That old gripe: et la lutte continue

Way, way back in November of last year, Malcolm got waxy with Haringey’s Planning Enforcement. In all this time he has not received as much as an acknowledgement.

So, out of devilment, here goes again:

[Email starts:]

Seven months ago (29 November 2010) I addressed the following to your planning Enforcement. I still await a reply: ___________________________________

A week ago you received the following:

Out of bloody-mindedness, Malcolm looked up The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.

He is severely vexed;

He has a gripe;

He is otherwise not engaged; and

It is a wet, grey, miserable November day in Norf Lunnun.

Despite the usual impenetrable parliamentary draughtsmanship, this is what Malcolm thinks he learned:

Class 3A of the rules and regulations seems the key bit which refers to estate agents boards (which is his current hate);

A board can be displayed if a property is for sale or to let;

The board ought exceed half-a-square metre in size;

Only one board can be displayed for a single property, and the board must be on that property, not on the verge or on a communal area;

and, naturally, there are all kinds of other restrictions.

So:

Why are there scores of signs which boast a particular property has been sold or let?

Why do other boards exists for months, and in a couple of egregious cases for years (vide: above Sainsbury’s, Muswell Hill), advising that the property is “let and managed” by a particular firm?

Why does the local authority take no action?

To date you have not felt able to honour this with even an acknowledgement of receipt. Malcolm assumes, therefore, that either he has mistaken the regulations (and you are too polite to correct him) or they do not apply in the London Borough of Haringey.

In the course of today’s errands, Malcolm wandered from Muswell Hill Post Office to Sainsbury’s in Fortis Green Road.

To help you further in any efforts, he noted signboards declaring that the premises had been “let by” or “let and managed by” a particular firm. As far as Malcolm reads the regulations, all of these seem to be irregular:

two separate boards (i.e. four sides) above Sainsbury’s, 12-14 Fortis Green Road (these have been there for a considerable length of time, possibly years);

above Broadway Pet Stores, 6-8 Muswell Hill Broadway;

rear of Nicholas wine merchants, 91-93 Muswell Hill Broadway;

the former premises of Quicksilver, ?150 Muswell Hill Broadway (which may also be in breach because of size);

154-166 Muswell Hill Broadway;

above Rex café, 184 Muswell Hill Broadway;

188 Muswell Hill Broadway;

192-202 Muswell Hill Broadway;

280-282 Muswell Hill Broadway;

above Pizza Express, 290 Muswell Hill Broadway;

above Andrews locksmiths, 299 Muswell Hill Broadway;

339 Muswell Hill Broadway;

“I’m let”, above Oxfam Books, 378 Muswell Hill Broadway;

former dry cleaners, 438 Muswell Hill Broadway;

“Flat sold”, 442-448 Muswell Hill Broadway.

There are also the decaying remains of the wooden supporting structure for a board above Everbest, 388 Muswell Hill Broadway.

Should any of your officers venture down the residential Muswell Hill Road, a further rash of similar boards will be evident.

This is being posted at https://redfellow.wordpress.com and copied to the Ham & High.

___________________________________

This is again being posted at https://redfellow.wordpress.com and copied to the Ham & High.

[End of email]

Many, if not most of those boards listed above are still there. Plus other additions.

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