On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 09:18:08 -0000, "Peter Crosland"
wrote:

The planners can make it a condition if they wish. You then have the
right of appeal to an independent inspector. Mind you that will
probably
be rejected.


But worth doing, just to upset them!


Not half as much as it will upset the appellant if the appeal fails and
the
council, quite rightly, ask costs and get them!

Peter Crosland


Why "quite rightly"?

Because people who make appeals that are without foundation cost the Council
money to deal with. Why should the costs of their stupitity fall on
taxpayers generally?

These people are jobsworths who abuse their position and restrict the
freedom of the very people who pay their salaries.

You clearly don't understand the planning and listed building system in
general, and this case in particular.

I understand it completely, thank you.


The woman had unauthorised work done
to a listed building. That is a matter of record.

and not one that I disputed.

Doing, or allowing, such
work top be dome is a criminal offence and nothing to do with the planners
directly. Enforcement and prosecution are a matter for the Council's legal
department not the planners. In the case in point the woman had a number of
opportunities to rectify matters but chose not to do so.

For a very good reason.


The decision to
prosecute was taken after consideration by the Council. In the face of
refusal to comply with the law they had little choice but to do so. All the
costs fell on the culprit rather than on other Council tax payers.

There is always a choice about whether to apply the law.

This one is very clearly inappropriate.





This is not to say that there does not need to be sensible planning
control to prevent monstrosities, but quite often these people in
planning departments exceed the intent of the legislation and behave
arbitrarily.

There is no evidence whatsoever that they behaved in anything but the
correct manner.

Correct according to their understanding of the law as it applies to
their narrow minded and bureaucratic little world.

In terms of whether it was the right thing to do, the answer is an
unequivocal no.





--

..andy