Planning permission

[HanMcCreadie]

I need some advice please ladies. Its my first time on this forum so I hope you don't mind me joining you but I'm at a loss of what to do and need fellow CM advice.
I live next door to some awful people who do not work because apparantly they are too ill to. They are at home all day long and hate noise!
So consequently, they do not like my job!

They have reported me to the council about the noise and the planning department have now decided I need to apply for planning permission for the material change of use to my home. They want to class me as a business and not a residential.
Has anyone been through this or know of anyone?
The NCMA solicitor has said I have to apply as I childmind up to 12 children before and after school (well 2 of them are my own!)
HELP!!!!

(just to make clear, if they grant me permission, the could enforce restrictions such as shorted working hours and/or less children)

[melanieabigail2004]

I was told by the council that if I care for more than 5 children then I would have to apply for planning - if they class you as a business does this mean you will have to pay business rates aswell?

Mel

[Cammie Doodle]

Hi I had some sneaky annonamous (sp) neighbour a few years back report me . I was totally unaware of this when planning officer came, he asked to come in and started asking lots of Q's . About half way through he said you are answering these all really well at which point I must of looked puzzled, he said you do realise Im here on a complaint that you are running a Private Nursery :eek: . He was so apologetic that I did not know what he was there for, but told me not to worry as I was not doing anything wrong as when he asked what room is this ????? I had answered my dining room ! (well it is at evenings/ weekends) playroom in the day He then asked where my cots were and I answered my COT (singular)is upstairs.
Anyway to cut a long story short I received a letter saying all was fine :D and have carried on ever since with no more further hassle .


Good Luck

[Pipsqueak]

yes sadly I have heard of this - its happened to a friend. I would contact your development officer as well for support, even your local MP.

I'm afraid that the planning department can overrule Ofsted. There are supposed to be agreed rules/umderstanding between NCMA and planning departments but I think its ignored.

Think I would be reporting this malingering family to the benefits people if I were you:D

[Cammie Doodle]

The guy who visted me said you dont want to be paying business rates (too right I don't) plus he said it was a pain trying to return the property back to residential rates :rolleyes: He said he was pleased that he could see that my home was being used to care for 2 children (as that is what I had that day) in a home environment . Not sure what he would say now that we all have playrooms/ rooms set out like Nurseries lol . Let's hope I don't geta visit around the same time as Ofsted :eek: We can't win can we ?

[John]

I had this problem last year i turned my downstairs in to the childminding only and made myself a flatlet in my main bedroom and use the other bed room for sleeping. But lucky enothe i know a mate that worked for the council and said you will have to change it back at the council will charge you biz rates it's was the same with another childminder close to me who change her garage in to a playroom and was charge.

John.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Have you spoken to the council?

I have known of 1 person who has applied to PP and she said, although expensive, was a piece of cake. She wasn't penalised in anyway.

[huggableshelly]

hope you get sorted out xxxx