Demolition date

[Thornwood]

A property I am interested in was demolished at some point between 1973 and 1976. The local paper called for its demolition as it was an eyesore and dangerous but after trawling their archive between those dates I can find no article about it having actually been pulled down. Locals only seem to remember it going but not sure when exactly. Where can I find this information. Do people need planning permission for a demolition in the same way they need it for building?
Thanks for any help.
Thornwood.

[CaroleW]

Have you contacted the Building regs/Planning dept in the area to see what info they hold?

[chris_49]

Do people need planning permission for a demolition in the same way they need it for building?

I don't believe so, unless it's listed. A few buildings in my area have been demolished by the owners with no justification or explanation. Of course if other buildings adjoin - if it is part of a terrace, or if a nuisance might be caused, that's another matter - but these were on an old industrial estate.   

[Thornwood]

Thanks, I'll try that.
Thornwoof

[Kiltpin]

Do people need planning permission for a demolition in the same way they need it for building?

My understanding is - Yes, planning permission is required.
There are a great many issues that the Council would be interested in.

• Change of use from say Residential to brownfield,
• Change in Rateable Value,
• Health & Safety - demolition, disposal of rubble, possible asbestos, security from theft, security from children, breathing hazards because of dust, disruption to traffic and pedestrians, safely securing water and gas and electricity and effluent,
• Visual amenity and ongoing safety after demolition.

I would be greatly shocked if the Council were not involved at every stage of the process from start to finish and after.
Regards

Chas

[Greensleeves]

You should be able to make an appointment to view the records of the site at your local authority's Planning Department.  Just phone or email with details of the site in which you are interested, make an appointment, and they will have the relevant records available for you to search.

Regards
GS

[chris_49]

I complained to a councillor about one demolition I'd seen, and he said there was very little they could do. I suppose cash-strapped councils feel there is little point in risking the costs of taking the owners to court after the fact - especially if the owner is a billionaire property developer with friends in very high places.

[Ray T]

Do people need planning permission for a demolition in the same way they need it for building?

My understanding is - Yes, planning permission is required.
There are a great many issues that the Council would be interested in.

• Change of use from say Residential to brownfield,
• Change in Rateable Value,
• Health & Safety - demolition, disposal of rubble, possible asbestos, security from theft, security from children, breathing hazards because of dust, disruption to traffic and pedestrians, safely securing water and gas and electricity and effluent,
• Visual amenity and ongoing safety after demolition.

I would be greatly shocked if the Council were not involved at every stage of the process from start to finish and after.
Regards

Chas

(My emphasis) Where does that understanding come from?

I can assure you that planning permisson is not required to demolish a building (certainly not in the 70's). Planning permission is required to carry out "development" which is legally defined to include building, mining or engineering operations or the making of a material change in the use of land.

A local planning authority grants planning permission subject to a condition that developemt must be begun within a specified period. A developer implements that permission and they do not have to inform the planning authority when they start or when they clear the site in order to carry out the development.

From a practical aspect, I see little point in asking the planning authority when the building was demolished as they would have had no cause to record the information in the first place. Any personal knowledge of people working at the authority at the time will no longer exist - they would by now have either retired or have died.

You may also like to note that, unlike planning records, building regulation files are not open to public inspection.

[Kiltpin]

My understanding comes from here -

Planning Portal -  Application Type Guidance
V1 England
Application for Prior Notification of Proposed Demolition
Schedule 2, Part 11 of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015
The Application for Prior Notification of Proposed Demolition form should be used for proposals to demolish a building or structure.
Demolition of a building is generally not classed as ‘development ’ and therefore planning permission is not usually needed. However, the demolition of certain buildings will need approval from the local planning authority beforehand.

Planning controls over demolition do not apply to the demolition of various buildings - including listed buildings, buildings in conservation areas, which are under 50 cubic metres capacity, fences or enclosures outside conservation areas and any other building except a dwelling house or one next to a dwelling house.
  Although such works are known as ‘permitted development’, before you can carry out the
demolition you must apply to the planning authority for a determination as to whether
prior approval will be required for the method of demolition and any proposed restoration
of the site.

The purpose of this control is to give local planning authorities the opportunity to regulate the details of demolition in order to minimise the impact of that activity on local amenity. The form does not apply where demolition is:
• on land which is the subject of planning permission for its redevelopment, granted on
an application, or deemed to be granted, under Part III of the Act
• required or permitted to be carried out by or under any enactment
• required to be carried out by virtue of a relevant obligation

It is often helpful to discuss your proposal with your local authority before you send in your
application – this is known as pre-application advice. Your local authority will normally have
details of how to go about this on its website.

Regards

Chas