Planning in Scotland

[Anonymous]

Hi
Could anyone recommend a planning specialist in the Edinburgh/Lothians areas ? Seems someone is about to build several houses almost touching our listed cottage in a conservation area, as I work away from home I need to track down someone who can fight this to the highest levels possible, and as fast as possible <IMG SRC="http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/discussing/smileys/frown.gif" BORDER=0 ALT="">

thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Has permission already been given, or is this an application?

It is of course not against Conservation Area status to build. What you do need is to fight anything too near you and which would adversely affect the setting of your listed building.

 

[Anonymous]

Have you tried Planning Aid Scotland?



http://www.planning-aid-scotland.org.uk/

 

[Anonymous]

The application has not officialy been made, I was talking to the owner of the land and he outlined his plans that he has been discussing with the local planning officer for 'in fill' housing, he expects to gain approval easily for this work. The main problem I have is not having any time to look into this myself - by the time any application gets made it could have been approved before I am even aware of it (I'm away from home and virtualy uncontactable for weeks on end) So what I need is and agent who understands the situation, best forms of defence etc all preplanned in advance of the imminent app going through, and then once the application has been made to post objections etc without having to come back to me.

 

[Anonymous]

Contact Andrew Martindale at AHSS

Who should be able to give you a name, and also possibly help...



http://www.ahss.org.uk

 

[Anonymous]

write in yourself. check what are valid and invalid objections, and make sure to make valid ones. get your neighbours in on it. say that the open space is a distinguishing feature of the conservation area. point out the effect it would have on the setting of existing buildings. we just went through this with a neighbours extension (on a new building in the conservation area, all the way to the scottish executive, and it was stopped. and they'd also been told by local planners that it should go ahead.

what you need to do is to get the local councillors and area comittee to say no to it on valid grounds (ie, it will adversely affect the conservation area). the planners actually have very little to do with it if objections are received.