Why we have a high success rate on planning appeals for balconies and roof terraces
In densely packed towns and cities, balconies and roof terraces make a huge difference to quality of life. So how easy is it to get planning permission? Sadly, not easy at all. Almost all councils strongly discourage them, worried that they may look out of place and allow occupiers to overlook their neighbours or disturb them […]
Ealing Council wins award for its enforcement work against outbuildings
Like a number of London councils, Ealing is taking a hard line against outbuildings being used as living accommodation without planning permission (so called ‘beds in sheds’). It won an award for its work at the recent Planning Magazine Enforcement Awards. There has been a significant increase in the number of enforcement investigations and enforcement […]
Newham Council issues 300 Enforcement Notices on a single street
Newham Council issues more enforcement notices than almost any other council in the country. According to government planning statistics, the council issued a total of 382 notices in the year to September. This is the second highest in all of England, just behind the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, which issues a whopping 637. In […]
The Telegraph features our advice on navigating an increasingly complicated planning system
Last Saturday, the Telegraph featured our advice on winning the planning system’s ‘postcode lottery’. As we have pointed out elsewhere, some councils grant permission for a much higher proportion of applications than others. Councils in the south east, and in London in particular, are especially poor performers. The full article can be read here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/uk/dont-lose-out-in-the-postcode-planning-lottery-heres-how-to-beat/ Many people, […]
Stockton Council loses 20 appeals in 2 years, and pays out £80,000 in costs
The Northern Echo newspaper reports that Stockton Council has lost a 20th planning appeal in the last two years, and paid out a total of £80,000 in costs to appellants. The full story can be read here. Separate research by Just Planning (based on statistics provided by the Office of National Statistics) reveals that Stockton […]
The ‘Withdrawal’ Method
Should I withdraw my planning application? One of the most common questions Just Planning consultants are asked by clients is, ‘should I withdraw my planning application’. It usually follows a conversation with a council planning officer who has indicated that an application is unlikely to be successful and that the applicant should consider withdrawing it, amending […]
Increased application fees will place an unfair burden on householders
Increased planning application fees unfair The government has announced plans to increase planning application fees to help plug a shortfall in Council funding. Councils indicate that fee income covers approximately 50% of the cost of running a planning department, and wider Council budgets are being cut. The consultation on increased fees (as well as increased […]
