planning applications

[dubre]

just imagine:-

I would like to get council approval for quite a large & unpopular planning application.

Would it be legal or ethical to "persuade" my employees to support this application via the council website,even to the extent of queueing them up in front of a company computer?

[EssDeeAitch]

just imagine:-

I would like to get council approval for quite a large & unpopular planning application.

Would it be legal or ethical to "persuade" my employees to support this application via the council website,even to the extent of queueing them up in front of a company computer?

Can't say about the legal side of it but for me, definitely not ethical - imagine if your neighbour did the same for their planning application.

[PinkDalek]

... even to the extent of queueing them up in front of a company computer?

It isn't a petition and assuming they all make the same supportive points, I can't see how the suggested volume would positively impact the Planning Officer or Committee. Possibly quite the opposite, however impartial they are supposed to be.

Are your colleagues local to the property concerned?

[sg31]

With planning applications I always found it best to meet with the planners and discuss what was wanted. Sometimes slight changes and a bit of face to face time would get them on board. Obviously it depends on what you are applying for and where.

Another ploy is to apply for something inoffensive and that the planners would have difficulty refusing. Once that is obtained apply for something just a little bit further towards your goal that isn't much more than before so that the planners again have little to refuse. Keep doing this until you get what you originally wanted. I've never done this personally but it is used extensively in this area ans always succeeds. The planners know the game but can't stop it. My neighbour has done this on his farm on numerous occassions turning an application for a flat roofed single garage into a 4 bedroom house.

Never give up after a refusal, re apply in a slightly different way, you can wear them down if you keep at it long enough.

Finally you can appeal any decision to the DOE, I think something like 70% of appeals are granted. (That might be an out of date figure).

Obviously I've no idea of the type of thing you want permission for.

[terminal7]

So Mr Dom C***** - you want to build this small bridge across a very small pond at the bottom of the garden for your neighbour - you have letters of support from Mr Spad 1, Mr Spad 2 all the way through to Miss Spad 235 - all independent parties who work in the garden.

No problem - let's get Bridge done.

T7
Planning Inspectorate

[Mike88]

If, using your words the application is "quite.... large & unpopular" some might say it is pointless to even submit the application as you seem fairly sure the application will be rejected. It is unethical and dishonest to get your employees to queue up behind a computer to submit their support with possibly little or no knowledge of the application itself.

[dubre]

ok to imagine more specifically:-

I own a business on quite a large site with a good number of employees.The business is not doing too well.

I just happen to own a nice green field adjacent to this site and have applied for planning permission to build houses on this nice green field.The majority of the local population would like to keep a nice green field and have given the local authority substantial reasons why it should remain so.Nobody is supporting my need to make lots of dosh.

Many of my employees, who live well away from this field, cooperate because I say so and because they think that they may get a pay rise as my empire expands.

The ploy has been successful in that my supporters now outnumber the objectors.

[dealtn]

Why not do the same but on the brown field site you currently run the business from? Would it be easier to get permission for that site?

[PinkDalek]

Why not do the same but on the brown field site you currently run the business from? Would it be easier to get permission for that site?

Someone might get the good number of employees to object.

[dealtn]

Why not do the same but on the brown field site you currently run the business from? Would it be easier to get permission for that site?

Someone might get the good number of employees to object.

Yes, true, but I thought we were dealing with a scenario where we weren't overly concerned with ethics, or the thoughts of others, only what is best for the OP.