Bexley Council has apologised to a group of residents after a “human error” led to a planning application in their street being granted before the end of the statutory consultation period.
The residents, of Kentish Road, in Belvedere, were left confused after planning permission was granted for the house extension – weeks before the consultation period should have ended.
Kentish Road resident Sarah Deruelle, who lives opposite, said she had been offered £200 by the council in recognition of the error, although she says she declined the money and wants the application to be voided because the council had breached the Town and Country Planning Act.
She said: “I was really annoyed. My neighbours and I had got together and decided what we wanted to say, but I went to respond and it was closed.
“It had already been approved. The council have said my comments wouldn’t have made a difference, but that is not the point. We have not been heard.”
The planning application was for a two storey side extension to a semi-detached property on a corner plot, which, according to the council, will not cause any significant harm to neighbours in terms of overshadowing or privacy.
According to government guidelines, public consultations on planning applications should last for 21 days, however in this case the consultation lasted eight days.
In a letter responding to the complaint, seen by News Shopper, the council admitted the error.
A council spokesman said in the letter: “It is self-evident that the public consultation was not allowed to run its full and normal course before a decision was made. This is a clear procedural error. I apologise for that error and any distress it has caused you and other local residents.
“The error has appeared to have resulted from human error and I am currently reviewing the council’s procedures to ensure that this sort of error does not happen again. Whilst I appreciate that will not affect the application that has caused you concern, I hope you can take some comfort that we will put in procedures to avoid this occurring in the future.”
Mrs Deruelle has escalated her complaint further over concerns with the application that have gone un-heard such as lack of privacy and parking.
Bexley Council has been approached for further comment.
Article originally appeared on News Shopper
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