| Topic: | Re:Re:solar panels | |
| Posted by: | Adam Beamish | |
| Date/Time: | 13/11/12 13:54:00 |
| Planning is never as simple as respecting other people's views, the contributions to this thread alone illustrate how differing people's views can be on subjective issues. As for due process, well if the application is refused and/or enforcement action taken the owners would still have the right of appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. Whilst as I've pointed out before the circumstances which led to the panels being erected without permission aren't relevant to the actual determination process, I struggle with the notion that any Planning Officer would express the view that a significant number of solar panels installed on a property within a Conservation Area would be unlikely to be refused and was sufficiently positive to lead to the owners erecting the panels without the benefit of permission. And all done over the phone ? - it doesn't ring true to me, and whilst my dealings with Hounslow on both a professional and personal aren't anything like as frequent as they were, most of the Chiswick planners have been in post for a considerable time and I can't imagine any of them being 'daft' enough to make favourable noises sufficient to encourage an owner to do this without first obtaining permission. My suspicion is that the owners heard what they wanted to hear from that conversation rather than what was actually said, or didn't provide full details of exactly what was proposed - I don't mean that in a derogatory way, but that's what usually happens in cases like this - Officer says "it's a balancing act but with sufficient justification it might be acceptable", but resident hears "yes go for it, no problem". |