I I - presumably redevelopment value, is payable if the use of the building is still within the same use class as it was at a material date, or if it has been unoccupied since 1 January 1948. There are other provisos too which become even more technical. Many properties, especially residential ones of course, remain in the same use for generations and the net effect of the above, as I understand it, is to prevent the majority of compulsory purchase actions being at all viable from the Local Authorities' point of view. I am having all this checked out in more detaH but I would be very interested to know meanwhile if anyone else has come up against this problem. It would seem to be just one more argument for a complete new Historic Buildings and Conservation Areas Act to correct all the anomalies and problems we are currently suffering. THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL 1983 AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF CABLE SYSTEMS AND SERVICES -HOME OFFICE, DEPT OF INDUSTRY (WHITE PAPER) The above measures, now thankfully dropped, at least temporarily do not seem to be very well known. Yet the information given to a recent meeting of SPAB Conservation & Listings Panel by a representative of British Telecom indicated just how wide the new permitted development powers were intended to be. The new measures would be very complex and as I understand it would, for example, enable not only statutory undertakers but private cable TV companies to install overground wfre distribution systems without any permission being required from Local Planning Authorities The wires are also much thicker than telephone wires, being about the same diameter as TV co-axial cable, say 5-7 mm. Although it is assumed that most distribution by British Telecom would use existing underground distribution where this exists, all distribution by private companies would, it seems, not have access to this facility. Consequently all their distribution could be above ground. 7. ,In addition to these problems the question of dish aerials to receive satellite transmissions was also raised. Individuals could receive the signals direct by using a 1 metre diameter dish ( this would avoid the need to pay rental to a distribution company). These would need to be sited carefully and thus prominently so as to get a good signal. Cable companies would use a 3 metre dish sited in a good reception area to serve a large number of properties with the cable system referred to above. Not much imagination is needed to anticipate the effect upon sensitive locations, including conservation areas. Perhaps the picture is not as black as it was painted to the meeting. I sincerely hope so but it seems these measures will soon be re-introduced in one form or another, so now is clearly the time to make our views known. Accordingly I intend to write to the relevant authorities and if anyone wants to comment first please let me have your views so they can be incorporated in the representations. vvri te to Tony Jenkins. 1 7, Crimi car Lane.Sheffield.S10 4FA.South Yorks, C:'\JvlBRIDGESHIRE STARTS C\SE U\\,v FILE Readers will know of the leqal guide published by cambridge:;hire County Council that makes light the dour verbaqe of the Town & Country Planni~g Acts on conservation.One of the many problems of our everyday work is to interpret the law and whilst the guide is most useful as a tool, it has always suffered by not referring to case-law.Now this is to be remedied and ACO member Rob Walker, the guide's present author is busy collating appeal decisions relating to listed buildings and conservation areas for an annual digest of decisions.Please send him any interesting case histories that you have,to: Cambridgeshire County Council Directorate of Planning & Research.Shire llalL. Castle Hill.Cambridge.CB3 Oi-\P.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgyMjA=