Mob rule rules! →[More:]
I live in a little cul-de-sac that was built in the 1960s, 16 flats and 13 houses. The end house nearest the road has a strip of land next to it, and a developer recently bought it. He's planning to build a 4-bedroomed house on the land (the other houses are 2 or 3 bedroomed) with balconies, bigger than the footprint of the existing houses, no garage, just a horrid, nasty house, trying to squeeze the biggest building he can into a narrow strip of land to maximise profit.

So, this evening a crowd of us went along to the Parish Council meeting. This is the local council, who makes recommendation to the District Council on whether or not the development should be allowed. The District Council makes the final decision.

My suggestion that we march on the Parish Council offices chanting and carrying burning torches was rejected by the other residents, but we turned up en masse in any event.

The new owner of the house + land was there, and he said his piece. Then our appointed spokesperson (not me) put forward our objections. Two other residents spoke, and then the council members discussed the plans, looking in detail at the blueprints.

The Chairman was all for recommending the development be allowed to go ahead, but then, completely against protocol, we all chipped in again ("No other house has a balcony" "This new house will exceed the existing building line both front and back" "There'll be no street parking for visitors" etc.) and the other council members then all changed their minds and the Chairman had to be swayed by democracy and agree that this is an over-development of a small site and that it shouldn't be allowed!

This is the first stage. We all intend to go along to the District Council meeting and object again. But it was awesome to see how the opinion was swayed because we held our ground and kept on voicing our objections.