Pre-planning meeting: What preperation should I have done for this meeting?

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deputyjk

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I have a preplanning meeting coming up soon with the local county council. I am looking to build a two story house in waterford.

What preperation should I have done for this meeting. I was thinking of a site map and a rough drawing of what I want to build. Is this enough or should I have more?
 
Re: Pre Planning Meeting

These guys are a breed of their own ! But site plan, plan of your house and any pics of the road. Call him before him and ask them what you shoudl prepare for the meeting !
 
Re: Pre Planning Meeting

Yes photos that would be usefull. Thanks.

Do you need detailed drawings of the house?
 
Re: Pre Planning Meeting

DeputyJk,

Had preplanning with Waterford coco, two years ago at this stage. Caught the area engineer on the hop as i had the house already drawn up, had pictures of all the neighbouring houses and the site location maps. She said i was the most prepared that she had seen and had no problems with it only to remove some stone work.

However it was not as simple as this.
Waterford are about as tough as it gets to get planning took me just over the year. If you need any info give me a shout.

Check the blog for the full story!
 
Re: Pre Planning Meeting

Thanks Jollyman

Just checked out your website. Wow lots of info. The planners really gave you the runaround.

I'll try and be as well prepaired as yourself for this meeting. I'll take pics of the local houses, road, entrance, sightlines etc. Where did you get the local maps? For preplanning will a roadmap suffice or should I pruchase the OS maps.
 
Re: Pre-planning meeting

DeputyJk,

You may as well purchase the maps now as you will need them for planning anyway,(assuming you meet the COCO credintials of being native to the area and so on, housing need, you can read the waterford county developement plan on their website) so its no harm having them with you.I actually work in Cork so i got them in the OSI office up here.
 
Re: Pre-planning meeting

Thanks again Jollyman will let you know how I get on. Meeting 29th Nov.
 
Re: Pre-planning meeting

Quick word of warning for you in relation to your pre-planning meeting!

As I have discovered to my cost they are a waste of time as whatever you are told is non-binding when it comes to actually getting your your planning permission. Earlier this year we were given some specific info regarding sightlines required at a pre-planning meeting. On the basis of this we engaged an arctitect etc and applied to the Council. To our surprise we got a request for further info which totally contradicted what we were told at the initial meeting. Three months later we are still fighting with them over this and still no planning permission.

Considering most Councils almost insist on a pre-planning meeting people really need to be aware that they should take what they are told with a serious pinch of salt!
 
Re: Pre-planning meeting


Parper,

Its the exact same experience as we had, you will see it in the blog, all was hunky Dory after pre-planning could not have been better, a year later we were still trying to get it! She spoke about sight lines at our initial pre planning, and said 40M either side she never realised she was wrong it is actually 80m with the NRA, i dont believe much in them either, but they can be beneficial from the point of view of getting some basic ideas and planning standards from them, also they will tell you if you will qualify for planning if you design a house that meets with their expectations!!! Its good to get introduced to them also, and i think that the initial pre planning meeting we had helped us in a way as we met with the area engineer, who reports to the county senior engineer and this is the man who has the final say, the planner is only a "negotiater" on his behalf, so when meeting with them always bear it in mind that all of her replys have to be run past the boss! And he will never meet you

Hope it all goes well for you deputyjk!
 
Re: Pre-planning meeting


As a professional who attends pre-planning meetings on nearly a weekly basis, i completely agree with this statement. You will learn much more from consulting a competent professional who has vast experience of planning in your county than you will from a planner. It must be remembered that its government policy not to give planners long contracts (generally 18 months max). Therefore they have to move around between local authorities quite often. This in turn means theyre can sometimes not be up to speed on development plans or council policy. Also, some councils dont have area planners, and there is also no guarantee that the planner you meet will be the planner that decides your application.
It is useful from an agents point of view to have the planner explain councils policies to the 'lay person'. But they are legally prevented from giving any kind of indication as to what a decision may be. You really have to read between the lines for statements such as 'may not be favourable to...' or 'that complies with policy'... etc...
 
Re: Pre-planning meeting

Had 2 pre planning meetings with Monaghan Co. Council and was told I would have no problem building a 2 storey house. Subsequently got plans drawn up and submitted for a 2 storey house and was refused! Had to get architect to then scrap the plans and draw up new ones for a dormer which I recently got planning for. Basically paid for 2 plans!!

These meetings are a help but don't rely on them!!
 
Re: Pre-planning meeting

Anyway had my preplanning meeting today. I was told that you cannot get planning permission on a site that is on a regional road unless you are the land owner and have in excess of 15 acres or are an imediate relation of the landowner.

There goes that plan anyway.

Anyone ever come across this before?
 
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