One of town planning's favourite cases has another twist. Back in 1986 the owner of a terrace house in Oxford inserted a fibre-glass shark through the roof. This was refused permission by the Council, but kept after an appeal. Unfortunately for the current owner they recently turned it into a short term let (Airbnb), and lost an appeal against that use. So, whilst the shark will remain, you can't stay there anymore.

Permitted development rights allow householders and businesses to undertake works without needing a grant of planning permission from their local Council. The Government has widened these rights over the years, and they have recently announced intentions to widen these again: ideas include larger and taller rear extensions, removing limits on roof extensions, and increasing the ability for more outbuildings in gardens.

Home working has increased since the pandemic, but not everything can be run smoothly from home as this homeowner found out. A cabin in the back garden used for a childcare business is the subject of an enforcement notice from Stockton Council and now an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

A recent survey by the Home Builders Federation has shown the number of builders reporting problems with the supply and cost of materials had jumped from 20 per cent a year ago to 78 per cent. Nine out of ten builders also say a lack of resources in planning departments are causing delays.

The Government has announced further changes to permitted development rights. Shops can now change to housing, subject to prior approval from the Council. There are limited controls over what shops can change, with only those in conservation areas being subject to tests. There is a floorspace limit though

Large planning applications can lead to a large number of objections. In this instance of drilling for oil on the Isle of Wight, over 3,000 objections received. Objectors need to be focused on objections and concentrate on town planning issues and law. The shear weight of numbers against a proposal is not enough in itself to mean a planning application will be refused.

We have a new video on YouTube - a quick guide to show you how to find out if your land or property is at risk from flooding. This is an important matter to consider if you're thinking of extending your property or building on a plot of land. You may need a flood risk assessment to show that you can build. Or the development you want to undertake might be ruled out by the risk of the flooding. Find out before you make what could be a costly mistake.

Planners like to categorise things in neat boxes, and a change is now in place to a crucial area of commercial use classes. The new Class E is now in force, which combines a lot of former business and retail uses into one category. This means that planning permission is not needed for any use within that Class E, for instance a change from a shop to a restaurant, or an office to a cafe. See more here