An update on the process with our Hut application with East Lothian Council. I posted recently that we'd had an issue with the 30m2. It seems anything above that is subject to a higher payment so we reduced it to 29m2 to be on the safe side.
This was then followed by a bill for £248.04 because the council advertised in the local paper (unspecified). The letter from the council stated...
The application required to be advertised because either: 1. the application proposes a bad neighbour development 2. the development proposed in the application is a departure or potential departure from the development plan 3. the applicant was unable to give notice of the application to all owners/agricultural tenants of the land of the application site 4. of the need to give neighbour notification in respect of neighbouring land on which there are no premises.
When we asked which one they replied "the application proposed a bad neighbour development".
See link The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 (legislation.gov.uk). Amongst the more interesting examples are: the construction of buildings for use as a public convenience; casino; music hall; Turkish or other vapour or foam bath; a zoo; a slaughterhouse.
The council haven't explained which one we are but we're assuming (not always a smart thing to do) that we would come under :
8) the construction of buildings, operations, and use of buildings or land which will—
(a)affect residential property by reason of fumes, noise, vibration, smoke, artificial lighting, or discharge of any solid or liquid substance;
(b)alter the character of an area of established amenity;
(c)bring crowds into a generally quiet area;
(d)cause activity and noise between the hours of 8pm and 8am; and
(e)introduce significant change into a homogeneous area.
Anyone else come across this?
I reckon it's (b) and (e). Especially (e). Huts are surely a threat to homogeneity!