Log Store

[Landpikey]

As pointed out by others;

If it wasn't 40 cubic metres in volume and cemented into the ground they may have been more willing to cut you some slack. They cannot base their decisions on whether you are a "nice person" or not. Don't forget that your neighbours may have complained to them directly about the store. Don't under estimate the power of jealousy!

Log stores are generally much thinner to allow air to permeate through and dry the logs so your structure would be seen immediately as a "shed". Also a tarpaulin is just as effective at keeping the tractor dry, just not as long a term solution as a "big log store".

One way of getting temporary structures converted to permanent ones are to prove that they have been there for a long time (that is only a general view of the planning law in one sentence, not a definitive answer so please everyone, don't crucify me for a very broad generalisation!) and then apply for full planning. They will have seen people turn sheds into houses this way before so they may just be trying to preempt you.

[oldclaypaws]

Unfortunately the UK is a small crowded Island where rules are enforced by an army of occasionally officious bureaucrats. If I lived next to Cassie I wouldn't give a monkeys about your store/shed, call it what you will. I have official brown tourist signs, designed, approved and erected by the Council, but another official from a streetsign enforcement agency tried to force me to take them down and couldn't grasp they had full permission and weren't illegal, an insane and infuriating contradiction.
Other countries such as Ireland or Greece couldn't give a fig about planning consent, you just slip the relevant official the agreed bribe and off you go.

You see the 'official' white elephant schemes such as HS2, scheduled to wreck thousands of acres of prime countryside, and compare it to the fuss over a shed, it seems like hypocrisy.

[Landpikey]

"As a picture paints a thousand words" is there any chance you can post one on the forum so we can see it?

[Cassie]

Landpikey I would if I could but the only ones i have are on my phone, the planner said she could see it was a labour of love, which it is.

[Whatisheatnow]

"Other countries such as Ireland or Greece couldn't give a fig about planning consent, you just slip the relevant official the agreed bribe and off you go." --oldclaypaws

While I know nothing of Greece this statement is completely untrue of Ireland. I have met several Irish planning officials in my business and they are all officials of the highest integrity. There was a scandal a few years ago where local councilors in a few places were bribed to rezone large areas for residential or industrial use to increase the value of the land. There were a few corrupt officials too but they have all been dealt with now.

[oldclaypaws]

It is twenty years since I was in Ireland, since when I am sure it has changed dramatically. At that time there was an 'anything goes' culture, which was in some respects was liberating, but also rather irresponsible. There was certainly a 'wild west' feel to the area I was in, on the Dingle Peninsula. A blind eye was turned to many activities, including moonshine, planning and the IRA. Anyway, I don't want to be accused of going off at a tangent on Cassies log store post again, my point was that in the UK our planning laws are tightly enforced, as Cassie has found. I suspect in many other European countries which are less densely populated and less regulated these issues do not arise. That is a either a blessing or curse, depending on whether you generally side with planners or see them as interfering.

[Judith]

Hi Cassie,

One further route might be to talk to your district councillor at your local authority. He or she might know about similar structures that have succeeded or failed, or could point you in the direction of some impartial planning advice, perhaps from a former planning officer.

[SimonFisher]

... some impartial planning advice, perhaps from a former planning officer.

If you're prepared to pay for their services, some of them work as planning consultants. In a residential matter I was involved in (an appeal against a refused planning application), we used one and they were prepared to say upfront whether they thought there was a realistic likliehood of winning and therefore them taking on the case.

[Cassie]

Thank you Judith & SimonFisher for your comments.
I have been in touch with the Forestry commission hoping they could be of some help but they said it was between us & the planners.
Today I telephoned the enforcement officer who originally came out to investigate the complaint, at the time of the visit to our home she was very helpful and positive saying that although the store did need planning permission she would check with her manager to see if they would actually enforce it.
However when the assistant planning officer took over, things changed and he kept insisting that it was "change of use" because we were storing logs for domestic use therefore we required full planning at a cost of £385.
Although I have tried to explain in full, and appeal to the better nature of the assistant planning officer I am hitting a brick wall, thus being the reason for my call to the original enforcement officer today, who once again was very supportive and asked me to email her with all the information we have to back up our reasons for applying for PD under the Town & Country Planning GPDO 1995 schedule 2 part 7 "Forestry Buildings & Development and she will take our comments to her manager as she also agreed full planning was over the top for a log store but the final decision was not down to her.
It is a log store built in a forest for forestry work! not change of use
We can but try
-

[oldclaypaws]

Hoping it works out for you.

However, if 0.75 hectares = a forest, I think we should change this from 'small woodlands' to 'large forest' owners group.