Council opposed our planning application

[AlbatrosStrike]

We submitted a planning application and received permission for a small single storey rear extension (standard extension on a 90s housing estate, would fall under permitted development but we’re making some other small changes so put the whole lot on one application). One of the neighbours objected (as is their right) but with no real basis in terms of planning.

My issue is that when I checked the planning department website I saw two more comments from the parish council and a local society affiliated with the council. The language used was very similar to the neighbour’s and the two comments were almost identical. It is highly unusual for the council to object to minor householder applications, and the society was not even consulted in the planning process. So someone went out of their way to find our application and comment on it. I suspect this is due to the neighbour.

I was very upset when I saw that the council comments. For the parish council to go after us in this way seems to me completely outrageous. Even the planning officer noted in the decision report that their objection had no basis in planning law.

I want to write to our local councillor (politely) to find out why the council had opposed our extension. However, my dh is completely against it as he thinks it would put a target on our backs. He says we got planning permission so I should just forget about it. It ended with a row as dh thinks I’m stirring the pot unnecessarily.

However, it doesn’t sit right with me that someone used their position on the parish council to try to help their mate against us. Obviously I wouldn’t make any accusations without proof, but AIBU to write to the council about this?

as you say your complaint is not about the extension permission because it’s been OKed. It’s upset about Parish Council activities. They are notorious for this kind of thing. What makes you think it’s a mate of someone on the council rather than same person? My partner is on a parish council there isn’t much required to get onto and attracts a certain “type”. I think your DH is right it’s not worth pursuing. You got what you want.

Exactly - some busybody wasted their time making an objection that wasn't considered as it had no basis in planning. More fool them. Get your building done and forget them.

You have planning permission, thats the main thing.

As far as I know, Parish Councils get notification of all planning applications in their area so they can make a comment on any one if they so wish or if it is raised to them.

From my experience, some only comment on major projects, others have mild obsessions with householder extensions. Regardless, they didn't affect the outcome.

I would do nothing more than build the extension. If you wish, then you can always be a bit happy that it has pissed someone off without you even having to put effort in.

This happened to me when we had planning permission to move our shed. Our neighbour is a councillor with little man syndrome and objected to us moving the shed 10M and rallied around all friends to object too. We had objections from people living a mile away.
He declared an interest in the town council meeting and they also recommended that our planning be rejected. We had to appeal to the county council who were baffled as no one can actually see the shed in our garden anyway. It was granted.
It caused me no end of sleepless nights and I felt bullied. I said nothing but make sure now that I always say hello to them with extra cheerful smiles when I see them. That is the best revenge.
People can be strange.

I write as a Parish Councillor ....

Members of the public have a right to speak at the beginning of the meeting on any matter on the agenda for that meetjng. If your neighbour turned up at the meeting and expressed concerns about the application, then the Parish Council is likely to pass those concerns on in their comment to the planning authority.

If you've been granted permission, then the planning authority has obviously decided that the comments do not give a reason to turn down planning permission. Which is great for you!

I am with your DH. Don't ask the Parish Council why they commented as they did. It doesn't matter because the planning authority have the last say anyway.