The Revised National Planning Policy Framework: More of the Same?
It doesn’t happen very often, but for those involved in the planning world, this week marks the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
We are however disappointed to see the watering down of the small sites requirement, which was expected to require at least 20% of a Local Planning Authority’s housing requirement to be identified on smaller sites of 0.5 hectare or less. These sites being brought to the front line in strategic plans and site allocations, would be important, like larger sites, in providing for local housing needs. There are many more smaller sites, they can be constructed quickly and usually require less infrastructure.
What has transpired with the publication of the revised NPPF, is the size has increased to 1 hectare and the requirement for there to be 20%, has dropped to 10%. It looks like the owners of small sites will need to continue to pursue the planning application route to realise the potential of land and buildings. More windfall and gone is the opportunity for smaller parcels of land to be potentially allocated for development, in a way that proposal maps have not previously considered.
We can see the relief on the face of some cash strapped Council’s, and understandably so, but why, if we are serious about tackling the housing crises, are we not properly resourcing local planning authorities?
Six years have passed since the rationalised national policy emerged and as with many things, time will tell as to whether it delivers on its promises. We sense a missed opportunity, although the NPPF has much to offer such as the housing delivery test and its emphasis on design.
There is only one thing worse than losing a planning appeal, and that is having costs awarded against you. The outcome of an appeal doesn’t automatically result in a costs award, it requires a party to have behaved unreasonably and for the other party to have incurred wasted expense.
In one recent case in Devon, a costs award was made against the Appellant to pay the Council’s costs, which is quite a rare occurrence. After reading on, it transpired that the Appellant had failed to supply the Council with information requested part way through considering a planning application. This can be frustrating yes, but in this instance, it appeared a straightforward request that should have been picked up in validation. Fast forward, and the application was refused, an appeal dismissed, and the Appellant was on the wrong side of a costs award.
It is important to have the right professional planning advice, during an application and at appeal. If you have a costs application made against you, it is vital to put forward a robust defence to prevent appeal becoming even more costly.
Inspire Planning Solutions have a 100% perfect record of success on costs application. We have won costs against both a London Borough and a West Midlands Council in just the last few weeks alone, as they were both found to have behaved unreasonably.
If you have had a bad planning experience with a Council, please contact us for advice and guidance on your possible next steps.
We have recently submitted a detailed planning application in Broadfield, Crawley, for a new primary school and nursery with a capacity for 180 pupils aged 2-11. The applicant is seeking to establish a primary education facility (an independent faith school), including nursery/early years provision with an ancillary Community Café plus a book store with an educational shop.
We were appointed to manage the submission of the application and provide Planning Consultancy services, liaising closely with our project partners, Blackstone Architects and DTPC Transport Consultants, in the preparation of the scheme. This approach was used to ensure that we had the right specialisms and expertise resulting in the submission of a favourable development proposal.
The development will result in the regeneration of a prominent site, in addition to addressing the aspirations of the local resident community by providing an additional quality primary education facility. This will be a high-quality development featuring undercroft parking with a public square incorporating a water feature. The design has taken into consideration the context of the site, as well as ensuring that there would be no unacceptable impacts on local amenities or on the highway network.
We are looking forward to working closely with Crawley Council and managing the application throughout the entire planning process and beyond!
Inspire Planning Solutions Ltd is an established Chartered Town Planning Consultancy providing wide-ranging assistance for planning applications and appeals.
Whenever building in the Green Belt is mentioned, visions of vast housing estates comes to mind, where there once was fields. However, careful consideration during the planning phase and working within the framework of current planning legislation, can result in an appropriate and sustainable development that benefits the local community.
Inspire Planning Solutions Ltd has recently secured planning permission in a designated Green Belt area for the erection of a new dwelling in Chorley, Lancashire.
This particular scheme involves the demolition of the existing single storey stables and storage buildings and the redevelopment of the site for a detached dwelling. As the site had already been identified as ‘brownfield’, due to the stabling of horses rather than agriculture, redevelopment was a viable option.
We were approached by the Architect, Blue Chip Architecture who had been asked to look at the re-design of a previous approval on the site for a new house. The client was looking for a distinctive property with a contemporary design, which included features such as a glazed front gable and with a reconfigured internal layout to provide a more modern open plan form of living, to take full advantage of the site’s rural aspect adjacent to open countryside.
