So last Friday, 6 January, Peter had a pre-planning meeting with Stephen Baughan, the Planning Officer, and his junior. They’d had a chance to look at a packet of papers relating to our cabin proposals and decided to give them the green(ish) light. ‘Ish’ because we now still have to submit a formal planning application. And apparently it has to be full planning rather than permitted development only because we’ve got 4 ‘services’ going into the cabin and 3 is the limit for permitted development. Of course, Peter can’t remember what those ‘services’ are! But in any case, it doesn’t really matter, as our application would have to go to the full Planning Committee anyway as Peter is a Councillor. Them’s the rules!
I had been busily keeping my powder dry and my expectations low coming up to the meeting – a determined ‘what will be will be’ attitude. So I had no real idea how I was going to react either way. Given the thumbs up, I found I was initially pleasantly surprised, then a bit gobsmacked, then quite excited. And impatient. And trepidatious!
Now my head’s spinning with not just everything that has to be done but how the hell do I do it? Like even before submitting the full planning application, I have to decide how big the windows and doors are going to be and where they should be positioned. Whaaaaa? How the hell am I going to know that?
And not only do I not know but I also don’t know who’s going to help me decide. Chris Bennett (Project Manager)? Or do I need to get in a kitchen designer? And would they also plan the laundry, and the bathroom? And work out where lighting wiring and plug points should go in the bedroom? Aaarrgggh.
First thing to do is have a pretty lengthy meeting with Chris. Hopefully next week.
Maybe Trev might be roped in a bit as well?
