My Authority has received a 'prior notification' application for the conversion of an agricultural building (former cow barn) into an indoor sports use (in a secluded area within flood plain and next to 2 private residential barn conversions). As the building is under 150 sqm in area . M.3 (a) apply which requires the applicant to provide the date of commencemnt of use , the nature of the uses and a plan indentifying the building in question. My question is what happens next? M.3(b) for conversions between 150-500 sqm refers specifically to prior approval and directs applicants to section N, but M.3.(a) doesnt. Does the authority have no option but to say thank you for the information and the developer just carries on regardless of any highways / noise / contimation and flooding impacts? To the best of my interpretation, this part doesnt require the developer to seek a prior approval, and as such, an assessment of some fairly obvious impacts, by the LPA Have we interpreted this part correctly? Any views welcome. With all these changes to policy by the back door are we going to end up with an environment as envisaged in Blade Runner and by Corsucant in Star Wars?
