Planning Permission Mystery

[David H]

I finally got planning permission for my extended kitchen which is already half built, but although the decision is permission granted the details say it is too long as it exceeds the 3m permitted development by 0.9 metres. Firstly if they give permission which does not say conditional, how can they then put conditions in their small print and secondly it's not longer than 3m as they ignored the conservatory which is on the plans which was part of the original house and was replaced for the new kitchen. I will be speaking to the architect tomorrow but tend to prefer a wider view in case I miss anything.

[jackthehat]

You have a 900mm deep conservatory?

[David H]

This is an utter disgrace. It says permission granted, but onlyooking at the attached document you discover they approved an imaginary short kitchen which was never in the plans. Both the final and intermediate plans show the same kitchen. They are taking the pee professionally.

I don't do metric, sorry. The old conservatory was 0.9m long. That's where the argument lies between us both.

[bobbinwales]

Best perhaps to lets see what your architect say or what the council say when they explain it. You may be right that there a disgrace or you may be too close to it and misunderstanding it which is easy to do when feelings are running high

[jno]

not being rude, but you really need to bone up on metric if that's the language of the plans and the application, otherwise everyone's going to be confused. 0.9 metres is about 3 feet. 9 metres is about 30 feet.

[Atheist]

I'm afraid that you have been unwise in going ahead with construction of your extension prior to receiving planning permission. You have now ended up in a mess, which may or may not be resolved without drastic action. I really think you should be communicating with the Local Planning Authority, not with AB or anybody else other than as private planning consultant (who would charge you for their time).
Talk to the LPA. If you would like further advice after talking to them, then you might wish to come back here, but I don't think that is what you should do.

[jackthehat]

I am struggling to understand how a conservatory can be 3 feet long.
Usually Planning Consent is given stipulating that it strictly refers to the Plans and gives their drawing and revision numbers.

Which 'attached document' refers to shortened kitchen?
And, again....what is the wording?

[David H]

The house and many others on the estate had small box conservatories on the back for washing etc. I had the washing machines and dishwasher there so it was very useful. I was kicked out of my house a few days after the subsidence was discovered and handed it over to tbe builder and architect as I was on the other side of London. I naively assumed they'd do it properly and in fact I can't find anything wrong with the new kitchen . I have found a firm of planning appeal consultants if I end up having to use them.

[David H]

Jack, I copied the paragraph on the previous page half way down.
On the council website they havd a headline page with the decision (permission granted ) with attached pdfs. The main one gives the full detailed decision, bear in mind I only applied for this one room, which then goes on to dismiss the headline and calls for the entire room to be demolished.
Atheist, I know perfectly well I can pay for professional advice, which is exactly why I come here first. It's called being part of a community. I have various qualifications and am always happy to come here and help others who are clearly in trouble wherever I can to save them wasting money getting similar advice elsewhere. In fact the more serious the problem the more reason there is to come here first.

[bednobs]

David I am intrigued. What did the architect say?

[David H]

It was an old architect we had to change, and the 2019 application was accepted 'in principle' for the length in their report, but refused for other things. We then got a new one to redraw the plans primarily for building regulations plus the extension altered to comply with said report.

So far they were not forthcoming for various reasons, but it is possible their plans confused things (for me and the council) so may have caused the mixup at both ends. I have ended up stating my case to the council directly now I understand what has happened and will either win or appeal the decision. Of course it's impossible to predict the answer, but having both accepted the length in the last application and have my conservatory in the original plans it wouldn't be fair to reject them.

[bednobs]

" now I understand what has happened"
i'm glad you do, i'm scratching my head a bit, but good luck :)

[Atheist]

David, from what you originally posted it seems you have been granted planning permission.
What does the decision notice actually say? I mean the 'headline'. Does it say that the proposed..... is hereby granted planning permission? Does it then say 'subject to the following conditions and informatives'?
Are there any conditions which would cause you a problem?
An informative is simply some information provided for your benefit and to comply with govt requirements to be clear and informative.

[David H]

No conditions. I have asked the council now. It looks as if they read different plans which were drawn up a year earlier and withdrawn by us, but as far as I know I didn't send them. Unfortunately they no longer have the plans inked on the website and my email sending them is gone as I lost the computer I sent them on. Even so it would make no sense if I had as they knew the room was longer already and the previous refusal for the wider application which included the entire house accepted the length "in principle" (does that mean it wasn't binding?).

I am waiting for a reply but it's a total mess and I don't think I sent them the wrong plans originally.

[David H]

The answer was as my architect had given up I had mistakenly put in older plans. That was the only answer I could think of.

[THECORBYLOON]

It wasn't, "disgraceful behaviour from a public body" after all?

[Atheist]

David, you might get better free advice here if you clarified things a bit by responding to the requests we have made for further information.
I still find the situation you are in confusing. You seem to have been given planning permission. What's the problem?