In most of Europe, it is currently perfectly legal to live in a caravan or camper or log cabin, any temporary dwelling in fact, without planning or other permissions on land which you own.
In this country it is not allowed. What I would like to see is the abilty for those who wished to, to live full time on their own land, in a temporary dwelling.
Why is this idea important?
In most of Europe, it is currently perfectly legal to live in a caravan or camper or log cabin, any temporary dwelling in fact, without planning or other permissions on land which you own.
In this country it is not allowed. What I would like to see is the abilty for those who wished to, to live full time on their own land, in a temporary dwelling.
Repeal the rule that allows placing a pole or scaffold tube on site, that takes the place of the planned building.
Once this pole or scaffold has been in place for a year and a day, the builder is then allowed by law to construct any building to the height of that pole or scaffold tube.
This can all be carried out with no notice or warning to the residents effected save the pole, scaffold tube or any other erection in place to the height they will to build.
Why is this idea important?
Repeal the rule that allows placing a pole or scaffold tube on site, that takes the place of the planned building.
Once this pole or scaffold has been in place for a year and a day, the builder is then allowed by law to construct any building to the height of that pole or scaffold tube.
This can all be carried out with no notice or warning to the residents effected save the pole, scaffold tube or any other erection in place to the height they will to build.
I think the main question is……
Why do I need anyones permission to replace my windows, move an internal wall, to take up the soil in my garden and put a driveway down, Why do I need permisson to do anything to my home when I own the propery????
I think this needs to to be re-evalutated, I mean do I have to ask a car manufactures permission to change the windscreen, or replace the wheels, NO why? becuase I brought the car and it no longer has anything to do with the manufacturer.
If i purchase my home, I own it, not the local council.
I Believe that for most works that need to be done to a home shouldn't need permission from the local authority, However I do think that some kind of survey or assessment could be needed for certain structial modification to ensure the work is safe to carry out.
Why is this idea important?
I think the main question is……
Why do I need anyones permission to replace my windows, move an internal wall, to take up the soil in my garden and put a driveway down, Why do I need permisson to do anything to my home when I own the propery????
I think this needs to to be re-evalutated, I mean do I have to ask a car manufactures permission to change the windscreen, or replace the wheels, NO why? becuase I brought the car and it no longer has anything to do with the manufacturer.
If i purchase my home, I own it, not the local council.
I Believe that for most works that need to be done to a home shouldn't need permission from the local authority, However I do think that some kind of survey or assessment could be needed for certain structial modification to ensure the work is safe to carry out.
Allow people to build homes on their own land, for the purpose of living in them, without applying for planning permission.
Why is this idea important?
Allow people to build homes on their own land, for the purpose of living in them, without applying for planning permission.
The current planning system and process is slow tired and cumbersome and still involves the cook, baker and candlestick maker who do not have required expertise. The process leads to a point where developers are now no longer able to build developments that they and residents can be proud of, make money, hold their value and are fit for purpose. Developers purchase sites and are then firstly forced by plans to cram attached houses into less room than in the past and setting properties on streets with inadequate parking, no front gardens and on top of each other. Such estates are creating the ghettos of tomorrow by maling families live on top of each and removing the whole street communities. This also creates tension between families living too close. On top of this, current social housing are inappropriate. Firstly the integration of housing with other stock creates issues. Secondly, current regs for houses mean that they are now so expensive to build that developers have another cost issue on top of current economic issues. Developers are currently unable to sell homes due to surveyors downvaluing on orders from banks so they can reduce lending. This means people can’t afford to buy, developers suffer and future housing plans and needs suffer. Idea is to help the developers through these tough times for a longer view of housing needs and also protect and industry and its workforce while making a fair and appropriate future housing plan.
Why is this idea important?
