Watchdog criticises council over roofing consent

The Local Government Ombudsman has severely criticised Peterborough City Council over the way it dealt with an application for a pitched roof over a storage area adjacent to an end-of terrace house next to a corner shop.

The watchdog said the way the application was handled was "administratively flawed from the outset".

His report chronicled a series of major deficiencies: site visits which weren't recorded, the loss of a letter of objection, failures to consider the neighbour's amenity or the provisions of the local plan properly and the decision to take into account food hygiene issues that were not material planning considerations.

The complainant went to the watchdog after the city council granted planning permission for a new pitched roof to replace an existing flat roof over a store area at the rear of the corner shop at right angles to his house.

The application was fast-tracked by the case officer on health and safety grounds. The officer said he did a site visit and took photographs but there were no records of any of this. He said he considered the application fully but did not see the letter of objection from the neighbour which although registered on the council's computer system had been lost.

The complainant said the new roof, which replaced a flat roof of plastic sheeting which did not have planning permission, was overbearing and overshadowed his sitting room to such an extent that he and his wife became depressed and sold their home.

The ombudsman found maladministration causing injustice. He recommended the council obtain an independent valuation of the house before the new store roof was built and then after the work was done and pay the resident any difference.

The watchdog also said the council should pay the resident £500 in recognition of the distress, anxiety and inconvenience he was caused.

The watchdog also recommended that the planning authority should review its resources, record-keeping and procedures for fast-tracking applications to ensure the sort of maladministration experienced would not recur.

Read the Local Government Ombudsman news story

Roger Milne

8 May 2008