hello! thought id reply here so i knew you would get it!!
anyway, uni is over for the summer (woohoo!!) but i still have to do this bloomin dissertation which i am completely stuck on! and i also have to find somewhere to do work experience, coz some bright spark decided we didnt have enough work to do, they decided to shove that in the mix too!! ill have to do it in september when emma goes back to nursery.....and if they dont like it, tuff luck!! lol.

how is things with you? kittens and your mum ok? hope so. and have you decided on a colourscheme yet? (see, i HAVE been away a while!!) think it was for your lounge....remember you saying about the stairs in the way..... or was that my imagination!! lol. its late and im tired, so im off now. see you on the boards tomorrow maybe!!
bye! Riah

Hi riah,

I dont know what you disitation was going to be on - if it was temporary structures, then look at the latest addition of Grand Design which has an article on using containers for housing...

As for work experience - in what field?... I might have some useful contacts to get you what you want. Might be able to get you some here in the Urban Design department in Planning...

As for the living room - my problem has been finding a carpet to tie the design into... I think that I am coming to the conclusion that Devonia (Axminster) in shade Hyacinth is the only one that works for me - and it will have to be a case of doing the living room and stairs in it.... as it would be too expensive to include the hall as well...

What I am thinking now is to have the same flooring down in the hall, kitchen and downstairs loo to give that a sense of flow (pardon the pun) and treat the livingroom as a separate space...

I already have silver curtains which have a allium design on which picks out that colour and then I will paint the walls in shades of blue and lilac - with a top coat glaze on the fire place to make a feature of it...

Now I have decided on that it is a question of affording the Axminster carpet.

Angela

hiya angie, i finally remembered which board i posted this on!! lol,
anyway, dissertation is going to be on temporary housing, when i get enough inspiration to get it going!! ive done some, but not nearly enough since theres only a few weeks before i go back, and they want a presentation on how far weve got and the ways we found the info needed..... (((aaaarrrgggghhhh!!!))) its bad enough i hate writing essays, but i hate presentations more!!

as for work experience, anything to do with building, so an architects office or someone who does design and build kinda thing. i dont know exactly what the department you suggested does, but if they build, were on the right track!! there are 2 of us that need to get somewhere, (me and barbie), but we wont be all girly and chat all the time!! we need to know basically the workings of a real practice, and it would look great on the CV. plus we actually dont pass the second year until we've done it and written (yet another) essay. for a practical course, there is an awful lot of writing involved!!

your design scheme sounds great, but then i am partial to a bit of lilac/purple!! lol, my hair is purple!! well, its kinda reddy now, all the purple has washed out!! :( everything comes down to money, dont it!! i wish i could win that lottery...... mind u, id have to actually start playing before i stood a chance!!! lol.

so, if you could help me (or me and barbie) in the work experience quest, we would be most greatful, and as emma is off nursery now, it really leaves it to 3-4 days for the week beginning 6th sept, when she goes back, if thats not stretching it too much!
any info on the department would be great as well.

good luck on the quest for lilac heaven!!
Riah

Hi Riah,

I have an article on temporary buildings - from the Grand Design magazine for you... I will ask the planners if they have seen anything else, that should give you a head start.

A presentation is all in the preparation... do you have access to a projector? what sort of a presentation package can you use?. If you can prepare a number of pictures to show - this reduces down what you have to say - and if you treat that as a theatrical performance - it will help.

The Council department I was thinking about does not build but comments on the plans of developers who want to build to get them to an acceptable standard. I think I could arrange a weeks work experience for that week in September.

I was also thinking of speaking to Charles Brocklehurst who works here - his brother is a Partner in the Architects firm of Brocklehurst's in West Wycombe (I think) but he has other contacts.

Do you want me to make some enquiries for you to see where I get?.

Angela

hiya angie, we would really apreciate you asking around, as we are having no luck whatsoever ourselves!! i have heard of the Brocklehurst architects, i contacted them once about another essay i was doing! all these bloomin essays!! lol

as for the presentation, i really am at a loss with programmes like powerpoint, but im sure i can get Ian (my new man!) to help as he knows it. as for pictures to use, i will have to sort out what i need for the essay before i know what i can use for the presentation!! soooo manyt hings to do, so little time!!

still, any help you can afford will be so much greatfully recieved, and not to try and bribe you or anythin, but we will have to meet up again for lunch, see how things are going. you can let me know all about your decisions on the carpet!! lol

Riah

oooooh, and thank you for the Grand Designs article, i havnt been able to see any of the programmes aor find the magazine anywhere! i got the second one, but that was it! tell you what i do need, is any help on the councils policies on how they determine a temporary structure from a permanent one, ie: what are the considerations that have to be met. if there is a copy of the guidelines going, or if you can give me a quick run down, that would be a big help.

many thanks!!