The current planning system and process is slow tired and cumbersome and still involves the cook, baker and candlestick maker who do not have required expertise. The process leads to a point where developers are now no longer able to build developments that they and residents can be proud of, make money, hold their value and are fit for purpose. Developers purchase sites and are then firstly forced by plans to cram attached houses into less room than in the past and setting properties on streets with inadequate parking, no front gardens and on top of each other. Such estates are creating the ghettos of tomorrow by maling families live on top of each and removing the whole street communities. This also creates tension between families living too close. On top of this, current social housing are inappropriate. Firstly the integration of housing with other stock creates issues. Secondly, current regs for houses mean that they are now so expensive to build that developers have another cost issue on top of current economic issues. Developers are currently unable to sell homes due to surveyors downvaluing on orders from banks so they can reduce lending. This means people can’t afford to buy, developers suffer and future housing plans and needs suffer. Idea is to help the developers through these tough times for a longer view of housing needs and also protect and industry and its workforce while making a fair and appropriate future housing plan.
New Labour introduced 'cabinet-style' local governments from the late 90s onwards in England. This system denies the electorate the right to make an input into local government decision making by barring public and press attendance during cabinet meetings and allows councillors to make decisions on our behalf without our input.
The only input that is taken into account is from lobby-groups and businesses who have usually paid money to have their say. In other words, they have bribed the councillors into making the 'right' decision. In this way, many wealthy businesses have been able to have permission granted for building work etc even if their proposals break local planning rules!
Why is this idea important?
New Labour introduced 'cabinet-style' local governments from the late 90s onwards in England. This system denies the electorate the right to make an input into local government decision making by barring public and press attendance during cabinet meetings and allows councillors to make decisions on our behalf without our input.
The only input that is taken into account is from lobby-groups and businesses who have usually paid money to have their say. In other words, they have bribed the councillors into making the 'right' decision. In this way, many wealthy businesses have been able to have permission granted for building work etc even if their proposals break local planning rules!
Changes to the Town and Country Planning Permitted Development Order mean that anyone wanting to replace more than 5m2 (that’s 2.5 x 2m in area – not enough to park anything other than perhaps a Smart car on!) of their driveway, has to apply to their Council for planning permission, if they aren’t going to use permeable paving (letting surface water drain through it, rather than running off to a drain). While the intention of this change is to ensure that the relentless paving over of front gardens doesn’t add to the risk of flooding in urban areas, it is also having the effect of penalising people who simply want to repair, or replace their existing driveways. Surely an exemption to this requirement could be put in place for situations where there will be no change to the existing amount of paved surface?
Why is this idea important?
Changes to the Town and Country Planning Permitted Development Order mean that anyone wanting to replace more than 5m2 (that’s 2.5 x 2m in area – not enough to park anything other than perhaps a Smart car on!) of their driveway, has to apply to their Council for planning permission, if they aren’t going to use permeable paving (letting surface water drain through it, rather than running off to a drain). While the intention of this change is to ensure that the relentless paving over of front gardens doesn’t add to the risk of flooding in urban areas, it is also having the effect of penalising people who simply want to repair, or replace their existing driveways. Surely an exemption to this requirement could be put in place for situations where there will be no change to the existing amount of paved surface?
Changes to the Permitted Development Order to prevent people from unnecessarily paving over their front gardens now require anyone wanting to replace more than 5m2 (that's only 2.5m x 2m in area – not enough to park a car on!!) of paving, to apply for planning permission. This shouldn't be necessary if all you want to do is replace what you have at the moment, with the same area of paving – that is iniquitous. There should be an exemption if all you are doing is replacing / making good a surface that has deteriorated (something that a lot of paving is suffering from given the recent wet and cold winters).
Why is this idea important?
Changes to the Permitted Development Order to prevent people from unnecessarily paving over their front gardens now require anyone wanting to replace more than 5m2 (that's only 2.5m x 2m in area – not enough to park a car on!!) of paving, to apply for planning permission. This shouldn't be necessary if all you want to do is replace what you have at the moment, with the same area of paving – that is iniquitous. There should be an exemption if all you are doing is replacing / making good a surface that has deteriorated (something that a lot of paving is suffering from given the recent wet and cold winters).
