A SENIOR Thurrock councillor has slammed the planning committee’s enforcement policy as a “charter to pick on the little people.”
Chadwell Councillor Gerard Rice’s comments came as the committee debated whether to enforce the demolition of a loft conversion in Stifford Clays because a window was a matter of millimetres too high
Councillor Rice said: “This is such a heavy-handed approach. I wonder if we would be so brave if it was an illegal lorry park in West Thurrock.”
Councillor Rice was quickly interrupted by the Chair, cllr Terry Hipsey who reminded him that the matter in hand was the property in Stifford Clays.
The committee heard that planning permission for the loft conversion at 15 Silverwood Close, Grays was applied for and refused in March 2006.
In October 2006, a complaint was received that construction of the rear dormer had gone ahead.
Planning Officer Tim Westwell said: “I know this sounds draconian but we have until the 7th November or this matter will be effectively time-barred and we cannot enforce.”
“Even though the crux of the matter was a matter of inches, the enforcement notice means demolition of the rear dormer, re-instate the ridge height of the roof to match No 13 and 17 Silverwood Close and re-instate the roof tiles to match those existing.
The committee spent over an hour deliberating on the issue. This was the first time that Enforcement Reports had been placed on the agenda for some time and under the watchful eye of new Chief Executive, Graham Farrant, speculation was rife that the committee were conscious that this decision could have far reaching consequences around the borough.
Councillor Joy Redsell asked: “You wonder how many other Dormers similar to this are around the borough?”
Councillor Barry Palmer complained that: “This was an awful lot of fuss about two inches.”
Councillor Phil Anderson sympathised with the householder’s predicament.
He said: “Mrs Harris has built this conversion in good faith. In many ways she was at the mercy of the builders.”
It was at this point that councillor Rice made his “illegal lorry park” comment. A reference to the Titan Lorry Park on the grounds of the Old West Thurrock Power Station that resident action groups have tried to get enforcement notices served for nearly four years.
The committee voted to defer the matter until the next Planning Meeting on September 25th at 7pm where it is anticipated that it will sit alongside the agenda next to the matter of the Titan Lorry Park.
Whilst I can sympathise with the resident who installed the dorma you have to ask why this building work went ahead concidering the planning applictaion was refused in March 2006.
If everyone took the attitude of “oh well the planning was refused but to hell with it lets build it” then where would it end, the Council in this instance have a right to demand the works be deconstructed and the property put back to its original state as planning approval was not met.
Well Lambo, I hear what you’re saying and what comes across strongly is that rules are rules and principles and ethics must be upheld at all costs. What an efficient authority and a zealous planning department Thurrock has that ensures enforcement takes place on a wrongdoing. After all two inches is two inches and when someone complains things must be put to rights. How about 2.5 hectares and hundreds of complaints by residents, followed by a couple of hundred requests by the TTGDC over a THREE YEAR PERIOD about an unauthorised lorry park and we have…………………. councillors and the planning department advertising it. You are absolutely right in that the Council has the right to insist that EVERYONE abides by the rules. Is it me or does this smell just a little? Good God let’s not worry about silly little things like accidents, pollution, noise and traffic and the resultant effect on children and the elderly – let’s just waste taxpayer’s money in a recession on an hour’s debate about two inches. How about your take on that one or am I right in thinking that ‘silence will be the stern reply’? Over to you big man and is that a gun in your pocket or is it………….. two inches?
Donovan, you are absolultey right in what you say about the rules are there for everyone and yes TBC should not be pulling a fast one over the Lorry Park.
Planning applications are made every day and some get through others get turned down but once it is turned down the applicatnt has the right to appeal and may be asked to submit revised plans, did this get done with “Dormagate” if not then once planning is lost does that then give anyone and everyone the right to say “sod it” and build what they want.
I am not saying that the planning process is an easy and fair system as has been proven in the past it is far from that and yes things need to be looked at with the whole process.
With regards to the Lorry Park planning should never be granted if there were indeed that many objections and this is something that should be taken on board by any responsible council; however, we all know that TBC are a law unto themselves and even their internal structure is flawed, they can’t even agree on simple measures that affect the community and are too wrapped up in political point scoring.
As I said the planning application process is there and there are ways to appeal decisions even if that means resubmitting plans but what we need to be careful of is flouting those procedures; who knows it may be 2 inches now but where does it stop??