doratheexplorer

Not really a valid comparison. The score is based on visa requirements (or lack of). The point is was making wasn't about that. It used to be that UK passport holders could remain in any EU country indefinitely. Not any more. The passport 'score' takes no account of that loss.

Is it? It used to be the Europe was your oyster. Not any more.

I understand the negativity but given the amount of resistance even to dropping the triple lock, I expect the state pension to still be around when I retire in 20+ years time. By the time I retire I will have paid NI contributions for nigh on 50 years, in that time, the only thing I've had back was 3 months of basic rate jobseekers allowance a couple of decades ago. If the state pension is scrapped or means tested, I will be rioting, along with, I expect, millions of others. I would consider it theft and would expect to have my NI contributions reimbursed to me.

Except that both applications were appealed and both times the inspector agreed with the refusal. The inspector's reports are availble online to read. For starters, it's green belt.

The residential status of the mooring was established in an earlier application (2006) for a certificate of lawfulness: https://planning.cheshireeast.gov.uk/applicationdetails.aspx?pr=07/0005P&query=93ae35cd-38bc-408b-a01b-d662c9b531fe This application is quite interesting. The applicant was asserting that, because a residential boat had been moored there for over ten years, it made the whole site residential. The Council disagreed and only gave residential status to the mooring itself, not the adjoining land. That's why they started submitting applications for new dwellings, which were then refused. Then the owners have tried to find a loophole by using the permitted development regs to put up warehouse/storage buildings with a view to converting them to resi later. I suspect they've been advised that the conversion to resi will be refused, so they've decided to sell to an unsuspecting mug who thinks they can build a house there. Bear in mind that even if conversion to resi is accepted, that's only an approved for a change of use of the existing warehouse building, which, if you look at the plans is a horrible ugly thing and not at all desirable as a house. If they try to build something new to live in, it will need full planning permission, which would almost certainly be refused. It's in a conservation area and in the green belt.

Exactly. Twice refused for resi, but the estate agent's blurb says: "This plot currently has the benefit of a certificate of lawfulness for the construction of a warehouse/storage unit which later could be transferred under permitted development for residential." This is misleading. There is no guarantee of transfer to resi, the change would need a prior approval application.

Because that's not a planning application. It's an application for a certificate of lawfulness. Basically, the development is looking for something in writing from the Council to prove that no planning permission is required.

It's worth trying to find out what specifically caused the pitting in the first place. For example, if the boat is fairly new or has been looked after well by regular blacking, use of a galvanic isolator etc. and it's still badly pitted then I'd be pretty concerned that either the steel is poor quality or that there are significant issues with the electrical set up of the boat. Either way you can look forward to ongoing problems with corrosion. On the other hand, if the boat is old, perhaps been neglected, maybe has been stuck in a marina for years on a hook-up, with no galvanic isolator, or maybe even kept in brackish water, then pits down to 4mm would seem perfectly reasonable and it would therefore be reasonably to presume that looking after the boat well in future would prevent significant further corrosion.

I've never had difficulties with mobile coverage under trees. Is this unusual?

Everywhere other than under trees, as I understand it.

"Freehold Residential London Mooring with additional Mudlarking opportunity!" I should be an estate agent.

The Canal Network doesn't come anywhere near meeting the criteria for a National Park. More likely candidates would be a World Heritage Site, or to designate the whole network as a Scheduled Monument by Historic England (and the Welsh version).

Presumably the boater's facilities will be lost then?

I haven't seen the film but I presume its a nod to the Cadbury boats which used to bring ingredients to the Bournville Factory from Knighton on the Shroppie?

"Theexplorer" is my surname.

Cock-up is my middle name.

That's just like mine.

Very rarely. Far more common for me is when I approach a low bridge and realise quite late that I need to remove the chimney. My chimney is in the middle of the boat, so going down the gunwales is the sensible option.

Those aren't proper handrails.

I imagine it would be quite a short book. If you're looking for information on how to navigate the Severn, that might take 2 or 3 pages. Or are you looking for someone's personal experience of navigating the Severn (which only takes about 10 hours from Stourport to Gloucester).

This is exactly what I do on the occassions I have a crew.