Any planning experts out there?

[ismellonehugerat]

We've just received notice of a planning application on a field adjacent to our farm.

I'm a bit perplexed as I don't recognise the applicant. Land Registry searches show that the land is unregistered. My family have lived here for well over a hundred years so we have a good knowledge of the area.

I have a very strong feeling that whoever has submitted the form is lying as to their true identity for whatever reason. Can they do this? Is there any way of finding out? There is no address as apparently the land is in trust.

Quite often developers will 'try their luck' with land. So they won't purchase it from the owner until planning is granted.

Meaning the owner of the land is not always the applicant.

Yes, I was aware of that.

This application has been submitted by an agent on behalf of the applicant. The applicant's address is a road in the village (no number). No one has heard of him. We are a very tight knit community.

What I'm really asking is, if it turns out the applicant is lying, is there anything we can do?

I don't think it really matters who the applicant is as long as they have fulfilled the legal requirements to notify the owner of the land, or at least made an effort to notify the owner if unknown. You need to check the Certificate of Ownership submitted as part of the application to see that this has been done. It may involve putting up site notices and/or notices in a local paper.
Who the applicant is is irrelevant to the determination of the application. This will be determined by considering it against the appropriate policies contained in Council documents and national policy.

We think a big developer is behind it.

Yes, i know it is irrelevant in terms of planning who the applicant is but it is concern to residents. Why would lie on a planning application if they didn't have anything to hide?

Tbh if it's a big developer I would have expected them to court the neighbours to get you onside.

Have a look at some developers' websites - they do tend to advertise future projects or at least allude to them.

It's more likely the owner is aware there may be opposition and if it's as close knit a place as you say, they may want to play their cards close to their chest and not risk falling out with neighbours at an early stage of the process.

If you object to the application, channel your energies to finding out how you can oppose it.

That is a good point wowfudge

The developer these days is urged to have a pre application consultation with the local area, so maybe an exhibition at the village hall where people are invited to see the plans and ask questions before the application is submitted.

This information is usually lodged with the planning application as a positive as for example 32 people turned up and only 5 were concerned about xxx . 2 were in support,1 Person said they wanted more affordable homes........etc etc and the rest made no comment, type of thing.

It does seem odd that the application has been submitted in stealth mode. If you are against the application - it might be worth clubbing together with a lot of neighbours and hiring a planning consultant between you to act for you and really get to the bottom of things.

I used to work for a property development and management company Furball.

It is also possible that the village address of the applicant is a house they own or have a business registered to rather than one they live in.