Well well well.

Its taken a fair bit of digging, but essentially, outside of a
conservation area, the long and the short of it is,

"At the whim of the planning department of your local council".

Now strictly, thy are supposed to have a Plan, and get that plan rubber
stamped by Hazel Blears, but as long as it contains th requisite pap
like 'affordable housing' 'attention to ethnic minorities' and 'job
creation' it appears the plan can be almost anything you like.

And how its interpreted is of course 'subject to review on an individual
basis'.

So you end up with about 12 people who essentially, if they don't get
caught, can allow or deny planning permission on an entirely arbitrary
basis. And whose jobs depend more or less on the head of planning...

Now if that person happens to be an honest decent public servant, who
puts together a plan (and sticks to it) that reflects what the local
electorate want, all well and good. But if that person is a corrupt
individual with an offshore account in the Bermudas, and a few chums on
the committee..its a positive *invitation* to corruption isn't it? Not
that I in any way impute such planning officers exist.

You might say that, I couldn't possibly comment..

T Dan smith.