My Planning nightmare - it’s making me ill!

[Theodoros12]

I have lived in this small bucks village for 2 years now and have put two planning applications in - the first was withdrawn but was not a issue with the planners. My dad is coming to live wit us as he has dementia and is blind and in a wheelchair as am I. Dispite discussions with both neighbours who raised no objections to me they then went on to tell a load of lies about the plans to other neighbours saying that I was going to rent it out or live in it. One neighbour told my DH that they know this was going to happen as ‘you lot always rent out your garages and sheds and I know this because my sister lives in Wembley’. DH is Asian but has never rented a garage to live in, has never known anybody who has lived in a garage or shed and has never ever been to Wembley. The second application was submitted to accommodate both my dad and myself and was a replica of the houses on either side and recommend for approval by the planners. but the other next door neighbour is an associate of the local councillor who sits on the planning committee. The neighbour even got her friend to make a complaint about it and she lives around the corner on the opposite side of the road. Once again, the objections all stated that we would be using the garage for accommodation or renting it out. It was refused at Committee. We are now making a third application but the neighbour has already told me they don’t want us here as we are different and will be renting the garage out. Even the council planners think it’s racist as there are no other Indians here (I’m white) and there are other garages that have roof windows and fixed wooden steps to storage area. I can’t use it as I’m in a wheelchair but the kids will be able
To get up there for me if I need them to as DHis often away for business. For the first time my kids have felt aware of their mixed background as the comments made were
In their presence. My DD even apologised to me for being ‘a bit brown’ as it meant we couldn’t have a nice house! I’m feeling really vulnerable at the moment and sill as it may sound, scared. Are these people really that ignorant and would anyone else find it racist? I’m trying to stay positive but it’s mainly me ill. Please give me some advice about how to manage this. Many thanks x

Report the hate crimes. That is separate from what you asked about, which is about your planning application. I still don’t understand what reasons were given for rejection. Can you copy/paste? If you want to vent, that’s completely understandable. If you’d like practical advice, it’s unclear from your posts what the issue is.

Hi OP,

Sorry to hear you're going through this. It sounds totally unreasonable and cruel! Pragmatically, it might be worth looking at splitting your planning application into separate parts. Take the aspects that the Local Planning Authority will find impossible to refuse (such as ramps and access) and apply for that. Then any other aspects that are proving difficult could be addressed in a later application. At least then there might be some progress?

Also, like TheFaerieQueene said earlier, you may be able to access meeting notes via a freedom of information act and build a case to appeal to the secretary of state against a wrongful refusal.

I'd be contacting a disability rights charity, a race relations charity and your MP. From what you say, you have been treated appallingly and possibly illegally.