It was early 2017 and we had submitted our Prior Approval application. I figured we’d be allowed to start the build in a matter of weeks.
Mick the Brick, my trusty builder, was off on holiday in a couple of weeks. Mick had just enough time to dig the trenches, ready to pour the concrete foundations. I said “go for it!” He left me detailed instructions on the pouring, in case we were rubber-stamped before he got back.
Ha! We were refused Prior Approval and had to reapply, this time for full planning permission. We were delayed for a couple of months. It poured down. The trenches became known as “the moat”.
Thankfully, sturdy London clay meant that they stayed surprisingly stable the whole time and dried out nicely when the rain died down. Starting half-cocked could have been an expensive mistake, but we got away with it and the prep for pouring day was minimal. We were back on track!
