

richardg

you're making a representation to oppose the application (rather than the permission). property values, mud on road etc etc are planning matters and i doubt the situation you went through would stop the planners approving a basement application (especially in your area).

it should be possible to construct a basement with the correct design, if approached in the right way and by a reasonable building contractor - these aren't planning matters, so they are unlikely to affect the officer's recommendation

you should find this site helpful - planning applications advice legal help free information

richardg

don;t know the planners in your borough, but they are likely to be happy with much less than 100% parking, so i don't think that alone is a reasonable basis on which they would refuse the application. you'll need to find more than that!

Snazy

Nope thats only just finished being taken down. There is a 6 month sitting period now.
The outside view is changing, drastically!

Cheers Richard, the exact sort of info I was looking for.
The local community are none too pleased with the proposals, so im expecting quite a large objection to it
Just trying to find the right grounds if that makes sense.

Not just based on the previous **** up, I truly think that the area has suffered enough from these developments.

Lee247

Saxo Boy is the one you need to speak to, Snazy

Snazy

Really? Excellent, thanks

Lee247

I'm sure he used to be a planner and he will be able to give you some pointers on what to say etc.
I know when we objected we were told to keep it short and to the point. No waffle.
Anyway, let us know how you get on

Tidgy

could try speaking to english heratage, see if they want to get involved, might say not historic enough, but if they do get involved then it'll put the handbrake on lol

Snazy

Right now I will try any angle to make sure the right thing happens.
All they do is buy the older more historic houses, slap on poorly built ugly extensions and sell them on.

I know its a dog eat dog world, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Tidgy

yeah mate i agree.

although if your trying to build something and english heratag get involved there a pain the giblets lol

andy97

iTrader: (1)

well after being on the receiving end of two failed applications and appeals to the HM inspector, I know the mentally of people that oppose planning applications.

I'm waiting patiently for a change in local government

Snazy

Sorry to hear about your failures mate, especially if its for sensible stuff. Its always the little things, the sensible things that get knocked

There are of course many reasons to oppose. Some right, some very bitchy and wrong.

PaulC72

Snaz, not knowing the area, are any other houses converted on the street?

Snazy

On my street, there are a few done now. But this particular developer has already purchased 2 to do. One completed, badly lol. The other fell down. (the older of the 2)

This is the 3rd in the local vicinity that they have bought, and again massive plans to completly transform part of the history of the area.

Snazy

This is the first one they did.
Winkworth - Residential Estate Agents in London, Yorkshire, Dorset, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire

Front drive was never finished lol poor people living there.

The next one they did a couple of doors away...
CSOC Gallery - House Collapse

Oops!

It just seems that they squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze as much out of the house as poss. Just look at the floor plans of the house they are doing now. How many rooms are they making from the current internals of the house

Snazy

Oh and of course the one they are doing in the next road....

Using their trademark style.....

A MESS!

PaulC72

OMG it doesnt look too good for you, but maybe try to get the point about the collapsed one across to the planners and at the ery least building control may swarm over their projects making like very hard for them.

Snazy

lol they are crap to be polite about it
I hope the right angle is found. Hard to believe these once spacious places are being chopped up into such tiny rooms.

Snazy

The property in question.
Given the track record of the builder, how well do you think they can recreate the current front elevation of the building? Their planned extension will be to the left of the front door, and is detailed to replicate the current facia to the right of the door.

Clarebabes

Snazy, do you own the house you are living in?

Snazy

Me, no, unfortunatly not.

Clarebabes

I was thinking you were worth a bit!

LG John

Change (+ or -) in property or land values are not a material planning consideration and thus will not be taken into account.

Mud on the road would if it was to cause some danger but then the planning authority would likely just impose a condition requiring adequate wheel washing facilities for all vehicle leaving the site. In building anything there is always noise, dust and disruption and for that reason the planning process tends not to get involved in such matters except in extreme cases where its likely amenity would be severely harmed for an extended period of time - even then I can't recall permission ever being refused on the grounds of such construction disruption alone. It's more likely conditions would be imposed to govern the construction process, methods and times.

The planning authority is statutorily required to determine all planning applications in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The development plan is usually comprised of a local and regional based plan with the local plan being more relevant to matters of single house developments and extensions. The policies in local plans will vary from council to council so I cannot offer specific comments on this development relative to the policies of Lewisham.

However, in general I see a 3-story house that is being sympathetically extended in a manner that captures an opportunity to create a pleasing symmetry. The existing height and period features of the house appear to be retained and the extension doesn't appear to make it overly disproportionate or bulky. Furthermore, the basement extension has little impact on the external appearance of the property. It would appear that the building is arranged in a row with it's neighbouring properties (16...and I assume 12) and thus the extension would not give rise to harmful overlooking or overshadowing. In short I'd be surprised if this type of extension, which in terms of its size and design to compliment the existing building is very common, would be refused. Matters of parking and plot ratio's may be a consideration though but these are very council specific.

I realize that as this is happening next door to you it's a lot harder to be so accepting. It no doubt appears as a monstrosity that will ruin your life and the value of your home. However, I'm simply stating as an outsider that my first impression is of a fairly sympathetic proposal that doesn't appear to throw up too many planning issues. The best you can do is to put your concerns with the proposal in writing and submit that representation to the Council before the cut off date. Try to be as clear and concise as possible in your letter and don't get too hung up on issues of value, disruption, etc as these things are not going to be considered.

Snazy

lol didnt say I wasn't

The houses round here are rather pricey though lol, for poor me anyway

Snazy

Cheers SaxoBoy, puts it in perspective.

Im torn 50-50 between worry about a repeat of the last one they did, and annoyance of seeing the areas history be ruined by what im sure will ultimately become something they do badly.

LG John

I take it the builders that will undertake the work are 'dodgy'? Unfortunately the 'quality' of work is not usually something planning would be overly concerned with as long as it looked how it should, etc. Obviously any building works would need to comply with the building regulations but that is another - and separate - process.

Snazy

The last house they did a few doors away, of similar age, collapsed during them digging under to make the basement.
Dodgy, shoddy, take ya pick lol.

Na from speaking to the departments I realise planning is not really interested in such concerns, understandably.

Most of the work they did on the last place was done ignoring planning concent, and building regulation. They would discuss these with the council after they did them.

Suprisingly the basement they had been told they were NOT allowed, was started, during which the whole house collapsed. The shocking part is, that 10 days after the house collapsed, the planning officer signed off consent for the construction of a basement.

Is it usual that a developer will always have the same planning officer each time?

LG John

If they are putting in plans for similar developments and/or in the same area then no. If they are putting in a variety of applications all over the council then it would be a little odd.

They sound like a nightmare tbh.