Margins of error for compliance with planning

Xibon

What margins of error do planning authorities apply when judging if a construction is in compliance or not? We want to raise our finished floor level about 100-150mm above what was on our planning approval. To complicate things further our room height was shown as 2400 to bottom of joists so when a service zone and plasterboard is put in it'll only be 2350 and not comply with Part F! Any advice welcome.

Gumbo

It depends on LA but most Planning Enforcement staff are reasonable and can understand that modern building techniques may mean a slightly different angle or height. 100-150mm would not be noticed from ground level imo especially if it's a one off with some distance to the neighbouring property.

Xibon

We had a lot of opposition from next door neighbours and they're likely to have a surveyor checking everything!

Water John

Their surveyor cannot come onto your site. Most LA's would have a little latitude.

BryanF

Why are you raising the floor?

Xibon

We are raising the floor to get a better run on the drains. If we do this we can run to an existing manhole otherwise we have to run a new drain out to the road.

Gumbo

Xibon wrote: »

We are raising the floor to get a better run on the drains. If we do this we can run to an existing manhole otherwise we have to run a new drain out to the road.

Are you allowed to connect to this manhole?
Does SUDS apply?

BryanF

OP I missed read your opening post.

The only opinion that matters in this case is your arch/eng who is certifying compliance with planning premission

Xibon

The surface water is separate and will be handled onsite in compliance with SUDS. The manhole in question is an existing foul manhole (new build is an extension to an existing property).

The engineer has said we'd still be in substantial compliance if we went up 100-150mm but I'm concerned the LA might not agree and might shut us down and send us for retention!

It just seems to be a grey area. If we were 1cm higher we'd be fine, if we were 1m higher we'd be in trouble so where's the tipping point from OK to not OK!

Gumbo

I would be In Agreement with you engineer and substantial compliance.

Calahonda52

Xibon wrote: »

...I'm concerned the LA might not agree and might shut us down and send us for retention!

....!

which is a lot easier to deal with than be ankle deep in the other stuff..
ps.

I had a case in my first house where I built a back garden wall up to the 2m.

The neighbours at the back got in a digger and lowered their side of the wall by 200mm and then complained to the LA, who made me remove two rows of blocks.

They duly backfilled, so perhaps you can reverse engineer the steps here to your benefit.

Am no expert but I doubt if the LA will bring out the dumpy level to check the datums as per the drawings

Angry bird

Substantially compliant in my book, and a pretty good reason too, which arises in lots of builds.

air

Calahonda52 wrote: »

They duly backfilled

I hope you duly reinstated the 2 rows of blocks!
I'd have added some of the tallest fastest growing trees available for good measure!