Planning & Listed Building Consent Secured for conversion of historic building in Conservation Area

PDP were delighted this month to secure planning and Listed Building consent for the conversion of a 19th Century former warehouse building in the heart of a Derbyshire Dales market town to residential accommodation.

The building is situated just off the town’s main shopping street, behind a Georgian town house. The development will bring a disused historic building back into use and in doing so facilitate its restoration and long term upkeep.

Permission was granted for the scheme following consultations with planning and conservation officers, the town council and the conservation advisory forum.

Householder permitted development guidance published

A technical guidance document covering the permitted development regime for householders was published this month by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Significant amendments were made to permitted development legislation in October 2008. In our experience the amended rules have proved to be enormously beneficial to our clients who have wanted to develop their homes during the previous 2 years, by allowing greater flexibility for expansion without the need for permission, or otherwise providing a good starting point for negotiations with local authorities concerning larger extensions which do require consent. Clients are often pleasantly surprised about how much can be achieved thanks to the legislative changes.
However the legislation has, to a certain extent, been open to interpretation, and with several more marginal cases it has proved prudent to check with the local authority that they agree with our interpretation, given the lack of case law on the subject.
We therefore welcome the new technical guidance document as it will provide greater clarity and smooth the process further.
PDP are happy to provide assistance to anyone wishing to interpret the General Permitted Development Order. With the last remaining grey areas cleared up by this guidance document, the Permitted Development tool can now be used to greatest effect.
The GPDO covers the following types of development:
• The enlargement, improvement or alteration of a house such as rear or side extensions as well as general alterations such as new windows and doors
• Additions or alterations to roofs which enlarge the house such as loft conversions involving dormer windows
• Other alterations to roofs such as re-roofing or the installation of roof lights
• The erection of a porch outside an external door
• The provision of buildings and other development on land surrounding the house (the ‘curtilage’)
• The provision of hard surfaces on land surrounding the house such as driveways
• The installation, alteration, or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe
• The installation, alteration, or replacement of microwave antenna such as satellite dishes.

Housing incentives plan outlined by Government

Housing minister Grant Shapps conformed this month that the government’s plans to 'reward' councils that give planning consent for the building of new homes will be introduced early in the upcoming Spending Review. Shapps has outlined a system of incentives for councils to build new houses which will involve the Government matching the additional council tax raised by every new house built for the next six years.

For example a council approving 100 new Band ‘D’ homes – currently around £1,400 a year in council tax – would be entitled to £840,000. The minister said he wants to use the incentives, which can fund either more frontline services, new playground facilities or council tax discounts, to boost house building.
He said: "With house building falling to its lowest level since 1924, action is needed now to build the homes the country needs”.

A consultation paper on the final scheme will be published following the Spending Review in October. PDP will review the consultation paper as soon as it is available and are happy to advise any clients wanting to know whether the incentives may influence individual development proposals.

PDP visit BRE in Watford and Accordia living in Cambridge

To stay ahead of the game, PDP went to explore the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in Watford, a “world leading and ground breaking demonstration development” intended to show how future sustainable buildings can be achieved.

It boasts seven sustainable houses (built to various levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes), a sustainable health centre and over 300 different construction innovations and emerging technologies designed to minimise environmental impact and reduced emissions, without impacting on build quality.

The prototype buildings are all uniquely designed by various house builders and are constantly monitored for environmental performance over time.

From an architectural perspective, the team was highly impressed by the various innovative features and ideas on display, despite the fact that many of the designs challenged the traditional house building concepts that we have become accustomed to over the decades.

PDP also visited Accordia Living in Cambridge. This is high density housing at its very best, demonstrating that volume house-builders can deliver high quality architecture – and that as a result they can improve their own bottom line.

PDP feel it is important to keep pace with technological advancements across the country, particularly where they concern minimising the environmental impact of new built development.

PDP help concerned residents in Spondon -refusal

Planning Design Practice were approached by concerned residents in Spondon who were seeking to oppose the extension and change of use of a small private gym to a boxing club. There were concerns raised amongst the residents relating to noise, loss of light, and impact upon outlook. Despite a recommendation of approval from planning officers, PDP spoke at planning committee and were able to ensure the application was refused. Both PDP and the local residents supported the proposed introduction of a boxing gym into the Spondon area, but felt that the proposed site was inappropriate for such a use.

‘Right to build’ policy publicised

The Government issued an e-leaflet this month to publicise their ‘right to build’ idea. The proposed strategy, which is to form part of the Localism Bill which the administration plans to publish later this year, involves giving community organisations the freedom to permit new local developments without a specific application for planning permission, as long as there is overwhelming community backing in a local referendum.
Any surplus made from the sale or renting of homes would be recycled for the benefit of the community. But community organisations would not be restricted to just building family homes - they could choose to build sheltered housing for the elderly, or set aside plots for people to build their own homes. They could even offer long-term, low rent deals for local shops, community halls or sports facilities.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England and the Royal Town Planning Institute have both questioned the proposals, however, preferring that the development plan system form the basis of decisions rather than simple public ballots.
PDP will keep a very close eye on relevant legislative developments over the coming months and would be happy to advise any individuals or community groups wanting to understand the implications of the policy changes further.

Planning & Design win consent for Ménage and Tennis Court in sensitive rural location

At planning committee on Tuesday evening Jonathan spoke in favour of a new Tennis Court and Menage near Bradbourne. The new facilities are to be added to a property where the company has successfully achieved planning permission back in 2006.

The site lies on high ground close to the boundary with the Peak National Park. The site lies immediately adjacent to the approved house and outbuildings which includes four stables. Using appropriate landscaping and taking account of the slope of the land in the design of the menage a scheme was developed that meet the clients needs while protecting the wider environment. Whilst there were no objections from neighbours the Parish Council was strongly against the scheme and this triggered a referral to planning committee.

Committee members met at the site and were able to speak direct to the Parish chairman who again voiced his concerns. Enhanced landscaping proposals were presented to the meeting to allay these concerns and the changes were supported by the planning officer.

At the committee meeting that evening members supported the planning officer’s recommendation for approval subject to the additional landscaping. Notwithstanding their differences our client and the Parish Council Chairman found that they could get on well. The chairman was given a tour of the property and our client has agreed to become more involved in the parish and to support parish events.

The turn of events in the evening reminded me of the importance of community relations, particularly for new comers to an area. The Parish had drawn erroneous conclusions about our client and had reacted as much to their vision of him as to the development itself.

Get the politics of an area right and the planning process is much easier.