The short answer Raymond is that matter such as you describe (vortices etc.) are not "material planning considerations". Environmental considerations are, but only so far, e.g. odour and noise nuisance resulting from a take-away etc. You allude to this yourself by talking about structural matters - such matters are nothing to do with planning.What I don't think people realise is that planning applications now are far more complicated than at any time previously. Thirty years ago I could apply for planning permission for 25 houses with just a couple of plans, a two page covering letter and an application form. Now its a plethora of mandatory supporting reports produced by experts, and a big part of my job is coordinating all those experts to get reports commissioned and finalised in order to enable me to submit an application.To be honest, I actually think the current system has become far too slanted in favour of Councils, e.g. Councils being able to insist on so many complex reports before even validating an application.Thus I actually find it refreshing (albeit typical of the Coalition's lack of a coordinated approach) that the imminent relaxation of planning controls for converting offices to residential units will give Councils very little control. Although it is absurd that such conversions, which can only be considered by Councils on traffic, contaminated land and flooding grounds, will still be the subject of a statutory public consultation exercise - which will be utterly pointless given that 99% of the public are not qualified highway consultants, contaminated land experts or flood risk consultants, so whatever the public write won't be able to be taken into consideration, hence the entire consultation exercise is a complete waste of time and resources.
Adam Beamish ● 4464d