Planning permission delay

[SpidersAreShitheads]

We put in our application for planning in May - it took four weeks to be validated (which is double the maximum length of time they're supposed to take).

We were supposed to have a decision by 4th August - I believe this is known as the determination date.

A couple of days before the decision was due, someone from planning rocked up to take photos so it was very bloody clear that it was going to be late.

There is a notice on the council's website saying planning is taking longer and there might be delays. I've looked at other applications and they seem to have taken about a month longer than their determination date.

We are now about 7 weeks past our determination date. I phoned Planning last week and again today and our case officer has now sent an email which says:

"I am now in a position where I will soon be able to write up my delegated report to be peer assessed. To allow time for this process to happen, I would like to request an extension of time until 07.10.2022 please?

To extend the time I require your written confirmation, this can be done through the response to this email."

FFS!!! When I spoke to him on Thursday last week he told me he'd be getting something out on Thursday or Friday and now it's going to take another two and a half weeks. And I don't even know if that means the determination date will be within those two weeks, or just the letter will be sent. My understanding is that they send a letter which gives you the determination date - which is usually a week or two later. So in actual fact, if this is the case, the determination date won't actually be for another 3-4 weeks probably??

He's asking for permission, but what are my rights? What happens if I refuse permission?? I'm majorly pissed off now - it's a really simple, single storey extension with no objections from neighbours and he's already told me over the phone that there's no issues with light etc. The case officer said he just needed to check that externally the plans look OK.

There's nothing I can do but agree is there? I do sympathise, they're obviously mega busy, but ours appears to have taken twice as long as other applications despite not being any more complex.

I’m a planner and I feel your pain but from the other side. this is what I hate about work right now - letting householders down.

Most of my applications nowadays are for more complex stuff - multiple houses/flats/commercial, so when I’m letting people down it’s more often developers which doesn’t feel quite so rubbish but still isn’t what it should be.

I’m good at my work and when we have enough staff and caseloads are manageable it’s such an interesting job. At the moment as far as I can see everyone is losing and that’s just crap. Fingers crossed you get your answer soon.

Have you tried contacting your local Councillor (details should be on the Council website)? They should be able to intervene on your behalf - at least get some facts about what is actually going on. Sometimes a Councillor chasing can get things moving.

Planning seems to be in chaos throughout the country at the moment. Our local Council has randomly cancelled the last four planning committee meetings for no apparent reason so even committee decisions are piling up. I have dealings with lots of authorities and I can't remember the last time an application went through on time.

In better times, I'd go straight to Appeal, but the Inspectorate are even worse at the moment.

Totally empathise with you @SpidersAreShitheads - our architect ballsed up our application. As a result we're still waiting on it to be approved.
Im so stressed as have a young baby and don't want her living in a building site. DH and I have taken the decision to keep progressing with the plumbing and electrical plans so the builders can start as based on the street the application won't be rejected. It's annoying though and as you say the delay is costing us money.

@SpidersAreShitheads
We had one of the worst planning departments in the uk, as ranked by speed of determination. They have always been crap. Extensions are the norm and have been for years. Non determination is rife.

“When Kevin comes into the office” means he’s “working” from home. It’s well known our local council had an employee who worked from home in Spain. The requirements regarding job performance are pretty low! Our local planning authority cannot recruit but they have now taken on grads and are testing them. Like in the old days! I’m always interested to know what their hugely paid Chief Officers do for £200,000 pa?

I would blame the council snd “Kevin” and his ilk. They are not competent with this delay. I would also think they are thinking about your application in greater detail and it’s in the “too difficult” box. Are they worried about your house becoming two dwellings? What might be out of the ordinary about the application? Also get your councillor involved. Now. Ask why they cannot recruit planners. Planners never did come from the EU. Why doesn’t anyone want to work for them? Of course the movers and shakers move out and earn more but it should be possible to retain a core of career planners.

On a general note I've read than submitted planning apps has declined because of the concerns about costs and possible recession . Does that give planning departments a chance to catch up maybe ?

