It makes for pretty depressing reading and can add a year on to the planning process – even more galling as there is no financial redress against local authorities for the delays caused to your project if the inspector overturns their decision and allows your appeal…

At the moment, planning appeals are taking between 27 and 44 weeks (that’s over six months and up to nearly a year!) for regular applications depending on whether it’s written representations or an inquiry.

Householder applications are a little better (i.e. appeals against refusals for home extensions) and take on average just 15 weeks… FOUR MONTHS!

And don’t forget, that the above times are after you’ve submitted your planning application, waited at least 8 weeks (assuming it is decided on time!), got over the shock of a refusal, pulled together the planning appeal, submitted it the Inspectorate and then waited several weeks for the appeal to be validated. Only then does your appeal start!

And if you want to appeal the refusal of a Lawful Development Certificate under Permitted Development Rights that is taking between 44 weeks and 60 weeks!

While this is certainly not that fault of the Inspectorate, the Government do need to step in and increase resources to allow them to deal with appeals in more timely manner – as it stands, the whole process puts lots of people off even bothering to appeal.

Finally, to add insult to injury, these are AVERAGE timescales, some appeals can take even longer. Sigh…

Full details can be found by clicking here.

This means that detached dwellings can have single storey rear extensions up to 8m deep and semis / terraces up to 6m deep…!

It’s not quite that straightforward (whatever is?) and you should always take professional advice as there are lots of tricky little ways to trip up with PD Rights and it doesn’t apply everywhere (e.g. Conservation Areas, National Parks, Listed Buildings etc.) and if you’ve already had extensions carried out they may preclude. Likewise, conditions attached to any existing planning permission may have already withdrawn Class A PD Rights…

Using the “larger extensions” PD still requires prior notification to the local planning authority who will then consult your neighbours as well; if there are no objections then the LPA should approve the application by default.

The process is the same that it has been since they brought in the “larger extensions” a few years ago; the change is that you no longer MUST complete the build by May 2019.

Remember, if in doubt, take professional advice!

We’re going through it in detail but you can download a copy here.

The NPPF is the Government’s flagship policy document for planning and the driver behind what all local authorities are supposed to be following.

There are a number of key policies that are of particular relevance to private clients looking to have their own home designed including ensuring that planners do not make decisions based on spurious needs to follow a non-existent local style where none exists.

We wonder if it means there will be a 20% improvement in the service given by local planning authorities…? Hmmm…

For Farnham, this means a an increase in the housing supply for the period 2013-2032 from 2,330 to 2,780… 

Public comments on the consultation documents are requested through www.waverley.gov.uk

Is this a response to yesterday’s High Court decision on Farnham’s Neighbourhood Plan you have to wonder?

Meanwhile the Wates Development appeal on land on Waverley Lane, Farnham started yesterday as well.

As your local Architects in Farnham we’ll keep you posted of developments as we hear about them.