Advice on planning previously refused

I live in a terraced house in a architectural conservation area. In 2007 I applied for permission to create a driveway in my front garden. The only reason permission was refused was on the recommendation of the conservation officer, on the basis that it was out of character and would set a precedent.
Recently parking has become a major issue as I need a car for work and I have nowhere suitable to park. I am quite happy to proceed with this development in a responsible way and try to ensure the gate would match the existing railings and find the refusal frustrating as the house next door has a driveway (there is no record of planning for this but it is there many,many years) and a rented house on the terrace painted over the red brick only recently. I have also seen many houses in "Georgian Dublin" with these kind of developments in place!
I am considering applying again and requesting a pre-planning consultation but I don't know if this is a waste of time. Several people have told me to just go ahead and do it rather than drawing attention to myself.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

You definitely shouldn't go ahead and do it now as you have a registered refusal on file.

That would be a whole world of pain.

I can only wish you luck.

Why not take a video of the road with all the cars parked on the road and all the houses with driveways already and use it in the meeting??

+1 what Mommah has said and I also note the following comments in relation to this matter.

I suspect you are not being professionally advised at the moment or you would have appealed the refusal.
You failed to mention that you had done this so I assume you didn't.

I strongly advise that you need the advice of a competent architect well versed in planning laws to make the case for you if you're going to the trouble of engaging in a pre-planning meeting.
This is a process I wholeheartedly endorse even if its only to show you tried and you owe it to yourself to give it your best shot.

Any proposal will need to be sold on a tasteful design to which you must sign up to.
Remember that your idea of what is "responsible" might fall far short of the conservation officer's requirements.

Do not, under any circumstances proceed with any works requiring permission without a permission in place.
You'd be just asking for them to throw the book at you.

I'm intrigued by the fact that the Conservation Officer is drawing a line in the sand on this one.
However, many oder buildings have had their front lawns turned into car parks by flat dwellers and landlords.
Its in no-one's interest to carry out poorly designed hard standing conversions of lawns and there may be a SUDS implication as well.

If you want more detailed advice, post the planning register reference.
If you want this kept confidential, feel free to PM me.

Otherwise, the advise is limited to that given above.


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.

Thank you both very much for your advice, I really appreciate it.

I did hire someone to submit the application for me. It was only after it was refused and I spoke with some other people that I heard of a pre-planning meeting! I was obviously a bit niave, I thought when I hired someone they would have all the bases covered and I so didn't educate myself properly on the process.

PM on the way to you ONQ, thank you.

Received and replied.
With the week that's in it, I will look at this and revert probably on Friday.

It sounds like you did everything correctly but the way may not have been properly prepared by your agent.
They may not have read the development plan and noted the Conservation Area or talked to the Planner by phone.
To be fair to him/her in applications like this the Conservation Officer can be a bit of a dark horse, they seldom attend pre-planning meetings.

This points the way to the fact that the work must be done before the meeting, in terms of citing precedent in the Council's own area and elsewhere.
In other words, you'll be coming back from a refusal, and with this kind of reply likely, the groundwork must be done.
In other words, "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail."

In the meantime you may get other advices from the regulars here.


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.