Bloody planning permission!

[FeckOffCup1]

I want to widen my drive by less than 1 metre as it’s currently completely inaccessible by car (previous owners built a conservatory jutting across the entrance to the drive). The wall that needs to be knocked down is just over 6foot so I need to apply for PP before it’s done.

I hspent 3 hours filling in the fucking form a few days ago. I thought I’d finished it but it wouldn’t let me send it without a ‘design and access statement’ and a ‘site plan’. I assumed a Land Registry plan with the area highlighted would do and I filled in a template design and access statement that I found on a website even though absolutely none of it was relevant.

I’ve just had a phone call from the council to say that I needed a proper site plan and access statement before they could process the application. I asked what a ‘proper’ ones consisted of and she told me that she couldn’t tell me that, just that what I had submitted couldn’t be processed and she couldn’t let me speak to anyone that would tell me. I could email to find out and it should be replied to within 10 business days but everything is taking longer due to a Covid.

Any ideas, anyone? I get the feeling I’m going to have to pay a company to do it for me.

I'd have a look at other planning applications online and see if that helped - you can look at the plans etc via the planning portal.

Any application should give an idea of what these are.

The planning portal details what is acceptable as a site plan I think? If not the LA planning website should. I had to buy one from an online provider for £15 or so?

But are you sure you need PP for removing a garden wall?

Definitely need planning permission as in a conservation area unfortunately. I’ve had a look and just can’t find anything similar. It’s so irritating- all the applications people have done for similar work has been done through a different portal as they’ve not been in the conservation area. As such they have been able to use just the Land Registry plans and not been required to do an access statement. All the ones that are done on the portal I have to use include full on architects plans and big surveys they’ve done on how it will effect local traffic/ wildlife etc. I didn’t think taking 80cm off my wall would require a study on the nesting patterns of starlings.

A design and access statement is just a document, usually with pictures, stating the argument about why planning should be approved. Reference any applicable planning policies at national or local level.

Is this wall your boundary wall with the road? Will you need the drop kerb moving?

We are in a grade II listed house in conservation area - we just got planning approval / listed building consent for rebuilding chimney, new thatched roof and trees. I did the applications myself via planning portal - the site plan you get from here:

www.planningportal.co.uk/homepage/4/buy_a_plan

I just labelled everything e.g. roof with where roof is, tree 1 were tree one is, chimney were chimney is.

Basically follow the instructions:

ecab.planningportal.co.uk/uploads/1app/maps_plans_and_planning_apps.pdf

There's also a guide on there for design and access statement. Maybe here.

www.gov.uk/guidance/making-an-application#Design-and-Access-Statement

We had to do a heritage statement too but that's listed buildings.

That’s what I thought rollercoaster1920. I filled it in similar to a template of one I found basically just saying that I currently can’t get a car onto the drive, being allowed to do this will free up space for 2 cars to park where mine and xdh’s are currently parked (very limited on street parking round here), my neighbours opposite will be able to get their car off their drive more easily, included signed statement from them and that doing so won’t affect anyone’s view or property in anyway or damage any of the trees with TPO’s on them.

The wall opens straight onto the road so no issue with dropped kerbs and due to the conservation area no lines are allowed to be painted on the road so won’t affect that either.

But they won’t tell me why it’s wrong! Just that it is wrong. Bloody infuriating.

@Rollercoaster1920 what you have described is a planning statement.

The DAS needs to give details on the appearance of the proposals as the OP lives in a conservation area. What will the extended drive be paved with, what will the wall look like after it's been knocked down. Are there any column features that need to be replicated.

@FeckOffCup1 has anyone else in your street done this? Can you take photos of their drive for reference?

Can you speak to the Conservation Officer at the Council?