by taswegian » Sun 05 Jul, 2020 10:19 pm
Moondog55 I wouldn't be put off by the BS as you mentioned, just see what progresses.
I have no idea of Vic planning but expect similar to here.
If you talk to council then go with some positive ideas for them to grasp and demonstrate (to them) you have given it some thought.
Stress the social benefits and the needs for such and not your personal gain.
Latter is important obviously but don't flog that aspect to them.
Also, importantly, don't give them too much at once. Don't put questioning suggestions to them and find you can't then back out of when they get a brainwave and see your suggestion which was really a question, as a 'yes that's a brilliant idea and we'll certainly run with that' scenario.
Too much information to them can be dangerous, but a well thought through proposal with merit and fitting guidelines can't be denied.
Remember what is okay now maynot be okay once you start asking about change. Any change can invoke a clean slate and whilst your current something is all okay, because this is a new development they can throw their eyes over your whole property and condition the development according to improvements they deem fit. Well, within the scope of what they can.
One example here is your drive (access) maybe well within guidelines now, and in reality for low volume access still okay, but they may think otherwise and force upgrades to that.
I've found its best to let them think they have the upper hand as opposed to you. It's no disadvantage to you and if it gives them a sense of power (which they love to wield) then that's okay and they aren't fooling you and probably others around them.
Ask then 'how this or that can work' and if met with a blanket NO then ask them what part of legislation, planning scheme etc is preventing such?
Often if they don't like something for whatever reason then NO is their repsonse.
Asking for where and why makes them think.
Finally get an email address from them and after you get some agreements or consideration put it straight back to them as a
Thanks for the conversation today and discussing my potential development
This is what I understand we can do, or
From that discussion I understand you mentioned such and such was okay, this or that wasn't .....
And according to Clause 29:4 it is possible to ....
AND. Keep good records of any conversations and emails with dates and times.
I've been met with 'I didn't say that.....' but when confronted with a 'we discussed this last Wednesday, about 2 pm, you'd mentioned you'd just got stuck in traffic...'
An email in response makes them consider what they say and I find that is one of the best ways to elicit things from them that otherwise can't be easily had. If they refuse to answer emails I think of Plan B and approach it through another part of the structure of the organisation/ shire etc.
I've been there done that, got the many Guernseys and learnt much on the way.
All the best with it.