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October 2021 October 2021

being reported in the county, as demand has almost doubled amid the current
Take My Songs to Heaven It’s not easy to make them listen – property boom, caused by an influx of city dwellers combined with the stamp
Everyone’s so busy down on Earth. duty holiday. In addition, Dorset Council has also been carrying out a significant
I’m going to take my songs to project to transfer planning records from the six former borough and district
Heaven, I’m sure the Angels will have more time councils into one system.
I’m going to sing them with the Up there I’ll sing for all I’m worth. It comes as the council's planning teams are also dealing with increased number
Heavenly choir. of planning applications amid a national rise in people carrying out changes to
I’m going to sing my songs with the I’m going to take my songs to their homes.
Angels Paradise; As a result, cuts have been made to non-mandatory planning services, bringing
We’re going to set the Heavens on Up there I know I’ll be reborn. an end to the practice of sending letters to neighbours when a planning
fire. I shall hear the Heavenly voices, application is lodged, as well as changing the way notices are published, and
Accompanied by Gabriel’s horn. automating lists for parish councillors, in a bid to free up officers' time to focus on
I’m going to save my songs till eternity planning applications. The council is urging residents to be patient and not to
chase planning applications to avoid adding to the workload.
And sing them with the Angels up I’m going to take my songs to Heaven;
above. Up there we’ll sing with just one voice. "The construction industry has seen a huge surge during the pandemic," a council
I’m sure that their voices will all sing I’m going to take my songs to spokesman said. "Homeowners with additional cash in their pockets are
out; Paradise; considering extensions or changes to their homes because working from home
has become the future. Last month planning applications rose in every English
That the Spirits will appreciate my Then the Heavens will sing and rejoice. region compared to July 2020. This follows a bumper start to the year where
love. February saw an 25 per cent increase in applications (compared to the same
month in 2020) across the country. Throughout 2020 there was a 36 per cent
Eileen Richardson
increase in the number of applications, compared to 2019. This activity has led to
a huge demand on Dorset Council’s planning services."
Cllr David Walsh, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for planning said: “We ask our
To All Local Clubs and Societies residents to bear with us; we know it is frustrating, but these delays are being felt
across the country and it out of our control. It is incredibly busy, and we are
If you are a village club, society or organisation that is now working on all applications in date order. So, I ask for people not to chase their
application, by phone or email. Doing this only takes up officer time that could
getting back on track with regular meetings, could I please be spent on progressing work. “We have kept fellow councillors, town and parish
encourage you to let me have your future events for the ‘Dates councils and property agents informed of the situation by newsletters and emails
for your Diary’ section which has now been re-introduced at and will continue to keep them up to date.”
the back of the magazine - thank you to the WI for the first Another area that has seen a huge increase in demand is land searches and
batch. charges. The stamp duty holiday encouraged people to move home to new
areas to give them a better life balance. This national incentive to help the
Just email me to request a pro-forma template as this will property market has meant that the number of searches needed to be carried
make it easier for me to copy and paste in and also make sure out have almost doubled.
that I have all the information we need - date, event, Thankfully there are some areas that are not seeing such delays. The Building
location, start time etc Control service have been site checking and visiting sites throughout the
pandemic to ensure that buildings are constructed to national building
Many thanks, Alison alison@culverdell.co.uk regulations. They have filled vacant positions and have also recruited two
apprentices who will start their building control degree in September.

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