Forum Topic

No more notifications through the post of planning applications

Apparently, there are to be no more paper notifications through the door/post from Ealing Council of planning applications.   Notification will be posted on lampposts near the site. Therefore, you'll need very good eyesight, walk a dog and not drive, or be a mind-reader to know which planning applications may have been submitted in your area which in turn may affect and change your whole lifestyle.  Apparently this will save the Council £30,000 pa.  What it means for you/me is we will have to keep our eyes open (if, of course, no dishonesty occurs with people removing the notifications on lampposts by the site) or read the planning portal and search the weekly planning applications in your area.  Also....the Leader of the Council, Mr Bell, said that residents' associations and residents' groups in the LBE had been consulted on this change.  If you're a residents' assoc or group....were YOU consulted?

Angela White ● 4165d39 Comments

'what is the planning reference?? can we see it.'Good question. I tried a combination of search terms on the Ealing planning portal and was unable to find details of the development. (See the other currently active thread about the Ealing Planning Portal).The only thing I can suggest is copying down the planning reference from the notice and searching on that in the portal. If that doesn't work there probably is actually no way for you to see details of these plans at the moment.

Andy Jones ● 4108d

This notice was not outside the Mermaid car wash but in the wrong place? Someone needs to let the council know this.Suspicious.what is the planning reference?? can we see it.

Fiona Fisher ● 4112d

The poster to which Jan refers is the controversial 48 Horn Lane Development which would see the Mermaid car wash developed into social housing. In principle this may be a good idea but residents are strenuously objecting to the density of the Application, especially that emergency vehicles will not have access to the buildings at the back. If you walk along Horn Lane have a look at Glover House which is social housing by the same Developer. Would you know it was only completed five years ago?  Look if you will at the gated access to the buildings behind the frontage and ask yourself if this is the best we can do?

Maire Lowe ● 4112d

Are they all in blue plastic because trying to read black typing behind blue plastic I find an impossibility..

Bob Crossley ● 4112d

I saw one of these notices today. It was placed in a side road, the application was for a proposed development on Horn Lane. It was just legible as rain had seeped inside the plastic sleeve. Could this be a cunning plan do you think. You can't object yo what you can't see or read.

Jan Farlow ● 4112d

This is open to corruption. developers may remove them.And the magazine we get through our letterbox Around Acton or around Ealing? How much does that cost & why not get rid of that propaganda & save the money that way?

Fiona Fisher ● 4112d

If the notices are left beyond the end of the consultation period you would need to report the planning department to the planning department who are supposed to monitor unauthorised advertising.

Andy Jones ● 4124d

And will the notices be removed at the end of the consultations or will they be left to decorate the street furniture. I found my first one today black writing on a blue backround which I find really hard to read, so gave up. Perhaps that the plan.

Bob Crossley ● 4127d

What is very interesting in all these cuts. We we see no benifits. Across the board the council have made incredible cuts to many services and more to come. But on the other hand I believe Mr Bell was looking for  an assistant, you must be looking at a  starting salary of about £20K. New computer systems, plus consultants, for the council can't imagine how much that costs. Oh and the pay increase turned down by the Tory councillors BUT accepted by the Labour councillors etc, etc, etcAll this begs the question who is benefiting!

Jan Gayle-Farlow ● 4128d

£20,000 was the figure I heard last night but previously I had heard £30,000.  Remembering that planners or their assistants now have to go out to the sites and put the notices up, which takes time and money.  Not to mention they can be cut down (the notices, not the planners, it seems).

Angela White ● 4128d

Is that really the saving? £20,000 only?My hatred of this council is building up to complete rage - who do they think they are?

Julian Smith ● 4128d

At the SPUG tonight (Planning Services User Group) they said the notifications process would change in 2 weeks time.  I look forward to the benefits of them saving £20,000.

Angela White ● 4128d

The Ealing website is only showing Public Notices until April 26th Surely they have to put them there and that doesn't cost anything.

Bob Crossley ● 4128d

The notices continue to appear. What appears to be happening is that the Council are checking whether they have a legal obligation to put each notice in the paper and only publishing the ones they do to save money.The quid pro quo for this appears to have been a wraparound on the May 1st edition of the Ealing Gazette urging people to support the local Labour candidates just before the election. The Labour party clearly thought there was a risk that if they were pulling money from the paper they would end up with some hostile coverage.I haven't noticed any change in the Gazette's editorial line since the election but it is hard to see what they have to lose by taking a more robust line with the Council than they have up until now.

Andy Jones ● 4129d

Thanks Maire.  Does this mean that there are no letters being put through doors on planning application notificiations then?  Is this confirmed?Question....the Friary Green Residents' Assoc has found that there are many people out there who don't use computers and all correspondence is done by letter from us.  What about these people and planning notifications?  They aren't always elderly either - just a mix of people who don't own computers or have email and of course some are elderly.  I think it's mighty unfair to disregard a whole section of the public if this is the case.

Angela White ● 4156d

I've had a reply from Aileen Jones who confirms the switch to on line notices is going ahead.

Maire Lowe ● 4156d

The current edition of the Gazette still has details of planning applications. There are far fewer than for other Councils which also appear in the paper but, to the best of my recollection this has always been the case.

Andy Jones ● 4156d

Public Survey?  That's news to me!But then see below:"People of Earth, your attention please"."This is Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz of the Galactic Hyperspace Planning Council.  As you will no doubt be aware, the plans for development of the outlying regions of the Galaxy require the building of a hyperspatial express route through your star system, and regrettably your planet is one of those scheduled for demolition. The process will take slightly less than two of your Earth minutes. Thank you."……………… "There's no point in acting all surprised about it. All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display in your local planning department in Alpha Centauri for fifty of your Earth years, so you've had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint and it's far too late to start making a fuss about it now."………………… "What do you mean you've never been to Alpha Centauri? For Heaven's sake, mankind, it's only four light-years away, you know. I'm sorry, but if you can't be bothered to take an interest in local affairs that's your own lookout.Energize the demolition beams."[Light poured out of the hatchways.]"I don't know, apathetic bloody planet, I've no sympathy at all."[There was a terrible ghastly silence.There was a terrible ghastly noise.There was a terrible ghastly silence.The Vogon constructor fleet coasted away into the inky starry void.]

Victor Mishiku ● 4159d

Here's an interesting article about planning applications and notices of such:  http://www.cityofsound.com/blog/2015/04/planning-notices.html

Angela White ● 4160d

We have the chance to make our feelings felt soon. Who best served Ealing. Who listened.

Jan Gayle-Farlow ● 4160d

I was at the meeting last week too, Maire, and it was unkind.  The planning officers didn't seem across the job at all and many errors were made.

Angela White ● 4160d

In total agreement, Julian.

Angela White ● 4161d

But they don't consult over a large enough area anyway...If it's high rise then the rule should be - if i am going to be able to see it then i want to be consulted. They will have to consult the whole of West London! :)

Julian Smith ● 4161d

Thank you Victor. What we ask is a nice clear policy which sets out the methodology the Council proposes to use when consulting residents. I'd likely them  to differentiate between big proposals which affect thousands of us. like the Oaks, the proposed Premier Inn in West Acton, and the Friary Park regeneration and minor alterations such as the proposed removal of three parking spaces in K1 which only affected 50 - 100 residents. I'd like to see the Consultation processes clearly laid out so we could all understand and know what is proposed each time. Is this reasonable? And Ive said this before, but I'd like the Directors and Head of Planning to take an active hand when it's a major development. Leaving unfortunate junior staff to face sceptical Councillors of all political hue and a demonstrating crowd of Residents last week was unkind in my opinion.

Maire Lowe ● 4161d

From a Council that through its Chief Planner, Ms Aileen Jones, has repeatedly stated that it is "proud" of the fact that Ealing carries out MORE than the Statutory Requirements (which always included Press Notices for Major Developers and Conservation Area applications), I consider that it is a very retrograde step taken by Cllr. BellNote the case mentioned on the Ealing Forum - please see below:The following appears from the Sunday Times of 8th March 2015:"Solar flare-up" THE SUNDAY TIMES by Benedicte Earl 8/3/15."One of Britain’s largest solar farms may have to be dismantled after a Judge quashed its planning permission for failing to consult with locals.The 54-acre Norrington Solar Farm, near Broughton Gifford in Wiltshire, whose ultimate owner is SunEdison, one of the world’s largest solar-energy investment funds, was built close to Gifford Hall, a Grade II listed building. Daniel Gerber, owner of Gifford Hall, took a judicial review and last week a senior judge quashed Wiltshire council’s original planning permission. Gerber told the court he had not known about the solar farm until construction began. The farm cost £10m to build and started generating last June."It is to be noted that the Council concerned claimed to have carried out extensive consultations yet it failed to satisfy the Court. The Council say: "We are disappointed with the ruling, and will be considering a possible appeal. We carried out extensive publicity concerning this application at the site, including site notices, a press notice, and notifying neighbours we considered would be affected."So this happened in Wiltshire with the kind of procedure that had existed until a few days ago in our Borough prior to the unneighbourly tampering with the long established protocol as proposed by the Planning Department and Cabinet.One is reminded of the biblical saying:"For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Victor Mishiku ● 4161d

I have received a speedy reply from Democratic Services, but only to say the the changes to consultation policy are in the hands of the Head of Planning. Has anyone that in Hounslow, the Council are planning a massive tower in the High Street opposite Asda, disproving small businesses using Compulsory Purchase Orders? The shopkeepers say this was not included in the Hounslow Plan, published in 2013.

