Planning Permission Tips UK - Trees and How They Can Affect Development when Applying for Planning

Like most folk, I believe that more can be achieved in life by open & transparent negotiation - laying ones cards on the table for a reciprocal arrangement & courtesy. Unfortunately, like most things in life, there will be times when one side will try & gain the advantage at the detriment of the other party using this method. Nothing is more relevant to this fact in Planning issues than TREES on or near a site that you want to develop or extend.

I had an historic situation where a prime site ripe for an infill plot had a bank of protected trees on its rear boundary. In the middle of the garden was one sole Walnut tree of mature height that was not protected. Research at the Planning Offices revealed that it was only protected by a very obscure & old Planning Condition back in the sixties for the original estate that required all mature trees on the site to be retained (non were specifically identified).

The options of how to play this when entering into pre-application negotiations with the Planning Dept. were put to the client which entailed either taking a chance & removing the tree now to expose the plot for an obvious new dwelling but at the risk of having to incur some sort of costs for Planning rectification measures or leave the site as it is & start talking to the Planners. The client did not want to take the risk so we left the site unaltered.

Upon entering into sketch scheme designs & negotiations with a Case Planning Officer & their 'new' urban design team it soon became clear that the Planners were resistant to a property on this site mainly for siting issues (not the trees) but our approaches to the Councils Tree Officers were unusually non-responsive. After 4 weeks of messages & non-returned calls I was eventually told that the Walnut tree had now been issued with a Tree preservation order (TPO) without any form of discussion from them. Even half expecting this as the 'worst case scenario' it was still very shocking & upsetting to find that your trust of fair play in the system had been well & truly shat on. Also, that a perfectly good site had now received another layer of problems to overcome. It was also clear that 'internal events' had taken place between all sections of the Planning Dept. in order prevent development on this site due to the initial negative response from the Case Planning Officer.

I wouldn't want to go so far as to indicate that 'dark powers were at work' but it is clear that in the close knit 'chummy' atmosphere of the Council Offices, Planners & other consultation specialists had conspired together to form a united front against development on this site even though we had tried to negotiate separately on the tree issue.

The conclusion to all this is clear - Don't trust any part of the Planning system during pre-application negotiations when trees are involved. On this particular site we had now entered into an adversarial position not of our own making. We would have been no better of if we had simply removed the tree first & argued about the legality of this action afterwards after all it was not formally protected. You can understand why some arrogant developers do this - Honesty & openness simply doesn't pay when dealing with some aspects of Planning.

Our 'Maximum Build Planning Guide' explains this tree issue in more detail & sets out various risk assessment procedures that you can incorporate within your scheme when dealing with trees. I would not advocate removing any trees from a site until you have accurately identified the problem areas - some trees on a site will actually assist your Planning application so an overall assessment & the formation of a plan is vital if you are to avoid further TPO's being applied to your site. The TPO route is one of the best tools Planners have in preventing your development - it's fairly quick to implement, it's in-house & it's secretive until the day the order is placed - you have been warned. Planning permision and planning approval.

