Santa coming down the chimney this Christmas: the nice list and Guernsey planning laws

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere we go” sings the ubiquitous Mr Bublé, and our Island home is certainly looking especially festive now.

However, of the many things on Santa’s mind at the moment, the last thing will be whether the local chimneys he goes down need planning permission.

The ‘nice list’ though is the Land Planning and Development (Exemptions) Ordinance, 2023 and in particular Exemption Class 1(24, 25) for dwelling houses, and Exemption Class 2(14) for flats.

Santa can sleep easier knowing that the demolition or rebuilding of a chimney stack is potentially exempt from the need for planning permission.  It is always worth checking, but if the house or flat was built before 1900, does not face a public highway and is rebuilt with matching materials and design, then the planning exemptions may likely apply.

Santa though will need to check the nice list twice, since if the chimney he comes down is in a Conservation Area or is a Protected Building then the mince pie he then eats may not taste so sweet.  He will then be wondering if Building Control approval has been obtained, because this is different to planning permission, which may also be needed if that location criterion is met, or the building is listed.  In the meantime, the Dasher, Dancer and potentially Rudolph on the roof will be thinking if enforcement action is being taken because Santa is taking too long.

The good news, of course, is that the children will be asleep and need not trouble themselves with anything like theTrading Standards (Fair Trading)(Guernsey) Ordinance 2023!

Happy Christmas and New Year from all of us at F&F.