approved-stampBBC documentary The Planners shed a fascinating light on the planning process and in particular how much power is held by conservation professionals. For example the Chester couple wishing to install solar panels on  their roof who were recommended for refusal despite the very large and shiny glass office block next door!

Thankfully in this case the council members chose to overrule the recommendation for refusal and allow the solar panels to go ahead. A win for common sense but highlights the very subjective nature of  assessing the impacts of planning applications and in particular when not taking into account other nearby development. In this case it appeared personal objection to the solar panels resulted in ignoring the office block immediately adjacent. In other words a reduction in the sensitivity to change caused by other development was not adequately assessed.

In our own experience this is not altogether uncommon; we have been refused permission on the basis of impacts to a nearby hill fort that has a road running quite literally through the middle of it, a line of buzzing pylons and roaring traffic noise from a nearby motorway!

Protecting our heritage is important. But from what? Much of the existing policy was  intended to prevent actual physical harm to historic sites and buildings and yet all too often the more subjective topic of impacts upon the setting are awarded too much weight, particularly then the historic asset is many kilometres from the development or the officer uses a “if its visible.. its unacceptable” yard-stick.