http://www.planning-approval.co.uk

---

Google News Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:49:35 GMT Police say Kentucky woman kills self, daughters - Forbes WNCT Police say Kentucky woman kills self, daughters Forbes - 1 hour ago AP 10.07.08, 9:30 AM ET Police were still trying to determine Tuesday why a Louisville woman apparently stabbed her two school-age daughters to death and then shot herself. Police say Kentucky woman kills self, daughters The Daily Advance Police say Louisville woman kills self, daughters KVOA.com The Associated Press - AHN - Louisville Courier-Journal - WLKY all 282 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:38:46 GMT OTC Cold Medicines to Be Relabeled for Young Children - Wall Street Journal ChattahBox OTC Cold Medicines to Be Relabeled for Young Children Wall Street Journal - 33 minutes ago By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN WASHINGTON -- Companies making over-the-counter cold and cough medicines have agreed to stop marketing the products to children younger than 4 as part of an effort to reduce accidental overdoses, an industry trade group said ... Video: Cold Meds Under Fire, Again CBS ALERT: Drug Companies Warning to Parents WXYZ SYS-CON Media - Washington Post - WebMD - Bloomberg all 850 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:15:50 GMT Kenya Detains US Author Critical of Obama - New York Times Malaysia Star Kenya Detains US Author Critical of Obama New York Times - 1 hour ago By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN NAIROBI, Kenya - The American author of a best-selling book highly critical of Senator Barack Obama was detained by Kenyan immigration agents on Tuesday as he prepared to give a press conference in Nairobi. Kenya Detains Author of Anti-Obama Book Voice of America US anti-Obama book author faces Kenya deportation: officials AFP The Associated Press - CNN International - CollegeOTR - Right Pundits all 351 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:00:27 GMT Senator Warned a Friend That Jail Was a Risk - New York Times New York Times Senator Warned a Friend That Jail Was a Risk New York Times - 2 hours ago By NEIL A. LEWIS WASHINGTON - The day after the FBI confronted Bill Allen, an Alaska oil services millionaire, with evidence that he had tried to bribe state lawmakers, he reached out to Senator Ted Stevens by telephone to discuss how their ... Stevens unplugged: a defiant, salty health nut The Associated Press “I Love You, You Know,” and More Revelations from the Stevens Trial Wall Street Journal Blogs Anchorage Daily News (subscription) - Los Angeles Times - Bradenton Herald - CNN all 485 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:35:08 GMT Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS - San Jose Mercury News ChattahBox Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS San Jose Mercury News - 2 hours ago By Linda Goldston Ayde Gonzales's mother was surprised when she insisted that her newborn son must sleep on his back, not on his side. Fans May Reduce Babies' Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Bloomberg Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death New York Times Wall Street Journal - Chicago Sun-Times - eFluxMedia - U.S. News & World Report all 573 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:46:19 GMT McCain, Obama question each other's character in latest campaign ads - Baltimore Sun BBC News McCain, Obama question each other's character in latest campaign ads Baltimore Sun - 3 hours ago By Paul West | paul.west@baltsun.com Washington - The presidential contest turned increasingly nasty yesterday as Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain launched new personal attacks ahead of the second presidential debate. Video: AP Campaign Minute AssociatedPress The Note: McCain Brings Attack to Second Debate ABC News Los Angeles Times - New York Times - BBC News - Reuters all 4,527 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:47:50 GMT IMF Urges Coordinated Action, Sees US Losses at $1.4 Trillion - Wall Street Journal BBC News IMF Urges Coordinated Action, Sees US Losses at $1.4 Trillion Wall Street Journal - 1 hour ago By TOM BARKLEY WASHINGTON -- With losses on bad US assets alone expected to top $1.4 trillion, the International Monetary Fund urged global policy makers Tuesday to coordinate a response to an unprecedented financial crisis that continues to spread. IMF warns of deeper slowdown amid crisis Reuters IMF in 'severe downturn' warning BBC News ABS CBN News - AFP - International Monetary Fund - Times Online all 383 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:21:55 GMT Add RSS Feeds To My Web Pages Increase Website Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

So You?ve Put an Offer on a Home. What?s Next?

You've finally found the home of your dreams, 3 bedrooms,... Read More

How to Care for Laminate Flooring

It's hard to damage and easy to care for laminate... Read More

Eclectic Patio Furniture Shows Your Style

Your home's interior is exquisitely decorated in your favorite style;... Read More

Physiological Response to Window Coverings

Nothing soothes the brain like Mother Nature, whose intrinsic scenery... Read More

Light Up Your Life With Feng Shui

Feng Shui (pronounced Foong Shway or Fung Shoy) is the... Read More

Protecting Yourself from Miter Saw Hazards

A miter saw, also known as a "chop saw," is... Read More

Installing Vinyl Replacement Windows In A Wood Frame Opening

When we left off last week, we had removed the... Read More

Bathroom Wall Cabinets ? Create Extra Space with a Touch of Style!

Is your bathroom looking cluttered? How about fitting new bathroom... Read More

Cordless Impact Wrench - Not the Same Tool as Your Cordless Drill

The cordless impact wrench is quickly gaining in popularity among... Read More

Imported Tools vs. Brand Name - Are They As Good?

So you are looking for hand or power tools on... Read More

Easy To Follow Tips For Keeping Energy Costs Down

When it comes to cooling our homes and businesses, the... Read More

Conservatory Planning Permission in the UK

It is quite unusual in the UK for a new... Read More

Concrete Cutting - Adding a Pre-Cast Concrete Stairway Bulkhead to Your Home

Installing a pre-cast concrete stairway to your home's basement is... Read More

Chairs, Rocking Chairs and Other Comfortable Places To Park It!

A chair is one of the best inventions ever made.... Read More

5 Window Treatment Ideas To Improve Your Home

Coming up with interesting window treatment ideas that bring out... Read More

Basic Methods of Foundation Waterproofing

It is absolutely necessary to waterproof the foundation of your... Read More

Designing Great-looking Window Coverings on a Budget

Window coverings are one of the most important focal points... Read More

Planning Permission Tips UK - Is Todays Popular Quest For Contemporary Design The New Bad Taste

Can you remember when people used to install slatted louvre... Read More

Manhatten Paving-Asphalt Paving Seal Coats

Why should you even consider sealing your asphalt driveway?Seal your... Read More

Glass Sinks ? 4 Unbreakable Rules of Buying a Glass Vessel Sink

1. Know your sinks How durable are these sinks? These... Read More

What Does It Take To Be An Interior Designer?

When trying to decide if Interior Design is right for... Read More

A Review of Popular Dehumidifier Products

There are at least two dozen brand names marketing dehumidifiers.... Read More

Home Office: Identifying Your Needs

Not many years ago, the thought of working from home... Read More

How About a Jungle Mural to Put Some Swing Into Your Child?s Room?

If your child loves all different types of animals, a... Read More

Vinyl Replacement Window Terminology

With so many homeowners in the market for more energy... Read More