It is not commonly known that all green waste composting on farms an d commercial premises must go through a range of hoops involving several faceless regulators and inspectors at DEFRA and farmers are also required to obtain Planning Permission from the local authority. This requires accurate plans and grid refernces to be drawn up and plotted and often takes months.
Example a farmer wishes to compost his hedge clippings and agricyultural waste from say peelings. old cabbage leaves etc. He would also like to add green waste from landscapers and councils. He would be replenishing his soil, improving fertility, water efficiency etc. Farmers have been doing this around the globe for over 5,000 years.
Suddenly in the late 20th century and 21st century rafts of regulation, form filling, inspections and general red tape are required in the name of health and safety and environmental protection.
This is but one example of the nonsense DEFRA and MAFF have foisted on farmers, The Environment Agency is a quango employing over 13,000 people………………………..most of them ordering us about.
This law shopuld be abolished along with many like it. Guidelines are more than adequate for green compost production.Planning Permits and dauily temperature readings etc are simply bureacracy gone mad.
Why is this idea important?
It is not commonly known that all green waste composting on farms an d commercial premises must go through a range of hoops involving several faceless regulators and inspectors at DEFRA and farmers are also required to obtain Planning Permission from the local authority. This requires accurate plans and grid refernces to be drawn up and plotted and often takes months.
Example a farmer wishes to compost his hedge clippings and agricyultural waste from say peelings. old cabbage leaves etc. He would also like to add green waste from landscapers and councils. He would be replenishing his soil, improving fertility, water efficiency etc. Farmers have been doing this around the globe for over 5,000 years.
Suddenly in the late 20th century and 21st century rafts of regulation, form filling, inspections and general red tape are required in the name of health and safety and environmental protection.
This is but one example of the nonsense DEFRA and MAFF have foisted on farmers, The Environment Agency is a quango employing over 13,000 people………………………..most of them ordering us about.
This law shopuld be abolished along with many like it. Guidelines are more than adequate for green compost production.Planning Permits and dauily temperature readings etc are simply bureacracy gone mad.
From 6th April 2010, an amendment has been made to the Use Classes Order of The Town and Country Planning Act. What this means is that if you rent a house to three or more unrelated individuals it requires planning permission.
Why is this idea important?
From 6th April 2010, an amendment has been made to the Use Classes Order of The Town and Country Planning Act. What this means is that if you rent a house to three or more unrelated individuals it requires planning permission.
Make it a legal requirement that Councils must apply and have an open debate with the public before installing street or any council operated CCTV cameras.
Why is this idea important?
Make it a legal requirement that Councils must apply and have an open debate with the public before installing street or any council operated CCTV cameras.
I live in a quiet culdesac with limited privacy, front and rear. Why do local councils allow these establishments to set up when the area is a;lready swamped with cars, my limited privacy has been almost eroded and the B&B owner considers the turning area in the culdesac to be his private parking space because his drive is full of guests vehicles. I have complained prior to this B&B being allowed but seemd to fall on deaf ears. Seems the same old story, as long as it is not in MY back yard.
Why is this idea important?
I live in a quiet culdesac with limited privacy, front and rear. Why do local councils allow these establishments to set up when the area is a;lready swamped with cars, my limited privacy has been almost eroded and the B&B owner considers the turning area in the culdesac to be his private parking space because his drive is full of guests vehicles. I have complained prior to this B&B being allowed but seemd to fall on deaf ears. Seems the same old story, as long as it is not in MY back yard.
Planning laws are necessary only to prevent the erection of dangerous structures. But they are more often than not used to prevent unusual, creative and innovative design from being built. I propose the resztriction of the planning laws to cover only the structure, size and facililties of buildings, but not their appearance, their colour, shape, materials and ornament. This will allow the natrural creative talent of the nation to flourish, expressed through the built environment at every level.
Why is this idea important?
Planning laws are necessary only to prevent the erection of dangerous structures. But they are more often than not used to prevent unusual, creative and innovative design from being built. I propose the resztriction of the planning laws to cover only the structure, size and facililties of buildings, but not their appearance, their colour, shape, materials and ornament. This will allow the natrural creative talent of the nation to flourish, expressed through the built environment at every level.