I'm really sorry to hear this. If I asked for an extension I'd be getting the report done for that date or if it was impossible letting the applicant know and asking for a further short extension. I can't imagine the situation in that Planning Department if they can't achieve this. It's clearly in a bad way.

Practically though I would be getting in touch with the case officer for an update. Ask of there are any particular concerns or worries causing the delay etc. Whilst never recommended of you were confident of approval you could commence works now in anticipation of the decision if the planning officer as positive but its a huge risk.

@ItsJustASimpleLine
Wd have a house in Cornwall. We had an issue where a neighbour planned to extend on land he didn’t own but put on the application that he did. As NO time are you allowed to speak to the case officer. They have a central team who field queries. However they are not planning officers. They are literally telephone responders. So when you ask a technical query about an application, you simply don’t get an answer. It’s an appalling service. In fact it’s no service. Eventually the local councillor took this up and the application was withdrawn but speaking to a case officer? You must be joking!

STOP THE PRESS - WE HAVE PLANNING PERMISSION!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m so bloody happy right now.

Thank you to everyone on this thread, both those working in Planning and those who have been through the process.

The extension expired last Friday on 7th. Bearing in mind what Planning folks were saying I didn’t want to go straight to the local councillor so I thought I’d email the planning guy directly with a personal plea, and asking for a realistic date, while explaining our situation. If nothing I was then going to contact the ward councillor, I had his details ready.

The planning guy emailed me back with an apology and said he’d referred to his team manager and would get a decision today or Monday. And then he only bloody well did it!!!! I’m so grateful to him. I know the delays aren’t his fault and he’s probably getting it in the neck. I don’t think we jumped any queue as looking at the validated applications I think ours was the oldest outstanding!

According to the architect - who only replied to the emails today AFTER the planning guy had replied - there’s been a temporary manager who was apparently “holding things up” who’s now left?? God knows. Sounds like a nightmare for those that are working there.

I’ve dropped planning guy an email to express my thanks for expediting it.

All the advice here really helped me decide how to tackle it, as well as letting me vent 😂😂

Brilliant news. So pleased for you and your family.

Great news! Hope the building work can get going as soon as possible.

That's amazing news @SpidersAreShitheads . Great way to be proactive whilst pleasant. I'm really hopeful my official approval comes back asap

So pleased to hear! Good luck!

Aaah thank you all so much everyone - I'm absolutely buzzing!!!! It's my birthday today and it's the best possible present I could have had!!!

It's been such a great day today - a few other bits and pieces for the house have unexpectedly fallen into place too. Everything has been going wrong recently, it's been such a slog for ages. Everything that could have gone tits up, has done. Even things which should have been easy have had unexpected hiccups. Plus, DP is off work sick and not getting sick pay (has been for weeks and no idea when he's returning) so it's all been utterly miserable recently, compounded by my mum feeling so upset.

And then today....I don't know what happened, but just everything seems to have dropped into place!!

I NEVER have such good days like this - I should have bought a lottery ticket haha!!

@reno22 I'll keep everything crossed for you that your planning permission comes through soon. How long have you been waiting now?? Must be really hard having all of that work going on with a baby too!!! Will be worth it when you have a beautiful house when it's done. Do let us know how you get on??

@SpidersAreShitheads we put the application in in July expecting to hear back latest in September. However on the day of he decision was due I called the planning office to ask why the decision hadn't come through - turns out our architect should have submitted 2 applications but decided to get all the works done in a single application. This then added another 8-13 weeks. The annoying thing is now we are being told we didn't need permission for the knock through so we could have started earlier! Apparently though we need permission to put in bifold doors and to convert garage to utility. Plus the separate application for the loft.

It's been such a long slog. The offer was accepted when I was pregnant but conveyancing took nearly 6months despite their being no real chain (the seller was selling to fund moving into elderly care but already lived with DC and we were chain free as wanted to complete works before moving in). Because of delays to conveyancing and planning permission it's all gone to pot and we'll have to live btw the building site and my in laws during the work .

Aaah well, hopefully your good news rubs off on your fellow ♎️- it's actually my bday tomorrow! Happy birthday .