Good news and bad news (not entirely OT)

My car, Mr F, has passed his MoT test. This means I have him for another
year. I can't get to the vet without a car so that's the good news.
The bad news is that the 4,500 houses on the fields behind my house are now
going ahead. We've all been fighting it for years, but as usual, the
council take no notice.
Plus my neighbour has put in planning permission to have 3 bungalows built
right against my long private garden. I've objected of course, but I'm not
holding my breath.


I've looked at the plans - the bungalows will be looking into my garden and
the approach road for them will be right near my chicken huts. Within 6
feet..

This is bad.

Tweed

On 9/27/2015 12:58 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
My car, Mr F, has passed his MoT test. This means I have him for another
year. I can't get to the vet without a car so that's the good news.
The bad news is that the 4,500 houses on the fields behind my house are now
going ahead. We've all been fighting it for years, but as usual, the
council take no notice.
Plus my neighbour has put in planning permission to have 3 bungalows built
right against my long private garden. I've objected of course, but I'm not
holding my breath.


I've looked at the plans - the bungalows will be looking into my garden and
the approach road for them will be right near my chicken huts. Within 6
feet..

This is bad.

Tweed


Yes, that is bad. Very sad. There are a wide variety of housing codes
in the U.S. In the town where I live, residents on all sides of a
housing change are notified and have the right to object (including in
person), and they usually prevail. It is rare for the zoning board and
city commission to approve any change in zoning if residents who would
be impacted object. Any permanent structure--even within existing
zoning codes--have to be at least 10 feet from the boundary, so that
means at least 20 feet when both owners are considered. I wish for the
best for you. It would make me sick to consider the type of changes you
described.

MaryL

On Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 5:58:08 PM UTC, Christina Websell wrote:



I've looked at the plans - the bungalows will be looking into my garden and
the approach road for them will be right near my chicken huts. Within 6
feet..



That's bloody awful! If nothing else I'd take legal advice since surely that would devalue your property or you should at least be entitled to compensation. Sorry I know little if anything about housing law etc. But it sounds wrong to me

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

"Lesley Madigan" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 5:58:08 PM UTC, Christina Websell wrote:



I've looked at the plans - the bungalows will be looking into my garden
and
the approach road for them will be right near my chicken huts. Within 6
feet..



That's bloody awful! If nothing else I'd take legal advice since surely
that would devalue your property or you should at least be entitled to
compensation. Sorry I know little if anything about housing law etc. But
it sounds wrong to me

Lesley

I moved here, to this road, specifically because all the houses had big
gardens with a history of smallholding which I wanted to do. I could only
afford one with 1/4 acre, and it really pushed my mortgage to the limit.
Over the years, a lot of the original owners of these large plots have died
and their children have sold the land for building. It's called "infill
development". I call it "garden-grabbing."
I can object on the follwing grounds:
Design
Effect on the appearance of the street
Permanent disturbance issues if granted
Loss of privacy
Loss of daylight/sunlight
Overbearing impact from development
Traffic issues
Building in the open countryside

I can't object to:
Who the applicant is
The applicant's background
Increase in competition for existing shopkeepers/traders
Trespass issues
Effects on private rights of way
Views
Potential changes to the value of a property
Boundary disputes
Disturbance during construction period


I have objected already, but I'm not holding my breath that they will take
any notice particularly as I just got a new letter from the council about
the same thing, saying object by 16th October..
I feel a phone call to the planning officer coming on.

Tweed

"Judith Latham" wrote in message
...
In article , Lesley
Madigan wrote:
On Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 5:58:08 PM UTC, Christina Websell wrote:



I've looked at the plans - the bungalows will be looking into my
garden and the approach road for them will be right near my chicken
huts. Within 6 feet..



That's bloody awful! If nothing else I'd take legal advice since surely
that would devalue your property or you should at least be entitled to
compensation. Sorry I know little if anything about housing law etc.
But it sounds wrong to me

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs


I agree with Lesley. Get legal advice and contact the planning department
to put your point over that it will impact enormously on your life and the
value of your home. Do it straight away, it gives you more time to argue
your case.

Judith

I will - but it will be pointless. Loss of value in monetary terms is not a
reason the council will accept. It's not about money for me. I doubt they
will care about the loss of the orchard with lots of heritage apple and pear
trees in which can never be replaced.
Plus, of course, Boyfie likes to roam about in there. It's right next to my
chicken huts.
I doubt " potential disturbance to my sleeping chickens from security lights
and traffic" is going to cut the mustard though.
I am more than angry about the whole idea of silly little boxy bungalows
being built next to my garden facing in. I'm not having it!
Up to now I have prevented myself from confronting the person who wants to
do it. I know him very well. He tells me he has prostate cancer. So why
does he want to build these bungalows to ruin my life? He won't live to
enjoy the money!
Tweed

On 9/30/2015 11:55 AM, Christina Websell wrote:
"Lesley Madigan" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 5:58:08 PM UTC, Christina Websell wrote:



I've looked at the plans - the bungalows will be looking into my garden
and
the approach road for them will be right near my chicken huts. Within 6
feet..



