I was up early and walking Sam before leaving for the Broads Authority Planning Committee, dropping Doris off at the Norwich railway station on the way.
I was pleased to get my conditions approved for a Harnser Planning Approval. Walking Sam across Crabbet’s Marsh as the flood water slowly subsided
I was fast asleep until woken by the alarm radio at 7.00am and then up as dawn broke before out with Sam for a run by Horning Church. The water had come up in the night again and, with the gardens flooded, he needed some dry ground to exercise on. A rush to eat breakfast and still get ready to take Doris to Norwich railway station but I was still on time. The journey across the city went well and so I was early for my meeting of The Broads Authority Planning Committee.
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I was expecting to see Andrew Hind as my planning adviser, but it soon became evident that he was either late or would not be coming. I still marvel over the hospitality offered by them; cups of coffee on arrival and then during the meeting, being the most evident. Yet still the taking of visitors' names grates slightly with the openness of a public meeting. They proceeded quickly and, it seemed, harshly with the dismissal of several planning applications, taking particular exception to the plans for a number of properties in Crabbet’s Marsh and I feared the worst for mine for Heronshaw.
Mr David Stevens, the North Norfolk Planning Officer, on behalf of The Broads Authority who, for once, presented a half-reasonable report but tried to justify the additional conditions but left the matter with no recommendation. Kerry Williams, The Broads Authority's own planner was silent despite the hopes that we had for him, and it was left to the chairman and the solicitor to propose that the conditions be varied to coincide with those of the agreement which were more favourable to us. I was both surprised and relieved at this turn of events as I was previously resigned to having to undertake the costly appeal process.
Phone calls home and to Andrew immediately upon emerging from the meeting and then into the city centre where I bought some lunch at Olivers, ordered a de-humidifier, and did some other shopping. The water was still high when I got back to Horning and so I stopped the car at the top of the road and walked down Crabbet’s Marsh Road with Sam. I found Mr Banks of "Little Birches" back at his property and commiserated with him over the planning decision which went against him. I tried to give him some good advice, but he had already taken risks and painted himself into a corner. An evening at home, cooking tea and then trying to improve my television reception before watching a TV film and going to bed.