19 July - All as bad as each other?
As we get older various faculties begin to decline, different things for different people.
As such I help out a friend living in Bromley who is approaching 90 years of age.
Usually it is with modern technology although some of that is a mystery to me too
but occasionally it is simply dealing with officialdom.
On Monday of last week the owner of the terrace house next door to him began to knock
out the whole of his back wall and demolish chimney breasts. I say the owner but
he has in fact buggered off leaving the job in the hands of a couple of men who
are friendly enough but have inevitably made a horrendous amount of noise and
dust plus a heap of rubble in which rats have swiftly taken up residence.
There was not a word of warning from the neighbour.
I checked Bromley’s planning portal and drew a blank. Their advice on Building
Regulations was very clear and work of this magnitude
must be advised to the Council.
I wrote to them asking if they knew of the development and if so were they
keeping an eye on it and what was their view on the shared drainage being built over.
The reply came very quickly. They know nothing because all Building Regulation
matters are outsourced to a contractor. Stroma Building Control Ltd. Bromley
Council doesn’t want to be involved.
I have written to the local Councillor to tell him that that is totally
unacceptable and when Bromley Council is asked a question on a matter over which
they have statutory control they are expected to respond and not shrug and run away.
Is Bexley just as bad?