Riah

Hi Riah,

You are going to have a problem with what is a temporary structure... it is quite complicated and it is also governed by what the Courts have said... a leading case in the Court of Appeal held that a marquee was a permanent structure because it was erected for more than 6 months...

The rules all relate to whether the structure is fixed to the land in any way. If a structure is not fixed to the land other than its own weight - such as a portacabin, then it is a change of use of the land... there is little way I can see of escaping the need for a temporary structure needing planning permission for its retention.

Also what do you mean by a temporary structure - are we talking tents?, containers? or pre-fabs?...

Land (not in the curtilage of a building) can be used for development for up to 28 days in a calander year - but not if you have to put down permanent fixtures to allow for that use to take place - such as footings.

There are permitted development rights for laying hardstandings but these have to be either ancillary to the use of the dwellinghouse as such or an agricultural use...

Neither can you put up a temporary structure in someones garden and have another family live in it - that would be the creation of a separate planning unit for residential purposes - again requiring planning permission.

The law is a comprehensive set of rules governing all forms of development and is set out in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) - Section 54A covers development... Permitted Development (what you are allowed to do on your own land without permission) is set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.

I also recall a case which went to court of appeal where a man had put up a temporary structure in a wood to enable him to make charcole - even he run foul of the law and in the end the Council got an injunction requiring him to remove the structure.

The Government, Courts and Councils are very protective of the land under their control - development has to accord with the Development Plan - which consists of Government Policy (PPG's_ and Advice (Circulars), The Structure Plan (prepared by the County) and the Local Plan (prepared by the District)... if a development does not accord with the provisions of the development plan then very special circumstances are required for that development to be permitted... the courts have become very strict on the interpretation of "very special circumstances" and mere need to live somewhere is not sufficient these days...

So you would not be able to erect a tent like structure for more than 28 days without that becoming development, you would not be able to put a temporary structure up without that being development, you would not be able to site a fre-fab building without that being development... so this is all tied up and anything of the sort you envisage is going to require a specific grant of planning permission.

However, there is maybe a mere glimmer of light on the horizon, introduced by The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 - and that is Local Development Orders... these may be introduced by a local council through there local development plan (this is to replace Local Plans which are being abolished) as it allows them to recognise that a housing shortage may be met in a particular way - i.e. temporary housing... and that normal planning permission is not required - however the Act also sets out a set of hoops and hurdles to be negotiated to get there... and this is years off yet - as these plans have to be written, accord with the Regional Plan (which haven't even been written yet), then go through the examination in public procedure before adoption... probably 2006 or 2007.

So in my opinion that there is no way any form of temporary structure can avoid requiring planning permission. It could provide a short term solution to a long running problem - such as lack of affordable housing - but then who would want to live in it and where are you going to put it? or if there has been an emergency - but again would you rather move into such accomodation or into rented which your insurer is going to pay for?...

Angie

P.S. If developers were not kept in strict check by Council's then the whole country would be blighted by now by horrendous developments with as many houses cramed into as tight a space as possible - no room to swing a cat, no garden to speak of, no where to site a rubbish bin even and built as cheaply as possible using substandard materials... no trees, no greens, no landscaping... just building upon building upon building as far as the eye can see and as high as possible...

thank you so much angie, i knew there was going to be alot of considerations to planning permission and labeling of structures, but its a wonder everyone involved can keep up with all the rules!! i am on about every kind of temporary structure, including tents/portacabins etc.., anything that has been used in the past and present as homes for people that were meant to be stop-gaps before a proper placement, or the rebuilding of destroyed homes. i guess these lost homes would need their own set of rules, as obviously a large number of families without homes after a natural disaster couldnt keep moving around every month!

anyway, on a different note, any joy on the work experience front? sorry to keep on, but they want it sorted by 10th sept! bloomin tutors! if u want, i could email the brocklehurst people myself? would that be easier (and more professional?!)

thanks again,
Riah