Garage conversion - Planning permission refused - Any tips?

Skenn99

Skenn99

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Hi All, hoping to convert detached double garage into a family games rom but local council refused planning permission as it would mean the loss of a potential car parking spot. I have room to park 2 cars in front of the garage, which has always only been used for storage, but council says I should have 3 spots for a 4 bed house. Any tips on how to appeal?
 
See what the local planning guidance says, if it says 3 you're stuffed. If it doesn't you could appeal and see what the inspector says. But before all that is there space to provide for three spaces?
 
As above, if the policy guidance is 3 spaces for your 4 bed house of which you’re unable to provide, then there isn’t much you can do. You wouldn’t have any luck with the appeal route either.

I assume you checked your PD rights, which is why you’ve had to formally apply?
 
Planning Office did say "three spaces are required under Highways’ Guidance". Unfortunately not enough space for 3 full spots (3 x 5.5m).
 
On PD I had a chat with the planning dept and they recommended I submitted an application.
Any tips on what could help sway a positive decision on an appeal?
 
Examples of local, previous and recently approved applications for similar proposals could help. But as we’ve mentioned, if that’s Planning Policy and you can’t meet it, then the Appeal wouldn’t normally over ride those policies.

So do you have PD rights or not? Did they request a Householder application be submitted because you haven’t got PD rights? Or when you had the initial ‘PD’ chat with them, they just said submit an application and you interpreted that as a formal/Householder application? If you do have PD rights, that could be the only way to convert the garage without having to meet Planning policy.
 
Do you have permitted development rights? (You may be in an Article 4 area or conservaction area or just plain stuffed under the permissions that the builder used to construct the place (if it is a recent build)

Any PP application will fail as others have said if that 3 car rule is in your local plan.

If you do have PD rights and enough garden you could throw up a big wendy house type thing?

Re the advice from planning- recommending is a long way from requiring- it wouldn't be unheard of if (when the estate was built) committee insisted on PD rights for garage conversions to be removed but then dozy officers forgot to put the clause in or misworded it. You need to find out whether you do have PD rights (if its a recent build -post 2000 odd-you'll be able to look the original permissions up on your councils' website)
 
Check what the highways guidance actually says and whether it does really relate to your home and road or not - sometimes they interpret their own guidance incorrectly.

Convert half a garage

Lose a bedroom
 
Skenn99 said:
Hi All, hoping to convert detached double garage into a family games rom but local council refused planning permission as it would mean the loss of a potential car parking spot. I have room to park 2 cars in front of the garage, which has always only been used for storage, but council says I should have 3 spots for a 4 bed house. Any tips on how to appeal?
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Planning offices will approve anything if the brown envelope is big enough. Corrupt to the core in my local one. They will also turn anything down for personal friends or other reason. No decision is based on ethics, good reason or environment these days. They have a policy in place they call it some crap name, but basically its a legal bribe or a bribe made legal for the establishment and probably others.

The other option for a small project like that is to use or go through the architect that has a close working relationship to your local planning office. They all have one or two they use and take advice from and sit in on the board meetings. They can usually get it through also.
 
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delmel said:
Planning offices will approve anything if the brown envelope is big enough.
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Depends on how long you have lived at that address/location. Always found that newcomers can planning through that the old residents couldn't...
 
delmel said:
Planning offices will approve anything if the brown envelope is big enough. Corrupt to the core in my local one. They will also turn anything down for personal friends or other reason. No decision is based on ethics, good reason or environment these days. They have a policy in place they call it some crap name, but basically its a legal bribe or a bribe made legal for the establishment and probably others.

The other option for a small project like that is to use or go through the architect that has a close working relationship to your local planning office. They all have one or two they use and take advice from and sit in on the board meetings. They can usually get it through also.
Click to expand...

You’re not a Planning Officer are you? :LOL:
 
DOHarchitecture said:
You’re not a Planning Officer are you? :LOL:
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I am to honest so never get a position. I do know one of the Architects that sits in on the council board meetings though. Also a councillor that used to be on the planning panel and in such meetings, if you believe they are honest in council planning your very wrong.
 
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