I want to put a very simple polycarbonate / powder coated steel canopy over my front door. They vary in price according to the spec' & design. From £94 - £358. Fixing is simple & all of them are modern, in keeping with the house, unobtrusive & really wouldn't impinge on anyone else at all. I just fancy not having rain dripping down my neck when I am hunting for my keys.
I have just discovered that because my doorway is within 2m of the highway, (meaning pavement, not road), I have to have Householder Planning Consent. Getting Planning Consent involves a fee of £172, almost double the cost of the cheaper canopy. I have to fill out a form & purchase a Location plan & a Site plan - What a good money making wheeze that is. You would think that Oxford City Council knew where my house was having signed it off in 2006/7. Then there is the Supporting Documentation. Finally I have to wait (6-8 weeks).
The website is informative if bureaucratic, but utterly daunting.
www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200126/applications/59/how_to_apply/6
www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20066/planning_applications/724/apply_for_planning_permission/3
Am I going to do it? Of course not! I lost the will to live ages ago because of the time, the hassle & the cost.
My point is - It's completely over the top.You need this sort of administrative structure if you are building a house or doing an extension. You don't need it if you want to put a canopy over your front door. It's so frustrating & it's nothing to do with membership of the EU.
I'll just have to put up with a wet neck - Climate Change or no.
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