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.
