The Planning Team For Your Property Development

Have you purchased a piece of land because it's an ideal location for your dream home? Maybe you've identified a bigger piece of land where you can build multiple properties. This article will provide you with some basic advice to help you with your project and avoid some pitfalls that often crop up in development schemes. It also aims to provide advice as to who to involve in your planning so as to provide the optimum chance of getting your planning application passed.

Site Research
Before liaising with any specialists such as architects and surveyors, it is crucial that you carry out some research. These days, by going on-line, you can check if anyone has previously put in a planning application. Your local planning authority will allow access to their “Planning Portal” which lists Planning Applications, copies of reports and drawings on the planning file and details of any decisions made. Don't worry if you discover that your site has had a refusal. It is always a good idea to closely examine the reasons for refusal as quite often they can be overcome with some technical expertise. A Consultant Town Planner, Highways Consultant (such as Modal Group) or Architect could advise you or point you in the right direction of someone who could help.
In addition to checking out the planning history of your site, also look at similar sized sites in the locality as this will give you an idea of what the Local Planning Authority are looking for in an application and what other issues there may be locally. Additionally, if planning was approved, you'd be informed of the planning conditions that are likely to be applied.

It is at this stage that, we'd advise that you engage an Architect, Town Planner and a Highways Consultant. I can understand that this may seem rather excessive, but there may be issues which all three Consultants would need to address; and the earlier that they do, the less likely that the scheme will be delayed at a later stage or during the Planning Application process itself.

Who Needs To Be On My Planning Team?

a)The Consultant Town Planner
They are often the natural choice to co-ordinate the team's effort in preparing a Planning Application. He will need to consider local planning policy, prepare an argument for the “need” of the proposals, and he will also carry out a more detailed investigation into the planning history as well as considering the planning decisions made for similar sites.
Ideally, the Consultant Town Planner should have an early meeting with the Council Planners, finding out what their requirements are and what the local issues may be. They can then pull together all the relevant planning reports, write and submit the Planning Application, as well as negotiate its passage through the Council in order to obtain a successful result.

b) The Architect
They often take on the duties of the Town Planner and the highways expert. The architect will not only design the dwellings inside and outside, but they will also need to take in to account how the buildings sit in the site, their visual amenity and how they affect neighboring properties. The architect will also advise on how the building design and specification can save energy costs, both in construction and building use thereafter. If there isn't a town planner involved, which is often the case on smaller schemes, then the Architect will quite often lead the development team and co-ordinate the production of any specialist reports that need to be submitted with the Planning Application as well as prepare and submit the Planning Application itself and take responsibility for negotiating with the Council Planners in order to get their recommendation for approval.

c) The Highways Consultant / Transport Planning Consultant
The consultant will quite often face the toughest task. This is to persuade the Local Highway Authority that the development proposals can be accessed safely, that the internal highway layout and design follow the appropriate design guides and Manual for Streets. In addition, that the impact of the proposals on the wider highway network is minimal, traffic surveys may be required, and that accessibility by car, on-foot, cycle and public transport is achievable.

Contact Modal Group
To find out more about our services visit Transport Planning Consultants. Alternatively, for an informal chat about your project call 015398 86015 or contact Modal Group via the website at Traffic Consultants.