The Consultation Institute reports that Bexley Council has apologised to a group of residents after a ‘human error’ led to a planning application in their street being granted before the end of the statutory consultation period.
The Consultation Institute writes:
The residents, of Kentish Road, in Belvedere, were left confused after planning permission was granted for the house extension – weeks before the consultation period should have ended. Kentish Road resident Sarah Deruelle, who lives opposite, said she had been offered £200 by the council in recognition of the error, although she says she declined the money and wants the application to be voided because the council had breached the Town and Country Planning Act.
… The planning application was for a two storey side extension to a semi-detached property on a corner plot, which, according to the council, will not cause any significant harm to neighbours in terms of overshadowing or privacy. According to government guidelines, public consultations on planning applications should last for 21 days, however in this case the consultation lasted eight days. In a letter responding to the complaint, seen by News Shopper, the council admitted the error.
