This case shows how you need patience and persistence in planning. Sometimes you need to try, and then try again (and sometimes again). Most of our clients get there in the end, but it is not always quick and easy!
We had a lost an earlier appeal for extensions to this house. We hate to lose and we worked with the clients to interpret and understand the appeal inspector’s decision and to revise the proposal so that it could be resubmitted to the council.
Predictably, the council refused the revised scheme as well. However, we were confident that we had responded to everything that had concerned the inspector in the previous appeal and that this time we would be successful.
So we submitted our second appeal and were delighted when it was allowed and planning permission was granted. The clients have had to scale down their ambitions slightly but are nevertheless delighted with the result and will push on with the build.
Incidentally, Spelthorne Council is becoming a busy council for us. We are getting more and more enquiries from this area – they seem to be taking a stricter approach to householder extensions in general and appear to be refusing more applications, often on weak grounds (in our opinion at least).
We also find, in general, the councils can be hostile to two-storey side extensions in particular. We wrote about this phenomenon here.
If you have been refused planning permission in Spelthorne, or for a two-storey side extension, be sure to get in touch. You can contact us through our contact page or by emailing us on info@just-planning.co.uk.
