Why does the original poster have to include in her posting "this new application has been cynically timed to coincide with the lead up to Christmas, in the hope that it will not generate the same volume of objections as the previous proposals" ?.I've no connection with the applicants nor personal interest in the outcome of the application, but such allegations are so easily made by the public without any actual basis in fact.There's absolutely no benefit whatsoever to an applicant in submitting an application now as opposed to a different time of the year, infact it's arguably the worst time to apply. Already overstretched Council resources are even more streched due to people taking extended leave, Planning Committees often don't meet at all in December or until well into the New Year, so the whole determination process drags out for longer than usual, and, although technically third parties only have 21 days to submit comments, the reality is that all Councils will both accept and consider comments until the date when the application is determined. Indeed, I could cite plenty of applications where the statutory 21 day consultation period has been formally extended to double that by Councils because the 21 day period would end between Christmas and the New Year, I was objecting to such a case in Ealing on behalf of a client last year and the consultation period was extended until 12th January.I'll be putting in three planning applications myself in the next week. Strangely enough I do the same most weeks, the main part of my job is submitting applications, neither I nor my clients look at a calendar and think "ah, that's a good time to submit an application to catch Councils/residents off guard"...as if ?!.It's no wonder I think the government's idea of some kind of utopian co-operation between developers and 'communities' is so pie in the sky when instead of concentrating on the planning merits (or lack of them) of a proposal, residents make snide and unfounded allegations.
Adam Beamish ● 5316d