Any Planning Officers out there?

[GroupC]

Can anyone involved with planning permission help me out with what I hope will be a simple query?

I've looked around online and have found vague information but hope someone will be able to give better advice here.

My house has is an end-terrace from about 1895 and has a small front garden adjacent to a public footway which in turn is adjacent to a public road. I have an existing brick boundary wall less than 1m high around the 2 sides of my garden which are next to the public f/way. I don't have a front gate.

What I'd like to do is put coping stones on the existing wall, and then erect railings on top of those (total height over 1m but less than 2m) to restore the boundary to how it would have looked when the house was built. There are several houses on my block which already have original brick walls (less than 1m) with their (possibly) original coping stones and railings on top (total height less than 2m) - so there's a historical precedent for what I want to do and I'm only reinstating the original appearance. I also want to add a front gate.

Would I need planning permission for this? I know that if any boundary wall/fence etc is over 1m you normally DO, but the woman at the council offices said that as there was a precedent in several places along the street, I may NOT. I don't live in a conservation area and the house is not listed. The thing is, to ask officially I have to pay £72... which is non-refundable, even if they say I DON'T need planning permission.

I don't want to fall foul of them and just go ahead assuming that as there's a precedent I'll be OK putting in railings to the same overall height, but then again £72 is a decent amount of money to potentially waste if they just write back and say I can go ahead.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance of any advice!

[Malc]

The problem you will have is that planning regulations can be different in different towns. There are some statutory regulations relating to public buildings - fire and safety issues, but local regs are different. Where I used to live, you were not permitted to put any structure ie a porch that extended forward of the building line. Where I am now, they don't bother.

I would canvass the neighbours and see if anyone objects because unless the council gets a complaint, they are not likely to bother about it.

I am not a planning officer, I have just come up against them a time or two.

[jonclox]

. I don't live in a conservation area and the house is not listed. The thing is, to ask officially I have to pay £72... which is non-refundable, even if they say I DON'T need planning permission.

I don't want to fall foul of them and just go ahead assuming that as there's a precedent I'll be OK putting in railings to the same overall height, but then again £72 is a decent amount of money to potentially waste if they just write back and say I can go ahead.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance of any advice!

It might be £72 wasted but they would be obliged to give you some form of reply and if they say go ahead no problem you have that reply from them saying its ok
That means that any problems arising will be their fault and you have their views on record

[REGP]

I think I would question the£72= fee for asking a question, maybe be speak to (or email) a local councillor and get it confirmed, especially the non refundable part.

Ray

[Oldun]

Is this of any use to you:

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/fenceswallsgates/

Roger

[EtchedPixels]

The £72 isn't for an 'I think you are ok mate' though is it - it's for a formal statement that you do not need permission, and one that they can then not come back on and say "sorry we were wrong, take it down"

Alan