The entire system of planning permission and development control should be scrapped and replaced by a simple majority vote. All residents and business within a certain radius of a proposal would have a say, the larger the proposal the larger the radius.
Why is this idea important?
The entire system of planning permission and development control should be scrapped and replaced by a simple majority vote. All residents and business within a certain radius of a proposal would have a say, the larger the proposal the larger the radius.
From April 2010, anyone with a house which they wished to let to more than 3 unrelated people, had to change their planning from C3 to C4. What a way to kill the buy to let housing market!! Personally, its made moving to Leeds a nightmare as i want to share with friends and i'm sure that the same issue occurs all over the country! As a landlady myself, i'm reluctant to let to families, because i lose my right to lend to more than three unrelate people!
Why is this idea important?
From April 2010, anyone with a house which they wished to let to more than 3 unrelated people, had to change their planning from C3 to C4. What a way to kill the buy to let housing market!! Personally, its made moving to Leeds a nightmare as i want to share with friends and i'm sure that the same issue occurs all over the country! As a landlady myself, i'm reluctant to let to families, because i lose my right to lend to more than three unrelate people!
There is a need to relax planning regulations very significantly for private citizens, especially in the area of house extensions and modifications, car ports, installation of solar panels, position and design of windows, etc. Planning applications are often opposed by jealous or awkward neighbours, and Councillors on Town and District Planning Committees often ignore the advice of the council’s own professional planning officers (recommending approval) and reject applications, to curry favour with antagonistic local people whose votes they want to obtain. Frequently, council officers are also intimidated by aggressive citizens with a typewriter or word processor, who sometimes stir up opposition to perfectly acceptable proposals.
Some councils are excessively interventionist and allow their decisions to be affected by political considerations. Thus, the extremely left-wing members of Stevenage Borough Council are prone to object to people wishing to improve their homes and depart from the standard size and pattern of the “New Town” housing that dominated the town until the early 1990s. The appeals procedure offers some redress. In the early 1990s, the decisions of the planning committee of Stevenage Borough Council were overturned on appeal in 52% of cases. This demonstrates that in a majority of cases their decisions were demonstrably, legally wrong. Right-wing councils are sometimes equally interventionist.
Why is this idea important?
There is a need to relax planning regulations very significantly for private citizens, especially in the area of house extensions and modifications, car ports, installation of solar panels, position and design of windows, etc. Planning applications are often opposed by jealous or awkward neighbours, and Councillors on Town and District Planning Committees often ignore the advice of the council’s own professional planning officers (recommending approval) and reject applications, to curry favour with antagonistic local people whose votes they want to obtain. Frequently, council officers are also intimidated by aggressive citizens with a typewriter or word processor, who sometimes stir up opposition to perfectly acceptable proposals.
Some councils are excessively interventionist and allow their decisions to be affected by political considerations. Thus, the extremely left-wing members of Stevenage Borough Council are prone to object to people wishing to improve their homes and depart from the standard size and pattern of the “New Town” housing that dominated the town until the early 1990s. The appeals procedure offers some redress. In the early 1990s, the decisions of the planning committee of Stevenage Borough Council were overturned on appeal in 52% of cases. This demonstrates that in a majority of cases their decisions were demonstrably, legally wrong. Right-wing councils are sometimes equally interventionist.
A fensa Certificate adds £70 onto the cost of replacing a single window, And you can only add 3 windows to one certificate.
Why is this idea important?
A fensa Certificate adds £70 onto the cost of replacing a single window, And you can only add 3 windows to one certificate.
I recently was granted planning permission for a minor extension (building into a terrace side return) on my home that I own and live in. The process was costly and time consuming, and the local council demanded a pointless cosmetic change. I would not propose removing protections for listed buildings, or building regulations, but mine is just an unremarkable terrace, and the extension was at the rear, not visible from the street. It is difficult to see the public value in this layer of bureaucracy dedicated to aesthetic regulation for normal houses.