That's bloody awful! If nothing else I'd take legal advice since surely
that would devalue your property or you should at least be entitled to
compensation. Sorry I know little if anything about housing law etc. But
it sounds wrong to me

Lesley

I moved here, to this road, specifically because all the houses had big
gardens with a history of smallholding which I wanted to do. I could only
afford one with 1/4 acre, and it really pushed my mortgage to the limit.
Over the years, a lot of the original owners of these large plots have died
and their children have sold the land for building. It's called "infill
development". I call it "garden-grabbing."
I can object on the follwing grounds:
Design
Effect on the appearance of the street
Permanent disturbance issues if granted
Loss of privacy
Loss of daylight/sunlight
Overbearing impact from development
Traffic issues
Building in the open countryside

I can't object to:
Who the applicant is
The applicant's background
Increase in competition for existing shopkeepers/traders
Trespass issues
Effects on private rights of way
Views
Potential changes to the value of a property
Boundary disputes
Disturbance during construction period


I have objected already, but I'm not holding my breath that they will take
any notice particularly as I just got a new letter from the council about
the same thing, saying object by 16th October..
I feel a phone call to the planning officer coming on.

Tweed



Well, it seems to me that you have legitimate objections based on
*several* items on your list of what you *can* object to. However, I do
think that you need to file *written* objections, and you probably would
be well served to contact an attorney ASAP. A phone call probably will
not do much good, and saying you "will not have it" will not have any
legal effect. If your laws are similar to ours, you and other neighbors
that have objections should sign a petition and should also show up in
person to talk about your objections. If you wait too long, you
definitely will lost.

MaryL

On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:24:28 -0500, MaryL
wrote:

Well, it seems to me that you have legitimate objections based on
*several* items on your list of what you *can* object to. However, I do
think that you need to file *written* objections, and you probably would
be well served to contact an attorney ASAP.

The law is QUITE different from the US in the UK, at least regarding
property rights.

And if the Council says something, that's often as far as an individual
can go.

On 9/30/2015 4:41 PM, The New Other Guy wrote:
On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:24:28 -0500, MaryL
wrote:

Well, it seems to me that you have legitimate objections based on
*several* items on your list of what you *can* object to. However, I do
think that you need to file *written* objections, and you probably would
be well served to contact an attorney ASAP.

The law is QUITE different from the US in the UK, at least regarding
property rights.

And if the Council says something, that's often as far as an individual
can go.

Couldn't possibly hurt to follow up with a letter.

Jill

On 9/30/2015 3:41 PM, The New Other Guy wrote:
On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:24:28 -0500, MaryL
wrote:

Well, it seems to me that you have legitimate objections based on
*several* items on your list of what you *can* object to. However, I do
think that you need to file *written* objections, and you probably would
be well served to contact an attorney ASAP.

The law is QUITE different from the US in the UK, at least regarding
property rights.

And if the Council says something, that's often as far as an individual
can go.





I do understand that, and I suddenly realized that I used the American
term of lawyer instead of the British term of solicitor (or barrister,
but I don't think that would apply in this case). There may also be the
type of position that we would refer to as advocate, but I'm not
familiar enough with the British legal system to know about that. I
tried to emphasize the need for assistance because Tweed provided a list
of several things she could object to, and it seemed to me that several
items on that list could potentially apply to the problems she faces.
The worst that could occur if she takes that route is that she could
lose her case, but it seems that she will *definitely* lose if she does
not take action. Incidentally, the U.S. is a federal system, so there
are also a wide variety of actions that may or may not be taken in the
various states and cities (or even counties or other units of
government). I hope for the very best for Christina. I would be
devastated if I faced that situation.

MaryL

"MaryL" wrote in message
...
On 9/30/2015 3:41 PM, The New Other Guy wrote:
On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:24:28 -0500, MaryL
wrote:

Well, it seems to me that you have legitimate objections based on
*several* items on your list of what you *can* object to. However, I do
think that you need to file *written* objections, and you probably would
be well served to contact an attorney ASAP.

The law is QUITE different from the US in the UK, at least regarding
property rights.

And if the Council says something, that's often as far as an individual
can go.





I do understand that, and I suddenly realized that I used the American
term of lawyer instead of the British term of solicitor (or barrister, but
I don't think that would apply in this case). There may also be the type
of position that we would refer to as advocate, but I'm not familiar
enough with the British legal system to know about that. I tried to
emphasize the need for assistance because Tweed provided a list of several
things she could object to, and it seemed to me that several items on that
list could potentially apply to the problems she faces. The worst that
could occur if she takes that route is that she could lose her case, but
it seems that she will *definitely* lose if she does not take action.
Incidentally, the U.S. is a federal system, so there are also a wide
variety of actions that may or may not be taken in the various states and
cities (or even counties or other units of government). I hope for the
very best for Christina. I would be devastated if I faced that situation.

MaryL


I have written my objection to the council but I doubt they will take any
notice. They never do.
We've been fighting for years against the 4500 houses in the fields at the
end of my garden - they passed it. Now the orchard (which was once part of
next doors garden) will be built on. FGS, two of those bungalows will be
right next to my chicken huts looking into my garden and this plot provides
a buffer between my garden and where others have sold out their
smallholdings.
I am more than devastated.
I know the man that bought this land. He tells me he has prostate cancer so
why ruin my life to enjoy the money for how long?
He said he'd leave it for wildlife. Liar.

Tweed