Maire Lowe ● 4161d

Yes, thank you for these helpful comments. The day after Councillor Bell replied to my written question, I wrote to the Head of Democratic services, asking for clarification. Councillor Bell said there was extensive on going consultation with residents groups, but I can't find any who have heard from the Council in writing. I await a reply from the reliable Officer to whom I wrote.

Maire Lowe ● 4163d

Someone should email the council to find out the exact position.I can't believe they would be so politically stupid.All it will take is one massive row after someone finds they missed the news that a huge carbuncle was being built in their back garden because a notice fell off a lamp-post.And at that point the council will rapidly find that their £30,000 "saving" will turn into a £30,000 political and potentially legal disaster.When that happens - remember this post.

Richard Grange ● 4163d

Angela, until I see a printed report from the Council I am going to remain sceptical. It seems likely to me that the Council Leader was wrongly briefed or didn't make his meaning clear. Perhaps even he is sabre-rattling to stop the Gazette reporting about the controversy surrounding his housing situation.The Council's 'Statement of Community Involvement' which outlines their policy in these matters states in the latest version I can find - 'There is also a legal requirement, in certain circumstances, for the Council to advertise certain applications in the local press. Examples of  these applications include: all those in Conservation Areas or affecting Listed Buildings; applications for ten or more houses or developments of over 1000m²; departures from the UDP and; developments that may affect those other than immediate neighbours.'This legal requirement has not changed as far as I am aware. As has been pointed out elsewhere the cost of a single successful legal challenge if the law is ignored would immediately outweigh and money saved.

Andy Jones ● 4163d

Andy, I was in the gallery this week and listened to the Leader of the Council say what Maire reports here.

Angela White ● 4163d

Maire, I still believe you are mistaken when you say that the Council won't be putting notices in the papers any more. From discussions with Victor on Ealing it looks like they will stop putting any notices in that they weren't required to but will continue to do so where they have a legal obligation.If this is incorrect can you provide a link or details of the officer's report where this new policy is outlined. If should include the legal rational for dumping newspaper ads if it exists.

Andy Jones ● 4163d

Funnily enough, a planning guru on the Chiswick website has written to me to say he doesn't accept that the Council will fulfilling its statutory duty if it stops posting notices in public and in newspapers. I think we should get it right. It will be our taxes that pay for the Judicial Review if a Resident decides to they were not properly informed or consulted.

Maire Lowe ● 4164d

Doesn't seem like they did carry out a consultation..seems there isn't any evidence of it.

Angela White ● 4164d

I think this is iniquitous.In the middle of a development gold-rush in Ealing and Acton the council is proposing WEAKENING its measures to let people know that there is proposed development that may affect them. And this is only to make a paltry saving of £30000.Local papers are little read and notices on lampposts are often missed. I think the very fact that they carried out a 'public survey' to justify it suggests they know they are on dodgy ground.

Richard Grange ● 4165d

I'm going to, thanks.  Here is the address for the Leader:  julian.bell@ealing.gov.uk

Angela White ● 4165d

Sorry to contradict Andy, but Councillor Bell was quite clear. Placing a notice on the Council website and one poster adjacent to the site is sufficient to fulfill the Council's statutory obligations. He said they are consulting with Residents groups at the minute. None that I know have been asked so far. Why not write to the Council yourself and object?

Maire Lowe ● 4165d

Maire, I don't think this is correct. Certain types of notices have to by law be put in newspapers. From discussions on this and the Ealing forum I take it that the Council are not scrapping all notices in papers just the ones they have no statutory obligation to include.Not sure what the law is on sending letters to residents but I suspect there is no specific stipulation. Relying on lampposts only is flawed because unscrupulous applicants will remove them.

Andy Jones ● 4165d

I've written this morning to the Head of Democratic Services explaining that Councillor  Bell was mistaken when he said Residents are being consulted on the proposed changes. Under the new rules, there will be no notices in the papers and no letters to individual residents. Notices will continue on the Planning website pages. This economy will save the Council about £30k per annum, or half the cost of Mr. Bell's new aide.

Maire Lowe ● 4165d

We had no notification of a house nearby doing a basement excavation!They seem to be breaking all the rules including starting work before 8am (we heard neighbours complaining and telling them to stop).They were even working on Sunday erecting scaffolding, parking on double yellow lines, blocking garages and blocking thr road.Ealing Council have been informed.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4165d