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Comment by arethuza | Hacker News Reader

"NHS, police, fire service, etc. usually raise objections to everything"

I've never seen any of those organisations raising objections - I don't think they are even consulted on the planning applications I have seen? Planning applications for housing developments usually have a huge number of objections from nearby residents but the few organisations consulted seem to usually say that they've reviewed the plans and they look sensible.

Edit: I was looking at a local residential planning application hoping it would pass as it would replace some disused farm buildings that are currently a bit of an eyesore.

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I live in inner London so maybe it's a regional thing, but developments here usually include consultations from more organisations than I knew existed. Here's a recent one from near me: https://anewcentreforlewisham.com/planning/

I forget which of the various huge documents contains the local organisational consultations, but one of them does. The planning application itself (DC/24/137871) contains 340 documents. News quotes, for example, Greenwich council:

> While the scheme would appear as part of a tall building cluster, it risks harming the open character of Blackheath and the setting of heritage assets. The report requests additional winter views to fully assess visibility and potential harm.

(bit of an odd objection considering you can see Canary Wharf from there and there's a heavy traffic road running through the middle of it...)

I'm not suggesting that, for example, things like NHS concerns that there aren't enough local hospital beds or whatever aren't important, but I guess my view is that they shouldn't really be part of an individual planning decision.

I've definitely seen an NHS comment on a planning application near here along the lines of 'for this number of new houses we need this amount of money to increase GP provision'. I guess it feeds into Section 106 stuff?

There are a huge number of statutory consultees who are asked - they don't have to respond. It is an enormous list. Just as an example any and all of these can be statutory consultees depending on site location:

Environment Agency, Natural England, Forestry Commission, Canal and River Trust, Historic England, The Gardens Trust, Health and Safety Executive, Office for Nuclear Regulation, Highways Authority, Parish Councils, Rail Infrastructure Managers, Coal Authority, Sport England, Theatres Trust, Water and sewerage undertakers, Local Planning Authorities, National Parks Authorities, Greater London Authority

A recent battery planning application got objections from the fire service on the grounds that its location might be difficult to reach (narrow lane) if it catches fire. Which is actually a reasonable objection? Fire codes are a thing for a reason.

Not heard of NHS objections and the police can get stuffed as they have very weird ideas about public order and whose responsibility it is.

One of the other comments noted that a lot of organisations may be asked - but they don't have to respond. I was looking at the actual submitted documents for planning applications...

Mind you - the responses I did see seemed pretty sensible - water & sewers, drainage, roads etc.

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