In presenting a carefully crafted argument and referring to the disparate nature of the existing structures, we were able to demonstrate that the proposal, despite the increase in size, would result in a more compact form of development, and would not “have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt” as required by the National Planning Policy Framework (Paragraph 89).
The application received support from the Planning Officer and our client is now looking forward to building their dream home!
If you are looking to maximise the potential of a site, it’s important to present an effective planning case – Green Belt designation does not necessarily mean your planning application will be refused.
Happy New Year from all the team at Inspire Planning Solutions Ltd.
We hope you have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018!
We would like to wish all our past, present and future clients a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2018.
Please not that our office will be closed from Thursday 21st December through to Wednesday 3rd January 2018.
Inspire Planning Solutions Ltd has secured planning permission for an attractive development of 9 apartments in Chelmsford, Essex, which involves the demolition of a large dwelling house, being replaced by a 3 storey new build scheme.
Through a close working relationship with the Council, we provided project management and planning consultancy services, which were instrumental in guiding this scheme through to a positive outcome. This compromised a number of pre-application discussions, careful research to formulate a planning argument, and responsiveness to consultee feedback during the planning process.
The application received support from members of the local community with one person commenting that: “these flats will give the opportunity to people like me to get on the housing ladder”, demonstrating that the demand for housing, when combined with a well thought out development can get the backing from wide-ranging stakeholders.
Our Planning Consultant, Thomas Konarski, commented on the success adding, “underused sites in the urban areas can be turned into opportunities with the right vision and team“.
After much hype and predictions on what the Chancellor would do to kick start the next housing phase, it turned out to be yet another budget with the inevitable announcements on planning.
As expected, there was more of the usual, such as extending permitted development rights, but, the announcement on the demolition of commercial buildings and replacement with housing was an unusual departure from the current Permitted Development rights. Inevitably, there will have to be additional safeguards in place and also some form of a prior approval process for this to be successful. But will this proposal like many others before it become dumbed down?
Those of us who were looking for more radical reforms will have to be patient. There were some new ideas, such as a new form of ‘exception’ site (housing being built for first time buyers), but we’ll have to wait to see further details before we pass judgement on that one!
The de-allocation of sites from local plans looks interesting: at present, changes in land designation are at the behest of Local Authorities and their timetable for updating and producing new plans. If enacted, this change could result in greater flexibility where sites are not always materialising for their intended use.
We see some good ideas in the budget but are the proposals likely to deliver the 300,000 new homes a year the government has set out? Don’t forget we are still awaiting the construction of the 200,000 starter homes promised in the 2014 budget!
Will the Chancellor’s proposals and ideas help build the houses we desperately need or should he have gone much further with more radical reforms and legislation?
The only thing we can safely prediction is that there will be many more consultations in the coming weeks and months.
Inspire Planning Solutions have been working on a new family housing development project in Walkden, being submitted to Salford Council for planning approval.
We’ve been working closely with award winning architects, Corstorphine + Wright Architects Ltd, to submit plans for the high-quality development comprising of 17 semi-detached homes and 4 spacious apartments.
Walkden, 20 minutes from Manchester City Centre, has been earmarked by Salford Council as a key location to meet future housing needs and this development will provide quality housing in fast growing and desirable area.
This is another example of how our numerous years of planning experience in both public and private sectors, along with our bespoke, impartial, non-nonsense and personal approach, helps deliver high-quality housing development projects.
For over a year, Inspire Planning Solutions Ltd, has been working closely with our clients and a Northern Council, on a housing redevelopment in the centre of a former industrial town.
This heritage led development will feature a stunning listed building as the centre piece of the redevelopment. However, it is not a straight forward project due to a number of surrounding older buildings that need major work and are well past their best!
The Council is seeking to protect these other non-listed structures by not allowing their removal which is creating a ‘catch-22’ situation; no removal = lack of investment + further decline! (not to mention the even greater restoration work that will be required in the future).
We are experts in obtaining all types planning permission and regularly work with businesses, developers and homeowners. Inspire Planning Solutions Ltd is led by a Chartered Town Planner, Farooq Rafiq.
Our support is available throughout the week; feel free to leave a message outside of office hours.