Well well well.
Its taken a fair bit of digging, but essentially, outside of a conservation area, the long and the short of it is,
"At the whim of the planning department of your local council".
Now strictly, thy are supposed to have a Plan, and get that plan rubber stamped by Hazel Blears, but as long as it contains th requisite pap like 'affordable housing' 'attention to ethnic minorities' and 'job creation' it appears the plan can be almost anything you like.
And how its interpreted is of course 'subject to review on an individual basis'.
So you end up with about 12 people who essentially, if they don't get caught, can allow or deny planning permission on an entirely arbitrary basis. And whose jobs depend more or less on the head of planning...
Now if that person happens to be an honest decent public servant, who puts together a plan (and sticks to it) that reflects what the local electorate want, all well and good. But if that person is a corrupt individual with an offshore account in the Bermudas, and a few chums on the committee..its a positive *invitation* to corruption isn't it? Not that I in any way impute such planning officers exist.
You might say that, I couldn't possibly comment..
T Dan smith.