Beware Pestilence and Other Things Godly.

Planning response to provision of Community Facility is below.  I have added my own comments, in blue.

Council Automaton Response Begins -
Whilst the Planning Service would generally support the provision of new community facilities, I have a number of concerns regarding the proposals by Mr.XXX Wow! This is totally unexpected and comes as a complete shock

Government policy and the Council's Local Plan, against which planning
applications must be determined, both require that development achieve a
context with appropriate materials. A 'portacabin' style building will
not achieve this objective, no matter what the finish. Councils usually
only approve portacabin style buildings for temporary periods pending
more permanent arrangements (Clearly, using them at schools for many years, decades in some cases, doesn't count!) A portacabin is also unlikely to provide
high quality facilities in terms of toilets, services and disabled
access. (The proposed toilet facility fully complies with all Disability requirements. I'm sure that Portakabin would not be particularly impressed with the comment that their units are "unlikely to provide high quality facilities in terms of toilets, services and disabled
access." This is precisely what Portakabin produce.

A location on the Looe Road play area would also be likely to conflict
with local plan policies regarding the loss of open space. In view of
these concerns , it would be difficult to overcome these objections.
While the small site on Looe Road by the sub station is more prominent
in the street scene so I would be more concerned about design, it would
not lead to an objection regarding loss of open space.

The Council would require a flood risk assessment to accompany any
application. This area is likely to be at greater than 1 in 100 per
annum risk of flooding. (Not only a possible 1 in 100 risk of flooding, but have Planning seriously considered possible invasion of locusts, boils, frogs, death of all first-born, darkness etc. It wasn't all pyramids and palm trees in Egypt!). A community centre would be a sensitive use.
The Environment Agency would normally expect a 'sequential approach'
based upon finding a site that is not subject to a 1 in 100 flood risk. (Note the not so subtle shift/sharing of responsibility here?)
A portacabin may be more susceptible to flood risk than a permanent
building. I would normally urge Members to be very cautious about
overriding any Environment Agency objection. (The proposed Portakabin shell is of metal construction and, as a result, would suffer considerably less damage from flooding than a conventional brick/block structure. Perhaps if Planning had taken a few minutes to read the specification that I sent to them they would have been aware of this.)

In conclusion, I would not feel able to recommend planning permission be
granted for a project as Mr XXXXX currently envisages. It remains open
to Mr XXXXX to make a planning application if he wishes and,(swell the coffers of ECC's Planning Department) if there
is any Member support, those Members are entitled to ask that the
application be considered by Planning Committee and not be determined
under delegated powers.
It would seem that ECC Planning Department's view of the 'unsuitability of Portakabin type structures' doesn't extend to the proliferation of 'timber frame' type student accommodation that is overwhelming parts of Exeter. Effectively, these student 'battery houses' are little more than Portakabins type structures constructed/stacked on top of each other.
It is also difficult to grasp Planning's concept/interpretation of "local plan policies regarding the loss of open space". Whilst being used as an argument against my proposal, the much larger 'loss of open space' relating to a recent planning consultation, regarding the construction of houses/flats to the rear of homes in Newport Road, Countess Wear (and no doubt other sites) , seems not to be an issue.
It would appear that ECC's Planning Department are happy to apply the rules as best suits their own agenda.