Help needed on a planning issue *PIC*

[Anonymous]

I live in a row of 9 houses built in 1906. the terrace is built of stone with slate roofs. Numbers 1 to 4 are single fronted houses with completely flat fronts, number 5 is double fronted with bays to the two front ground floor rooms, numbers 6 to 9 are single fronted with bays to the ground floor front rooms. Apart from No. 5 which has the door between the bays, the houses are arranged in pairs - window/door/door/window. I think this is a fairly common arrangement and I hope my description gives the right idea, the photo will probably help. Anyway - the people who own the other one of the pair in which I live have applied for planning permission to put a rectangular porch on the front of their house. The terrace is not listed, it is not in a conservation area, and most of the windows and doors have been replaced. Nevertheless it still has a certain pleasing rhythm in its appearance. Does anyone know of any reasonable, weighty and appropriate objections which are valid and acceptable within the planning framework other than that it will look terrible and only a Philistine would consider it.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm afraid that other than stuff such as it would seriously block your light would possibly be considered. Sadly.

The fact that it would look terrible and only a Philistine would consider it isn't a planning consideration, unless your local authority has some adopted policy of porches - which isn't very likely. Even on a listed building or in a Conservation Area it may well get planning permission.

Bear in mind the number of skyscrapers John Prescott has given planning permission for in the mot sensitive of locations - overturning at the stroke of a pen the decisions of Planning Inquiries, where all with some taste, sense and idea of history have argued long and loud that they shouldn't be built.

Lots Road in Chelsea is the latest...

 

[Anonymous]

As Evelyn is saying tactfully - don't hold your breath. Without the protection of listed building or conservation area status, aesthetic considerations are unlikely to be given much weight by the planners. You can of course lodge an objection, and of course you should encourage your other neighbours to do so, but it would be unwise to get your hopes up.

 

[Anonymous]

My first sentence made no sense at all!

Realistically - no, there is no chance at all of any objection to a porch being considered as valid by the planners. simply not liking something isn't a valid planning reason.

I agree it will spoil the very pleasing visual appeal of the terrace, but that isn't a valid objection. Even in a Conservation Area or on a lsited building it may be consdered acceptable. Protection is very flimsy really.

You can write and say it isn't visually pleasing of course, but I doubt that will make your neighbours see sense and withdraw any plans.

Have a look at what is planned for Dalston...



http://www.opendalston.blogspot.com

 

[Anonymous]

Good grief! Why is it that planners think we're stupid enough to be convinced if they just talk b*ll*cks?

"...development which complements nearby buildings... attractive new gateway".

Excreta tauramus!

 

[Anonymous]

I understand your concerns. My street is much the same, unprotected and slowly but surely deteriorating. Plastic windows & doors, loss of historic roofing materials and so on....

The following link is to a book that my neighbours discreetly leant to me, after I moved into the street and started 'doing up' my house (i.e. ballsing it up even more). It set me on the path to period property despair/conservation!!!

The latest edition includes some nice illustrations showing good and bad 'restoration jobs'. The end results of two opposing approaches are shown side by side, so that you can compare and contrast: retained period charms versus bland, characterless modernization.

It depends on how well you get on with the neighbours, and how receptive they are to other peoples ideas. It's their house after all, and they might just tell you to **** off and mind your own business <IMG SRC="http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussing/smileys/smile.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="">

p.s.
I have tried a similar approach with my neighbours, but in the end the builders were more persuasive, so it was goodbye to the perfectly servicable cast iron gutters and early 19th century windows and hello to uPVC. You can't win em all, and we are all still friends.



http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0950676527/026-9258939-0839607

 

[Anonymous]

The only (tiny) crumb of comfort is that porches and pvc windows are all reversible. In a short space of time the new windows will deteriorate and need replacement - that is when you can step in with irrefutable monetary and aesthetic arguments. And should they ever find it difficult to sell the house, you could make gentle and sympathetic suggestions about the porch......?