Planning permission 4 temp structure

Madhatter

Madhatter

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3,316
Location
Minehead / boat Porlock (I hope)
wp.me
I have my boat in the back garden for refurbishment and being the good citizen that I am I have tented the whole thing and built in extraction/filtration system ready for me to soda blast the hull etc.
Within a week I have had a letter from the council re planning permission :eek:
Do i really need planning for this temporary structure (framed tent like structure)?
 
I've had a 'temporary' polytunnel, covered these days in white polyvinyl fabric, in my back garden for the past 18 years. It is used as a workshop-cum-boatshed and is almost bulked-out with kit, tools, spare kitchens and workbenches.

I've had Council Planning and Building Control officers along several times, for quite legitimate other reasons, and they've never raised a mention.

There's an guidance booklet - which should be freely available from your Council - and some maybe-helpful info here and here. :cool:
 
I think you might have a problem if you're in a conservation area, but otherwise it's a temporary structure so you can tell them to bog off.
 
If it is in the back garden and 5m. from the house it can be as big as half the plot under permitted development rules. Do not tell the Planning Officer to bog off as advised above, even if you are in breach you can faff about for months preparing a retrospective application by which time the job will be done but they are going to be kinder to you if you are polite, it usually helps to act slightly stupid as well, (something that comes really easy to me) as they have an obligation to help you.
Ring the Planning Office, ask them to send you a copy of the 'Permitted Development Booklet' first, offer to come in for a chat but do not push for an early appointment, after the meeting offer to think it over, then write to them with any remaining queries, be affable and cooperative and do not bad mouth the neighbour that shopped you, they have more important things to deal with so it need not come to a head for at least six months, by which time you should have it down anyway.
 
Phone the planning officer and explain what it is all about. Almost certainly he'll tell you that it's no problem but, if it is, just drag your heels for a few weeks. By the time they follow it up, as Quandary says, the job will be done and, hopefully, the boat will be back in the water.
 
Lakesailor said:
But find out who the neighbour is.
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But do not jump to conclusions. I once had a very helpful neighbour who allowed me to use his driveway for a concrete mixer lorry to discharge concrete into footing for our stables. When the roof was almost finished, I needed one more roll of felt, and 'he' offered to loan me a roll he had. A few weeks later we had a visit from the planners, who actually confirmed that planning permission was not required.

We had no idea who the 'offended neighbour' may have been, but, cutting a long story short, it was actually our helpful neighbour, who complained that our stable roof was stopping him enjoying drinks on his balcony (can't spell verandah!).

So, it's not always who you think it is!:(:(
 
Old pal of mine had an application to extend rejected because of objections from a neighbour. Consequently he had to move somewhere bigger. Neighbour said he was sorry to see him leaving, to which my mate responded that he was sure he'd get along just fine with the new owner, a rock singer who thought the house would be just prefect for rehearsals.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Old pal of mine had an application to extend rejected because of objections from a neighbour. Consequently he had to move somewhere bigger. Neighbour said he was sorry to see him leaving, to which my mate responded that he was sure he'd get along just fine with the new owner, a rock singer who thought the house would be just prefect for rehearsals.
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In 1979 we sold our first house to move nearer my work. I was visited by two neighbours who told us we were devalueing their houses by selling at the price we were offering at. Both their properties were up for 2.5k more. We had an offer and sold within 7 weeks, they had no offers. I was asked by one of them what the new owners were like. I said " Do you know that guy two streets away who does banger racing?- you know- he has that tatty lorry with his car on the back and the ones for spares on his front lawn. He is moving in Saturday...................... His jaw hit his chest with an audible thump. One of my finest moments.
 
You will probably need planing permission, depending on its height and how much of the garden it covers (I'm a chartered town planner!).

Best advice has already been given - go along with things, agree with the Council to apply for retrospective planning permission, take a month to fill in the forms, wait for the Council to make a decision (2-3 months), then appeal if they refuse it (another 6-10 months). By that time I expect you will have finished with it and taken it down....
 
Stemar said:
And do absolutely nothing about it. One of the standard questions when you sell a house is, "Have EVER had any disputes with your neighbours?" A yes can be a deal breaker or loadsamoney off the selling price
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But I didn't say to go and duff him up or start a war of attrition.
You need to know who to be wary of in neighbourly environments. As appledore showed, it may be the one you don't expect.

It may even have been the planning officer visiting a nearby applicant and noticing it.

These things need to be known.
 
NDG said:
You will probably need planing permission, depending on its height and how much of the garden it covers (I'm a chartered town planner!).

Best advice has already been given - go along with things, agree with the Council to apply for retrospective planning permission, take a month to fill in the forms, wait for the Council to make a decision (2-3 months), then appeal if they refuse it (another 6-10 months). By that time I expect you will have finished with it and taken it down....
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Yes. Pretend to comply. That gets the officer's file on you off the top of his InTray.
 
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