Councils must apply planning rules properly when considering applications for building on the Green Belt, the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) Dr Jane Martin has warned, following a ruling against St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council for allowing a five bedroom house to replace a dormer bungalow in Green Belt.
Dr Martin said councils must take account of all the dimensions of any proposals to make sure they are not ‘materially larger’ than what they might replace.
She told to apologise to the neighbours who complained and pay £250 each to recognise the time they had spent on it, their trouble and frustration and loss of confidence in the authority.
Dr Martin said that councils must apply their policies ‘consistently’ and that the fair treatment of all planning applicants was ‘fundamental to good administration.’
Recent LGO advice via IHBC NewsBlogs
