Loft windows

[Pannier Tank]

The local council can if they so desire, remove 'Permitted Development Rights' when granting planning permission for the original building; this is the case with my property. It means that I can apply (free of charge) for planning permission for a 'Permitted Development'. This is what I have done for my 'outbuilding' which will house my model railway.

Article 4 Directions - Removal of Permitted Development Rights

Even though your building scheme fits in with the restrictive criteria of the current Permitted Development legislation, you may still be denied this right if your property has an Article 4 Direction applied.

I went down the 'loft' route with Building Control and was advised that a loft used to house a model railway would be classed as habitable and therefore come under building control.

[The Stationmaster]

This is all part of the job creation red tape that has infiltrated almost every part of life. You can't be expected to keep up with all the red tape so you end up adding to the job creation by having to employ someone to translate the red tape for you.

 

Amusing little tale which sort of picks this up. When our house was built the electricians - a long established company with a good reputation - asked if we were happy for their certification re-assessment to be carried out on the house; no problem. At the inspection a debate ensued between the electrical contractors and the assessor about the earthing of the gas meter and the precise meaning of the Regulations - this was because the meter is at the front of the house and the Regulations required the installation to be earthed 'where it entered the house' because they are drafted on the supposition that if an outdoor meter is fitted the supply will enter the house at that point, which it didn't in our case. After considerable debate they agreed that it was correct to earth it at the meter so the sheet was duly ticked.

Two years later along come Southern Gas to renew the mains and in turning off the supply at our meter they managed to move it a fraction of an inch which resulted in an intermittent leak which they then took another 12 months to find - just as well it was outdoors. however when the bloke who finally sussed the leak carried out the repairs he pointed out that the earth was in the wrong place. So unless someone had moved it (which was quite possible as about 4 lots of Southern Gas fitters had been at it at various times) the whole thing had been wrong in the first place - when inspected by the assessor who confirmed the electricians were duly certified.; I was suitably impressed

[chris p bacon]

Amusing little tale which sort of picks this up. When our house was built the electricians - a long established company with a good reputation - asked if we were happy for their certification re-assessment to be carried out on the house; no problem. At the inspection a debate ensued between the electrical contractors and the assessor about the earthing of the gas meter and the precise meaning of the Regulations - this was because the meter is at the front of the house and the Regulations required the installation to be earthed 'where it entered the house' because they are drafted on the supposition that if an outdoor meter is fitted the supply will enter the house at that point, which it didn't in our case. After considerable debate they agreed that it was correct to earth it at the meter so the sheet was duly ticked.

Two years later along come Southern Gas to renew the mains and in turning off the supply at our meter they managed to move it a fraction of an inch which resulted in an intermittent leak which they then took another 12 months to find - just as well it was outdoors. however when the bloke who finally sussed the leak carried out the repairs he pointed out that the earth was in the wrong place. So unless someone had moved it (which was quite possible as about 4 lots of Southern Gas fitters had been at it at various times) the whole thing had been wrong in the first place - when inspected by the assessor who confirmed the electricians were duly certified.; I was suitably impressed

That does depend on whether the earth tag was inside or outside of the meter box, you are not allowed to make any further holes into Gas boxes or place earth tags inside of them.

[Butler Henderson]

Some planning authorities are using conditions to effectively dictate certain construction details too, particularly by reference to the BREEAM regulations

Thats because Central Government has required them to include policies in their latest local plan document on achieving sustainable development and those who have adopted such a document then have to comply with it. Its just another example of Central Government using one arm or another of Local Goverment to get what it whats with the blame (by developers and architects in this instance) going on Local Goverment and in this instance the planners.