Can I call the planning department mid application?

[beggingforsleep]

Hello,

I submitted a planning application (well our designer did) a few weeks ago with a decision due in a couple of weeks. I've just checked the planning portal and it turns out all of our neighbours hate it. I'm mortified! But it does explain the evil eyes we've been getting when we visit the house.

Is it worth me/am I allowed to contact the planning department while the decision is being made to talk things through? Or is that a big no?

Some of the objections raised would be overcome by some screening trees which we're already planning to do and an internal level change which we were planning to submit as a non-material amendment anyway.

I don't want to build something everybody will hate and I also don't want to spend the next two weeks doing nothing to mitigate a planning refusal.

Am I allowed to contact the planning department??

Thanks!

Just a hopeful bump. Struggled to sleep last night!

I'm thinking I'll call the planning department and just check they're going to do a site visit? Is that normal? For some reason I have the impression that the planning department are scary and don't like to be disturbed.

Yes you absolutely can, if there's anything you can put plans in for now that will mitigate the objections then do.

Thank you. I'll get on to that today.

I'd wait and see what planning says at the end of the process. People object as a matter of course just because they don't like change or are jealous.
They have to have valid complaints that are upheld by planning. You are intending to build something that works for you, not something just to appease the neighbours!

Some of the objections raised would be overcome by some screening trees which we're already planning to do and an internal level change which we were planning to submit as a non-material amendment anyway.

You can submit amended plans to show these. I don't understand why you submitted plans and then you were going to do a non material amendment anyway, just put it on them now!

Why on earth didn't you show your neighbours the plans before submission?

I agree, surely you spoke to your neighbours before you submitted the plans?

Neighbours always hate plans! Often it’s best to let the planning dept/councillors decide and then submit amended plans. Your designer should not have put in plans that we’re going to be turned down. Neighbours have little influence if they just say they don’t like it. The planning authority only takes planning objections into account. So not noise, inconvenience for them, etc. The planning authority will consumer size of development, overlooking neighbours etc. If you had used an architect, the screening would have been included.

I would just let them decide. You can withdraw the plans but your designer should have applied for something that was going to get pp. You also could have checked what was reasonable. Not everyone speaks to neighbours. We don’t.

Our neighbours object to everything unreasonably and they are not worth talking to! It’s the planning authority that decides, not I’ll informed jealous neighbours.

We did speak to the neighbours on the sides but on one side it's tenanted and the objection has come from the owner. I assume the owner hasn't visited the house for a while as her objection is about privacy to her kitchen but there's a 3 meter hedge between our properties so there's no way we'd ever be able to see in ever. She's also objected about us having a patio because it means people will sit outside talking. I'm discounting her objections.

We knew the person on the other side would object as she didn't want to lose light through one window on her upstairs landing but she's also complained about loss of privacy but again there are screening trees. We're really friendly with her so there's no ongoing problems, she's just doing what she feels is right for her and we're doing what we feel is right for us, it's all very civil.

The ones at the back we didn't consider. Their houses are quite a distance from ours but it's on a slope with us higher so they're already overlooked. We were planning screening trees anyway. But they seem very cross and will probably hate the trees too.

I will speak to the planner today.

Thanks all.

I cannot imagine being a person who goes through life complaining about someone adding a patio in their garden because people will sit outside & talk god forbid someone wants to use their garden!

Hope it all goes OK OP.

I might be wrong but I don't think trees / hedges have any bearing on a planning application as they can always be removed - unless they're protected by a PO they're not permanent, plus planting anything inevitably takes time to grow.

Honestly I'd just let the application take it's course. It sounds as though you're just adding in trees to mollify the neighbours which is nice but has little bearing on the application. The planners will be more interested in the angles from new works to the existing properties and what amenity they provide/remove, and the aspect viewed from the road.
If you're truly concerned for your neighbours then go talk to them and explain exactly what you have planned but don't ask them to withdraw their objection. Unless your proposal is going to seriously impact the neighbouring properties you should be fine.

I am a planning officer if that helps

Neighbour objections are par for the course and often don't reflect material planning considerations. I've granted planning permission for schemes which have had over 100 neighbour objections.

The patio comment is a bit and just screams jealousy to be honest.

Are you going through a planning agent/architect? If so then they should be receiving the objections and liaising with you to come up
with suitable mitigation (if the officer is concerned which like I say they may not be!). If you are able to get hold of the officer and express that you are open to this (I.e including screening measures) then this may help speed along and put your mind at ease.

My understanding of it is that the planning officer arbitrates the process. Sometimes you can have no objections and still a refusal because of other reasons, sometimes plans that are absolutely hated get approved. I agree that it is your right to submit plans and their right to object, but it might be best to let the process conclude before offering concrete changes to the plans.

The comments that your neighbours make should be public and visible on the planning portal - have you seen them? Some things just aren’t going to be part of the decision, the patio objection for example. Overlooking another property might be the kind of thing that is taken into consideration, but it depends on the circumstances.

Mostly people hate change and get very invested in what their neighbours are doing. Sometimes on here you will find someone wanting to object just because they don’t want the disruption of building work.

Sorry, I misread. You are reading the objections. They are just opinion based. The planner will take it all into account.

Also you say ‘when you visit the house’ - does that mean you haven’t moved in yet? In which case you are new and more likely for people to just object without a second thought.

@Flamingolingo yes we haven't moved in yet. The house isn't really habitable, especially as we have toddlers. We've moved in to rented while we get it all sorted. So definitely some of it will be down to the fact we have no existing relationships with anyone.

We come a couple of times a week and have introduced ourselves to the neighbours, chatted with some frequently and joined the road agm so we are trying to get to know people. We're really excited about moving in, everyone has been lovely and we imagine living here for a long time.

I'm just really embarrassed that we're going to start off on such a bad foot with our immediate neighbours.

But if they don’t like change you would never be able to do anything so you cannot defer to them. They will get over it!

If the light is taken from a landing next door, it might not matter as it’s not a living space. If you overlook a neighbour they will take into account angles of your building and light, nearness of your extension and possibility of obscure glass being used by you. People at the end of your garden are flying kites but they can object on planning grounds, eg over development etc.

Tree screens are a problem as the roots might affect foundations. They also mean someone gets shade they might not want. If they are layldndii then you are planting a monster and they are anti social! Get the design right and you will get pp. it must align with local planning policies and your designer should know what these are. Just keep it in place with the planning department and talk planting schemes through with your neighbours. Be aware that trees cause damage and leylandii are unacceptable.