The Gazette 1967/71

show that the average amount per bill of a solicitor

acting for a lessee in that area was actually greater

than the average amount per bill of a solicitor

acting for the lessor, namely £18 as against £16.

The Board have been asked whether some mistake

has been made in the preparation of these figures,

but they deny this possibility while being unable

to say how this result can be explained. They sug

gest it may somehow or other be linked with

another curiosity, namely that the number of bills

presented to lessors by the solicitors who replied

to the Board's questionnaire was apparently fifty

per cent greater than the number presented to

lessees.

Action so far taken by the Council

The President has written to the Lord Chancellor

informing him that the Council wish to accept the

invitation to make representations to the govern

ment before the government decide whether or

not to adopt the Prices and Incomes Board's re

port. They have in the meantime given prelim

inary consideration to the various criticisms re

ferred to above and the Special Committee, under

the Chairmanship of Sir Hilary Scott, which was

responsible for the drafting of the Law Society's

memorandum of evidence to the PIB, has been

charged with the preparation of the Law Society's

representations.

The President has also in his letter to the Lord

Chancellor, asked whether the Lord Chancellor

feels that it would be possible to convene meetings

of the Statutory Committee under the Solicitors

Act 1957, and of the County Court Rules Com

mittee, before a decision has been reached by the

government on the Prices and Incomes Board's

report. At the time of going to press a reply to

that letter had not as yet been received, but it is

expected that the reply will be "no" and thus a

written confirmation of his oral statement referred

to earlier in this article.

PLANNING PERMISSION

Reprinted, with permission, from

A House of

Your Own,

published by the Stationery Office

If you are building your own house

If you propose to build your own house, you should

apply for planning permission from your local

authority before work is commenced. You do not

have to be the owner or lessee of the land when

you apply but, if you are buying or leasing a site,

you should make the contract or lease conditional

on the obtaining of planning permission. You can

apply for :

(a) outline permission (which means that the

planning authority accepts the proposed develop

ment in principle) and subsequently submit de

tailed plans for approval, or

(b) full permission, if you are satisfied that your

building proposals are likely to be acceptable and

you prefer to submit all the necessary particulars

in a single application.

When you apply for planning permission—

(whether outline or full)—or for approval to de

tailed plans, you should forward :

(a) particulars of your interest (if any) in the

land and name and address and

(b) a copy of a newspaper circulating in the

area in which notice of intention to apply for the

permission or approval has been published or,

stating that planning permission or approval is

being sought.

When applying for an outline permission, you

should forward a plan or particulars sufficient to

enable the planning authority to identify the land

and to determine the siting and layout of the

development you propose. In the case of a new

house, you need send only a section of the Ordnance

Sheet—or a tracing from it—on which you have

clearly marked the boundaries of the site and the

proposed location of the house. It is desirable also

to indicate what provision is being made for water-

supply and sewage disposal and to show the posi

tion of the septic, tank (if one is necessary). More,

detailed plans will be required when you apply for

a full permission or for approval after you have

obtained an outline permission. These will include

a site or layout plan, drawings of floor plans,

elevations and section, water and sewerage connec

tions and detailed plans of septic tank, if one is

proposed. Normally you should lodge these plans

in duplicate, keeping copies for yourself, but some

planning authorities may require more than two

copies. Advice on requirements may be obtained

from the offices of the planning authorities. Some

of them have devised special application forms to

facilitate applicants.

A planning authority must decide on a properly

made application for permission or approval with

in two months from the date the application is

received; if they do not do so, they are deemed

to have made a decision to grant the application.

If they decide to grant your application (either

with or without conditions) they notify you.

If you consider that any conditions proposed are

too onerous, you can appeal against them. The