Why is this idea important?
I recently was granted planning permission for a minor extension (building into a terrace side return) on my home that I own and live in. The process was costly and time consuming, and the local council demanded a pointless cosmetic change. I would not propose removing protections for listed buildings, or building regulations, but mine is just an unremarkable terrace, and the extension was at the rear, not visible from the street. It is difficult to see the public value in this layer of bureaucracy dedicated to aesthetic regulation for normal houses.
Remove the absurd local government laws in England and Wales that state you must have planning permission to erect a fence in your garden over 3 ft high if it is adjacent to a highway. It is a ridiculous rule and thousands of homeowners that have gardens on the sides of their house cannot erect a fence to make their garden secure unless they pay for costly planning permission first. In many circustances the planning permission can cost more than the fence Erecting a fence up to 6ft high should be permitted without planning consent as this would deter thieves and hide the contents of gardens.
Why is this idea important?
Remove the absurd local government laws in England and Wales that state you must have planning permission to erect a fence in your garden over 3 ft high if it is adjacent to a highway. It is a ridiculous rule and thousands of homeowners that have gardens on the sides of their house cannot erect a fence to make their garden secure unless they pay for costly planning permission first. In many circustances the planning permission can cost more than the fence Erecting a fence up to 6ft high should be permitted without planning consent as this would deter thieves and hide the contents of gardens.
Land owners should be allowed to build dwellings to encourage ecological, small-scale agricultural businesses.
I've known various projects over the years that have either failed, or been made significantly harder, because local planners will not allow dwellings to be constructed. This is despite plans being drawn up that show that the dwelling will be a) very small b) ecologically sound and c) all but invisible. At the same time, planners allow vast steel and corrugated iron hay and cattle sheds to be put up without a second thought.
I think if owners can prove that their dwelling will a) be built in an ecologically sound manner (for example following BREAMM specifications b) have minimal visual impact and c) not degrade the land, thentbhe default position of councils should be to allow them.
Why is this idea important?
Land owners should be allowed to build dwellings to encourage ecological, small-scale agricultural businesses.
I've known various projects over the years that have either failed, or been made significantly harder, because local planners will not allow dwellings to be constructed. This is despite plans being drawn up that show that the dwelling will be a) very small b) ecologically sound and c) all but invisible. At the same time, planners allow vast steel and corrugated iron hay and cattle sheds to be put up without a second thought.
I think if owners can prove that their dwelling will a) be built in an ecologically sound manner (for example following BREAMM specifications b) have minimal visual impact and c) not degrade the land, thentbhe default position of councils should be to allow them.
If your property burns down you should not have to apply for planning permsiion to re-build it.
If your property is located outside of a settlement boundary, in the green belt or in an area of outstanding natural beauty or in a strategic gap the council are able to refuse planning permission for you to re-build your property! This could mean the loss of your home or business through no fault of your own.
If your property is different to its neighbours, ie taller or set at a differnet angle or has more or less parking spaces than the ever changing norm, because of the fear of setting a precedent you would not be allowed to re-build what you had.
The planning process is expensive and very long winded, taking at least 3 months from start to finish, invariably longer, for even a modest, straight forward extension let alone for a new house or commercial premises. If you have to go to appeal this could easily be dragged out to 12 months or more.
Why is this idea important?
If your property burns down you should not have to apply for planning permsiion to re-build it.
If your property is located outside of a settlement boundary, in the green belt or in an area of outstanding natural beauty or in a strategic gap the council are able to refuse planning permission for you to re-build your property! This could mean the loss of your home or business through no fault of your own.
If your property is different to its neighbours, ie taller or set at a differnet angle or has more or less parking spaces than the ever changing norm, because of the fear of setting a precedent you would not be allowed to re-build what you had.
The planning process is expensive and very long winded, taking at least 3 months from start to finish, invariably longer, for even a modest, straight forward extension let alone for a new house or commercial premises. If you have to go to appeal this could easily be dragged out to 12 months or more.