PLANNING SERVICES
Planning Applications and Advice
Based in West Sussex, RJ Planning have become more experienced with dealing with planning applications from the very outset of schemes for many of our clients. Our expertise and knowledge with latest planning legislation and laws has made us move to the forefront of managing potential developments to time driven programmes which are critical to client expectations. We work across all sectors to provide tailored planning strategies to optimise our clients’ development objectives.
A broad overview of our typical planning and planning appeal process is as follows:
- Meeting with client and inspection of site and surrounding area
- Conduct preapplication assessment for client
- Devise strategy for securing planning permission
- Pre-application meeting with the local planning authority
- Assemble the planning application – appointing consultants to support the application as required
- Submit planning application to the local planning authority
- Monitor the planning application as required with regular contact with the appointed Case Officer and updating client on progress throughout
- Attend Planning Committee meeting if required to present the case for the planning application
- Advise client on the Council’s decision
- Submit planning appeal or revised planning application in the rare cases where permission is not granted
- Revise alternative strategies until success is achieved
- Keeping to deadlines for project commencements during the pre-construction stage
Outline Planning
During design concept stage, it is normal to seek planning outline approval prior to progressing further with either obtaining the property or land.
This type of application generally has fewer details given the merit of design has not been fully developed however items such as building massing, location, orientation and the environment it is situated shall help inform the decision whether this would be deemed acceptable with the planning officer.
It is always recommended with RJ Planning Dynamics to seek an early application so costs and any associated risks are established before any further time and costs are invested with the proposed scheme.
If you would like to discuss an outline planning application & advise please get in touch.
Planning Applications
Our chartered consultants can help with your planning applications in achieving granted approval with local councils.
We ensure that we carry out a due diligence on the scheme proposed including any background/historical implications before we discuss and finalise any applications.
We liaise closely with the relevant authorities and case officers whom we are dealing with all applications and ensure communication channels are very transparent with the necessary parties.
Pre-Application
We offer pre-application services which ensure the likelihood of your development seeks clarification on any key constraints to mitigate prior to submitting full a planning application being submitted.
Such pre-application advice can be very benefical to understanding what information is likely to be needed for a full planning application in addition to any specific policy contaxt which the application sits within.
We at RJ Planning Dynamics always submit a pre-application informally to the location planning inspectorate or in minor cases a conservations officer where buildings may be of historival listing.
If an application is not decided by the council within their given allotted determination period, we then may possibly submit a non-determination of planning appeal application. A planning appeal can be submitted should any proposals put forward are refused for any particular reason(s).
Retrospective Planning Permission
Should any projects / developments begin without prior consent, an approval for retrospective planning permission can be sought. This would include works that were considered to permitted development which later transpires not to be the case. Whatever the size and nature of these situations, we are always able to provide best tact going forward. If you would like to discuss your planning application please get in touch.
Consultancy Reports
Our clients frequently ask us the likelihood / success rate with regards to their applications or appeals and we always recommend a consultancy report initially.
We here at RJ Planning Dynamics always carry out a detailed assessment of all the ramifications in relation to your planning matters whereby the report will enable to you make fully informed decisions prior to investing time and money which could potentially be abortive should a diligent process not be undertaken.
We always highlight key specifics in which the client are needing to undertake to ensure you are not settling for an outcome which was never attainable from the outset & the full mandatory list is issued before any decisions are made in whether the decision to peruse to confirmed.
We carry professional expertise in the fields of planning and any specific appeals across the UK and have a broad knowledge of each boroughs requirements, in particular to complexed urban / suburban areas within London, Manchester & South West.
If you would like to discuss a report being issued for you please get in touch.
Certificate of Lawfulness
The Certificate Of Lawful Use whether existing or proposed provides certainty on the construction works completed are lawful and do not require a planning permission as such. It essentially means a decision from the planning authority that a proposed use or works do not require planning permission.
We are fully up to date with the current regulations and provide free obligation advise on matters which relate to permitted development and lawful certificate applications.
We process many applications for our clients to obtaining a lawful development certificate and also provide a service to counter appeal any refusals given from the local planning authority.
The ‘4 Year Rule’ allows you to make a formal application for a certificate to determine whether your unauthorised use or development can become lawful through the passage of time — rather than compliance with space standards — and can continue without the need for planning permission.
In all cases we take on, we provide a comprehensive statement including evidence to prove to the planning inspectorate to give merit of any proposal, this also further avoids enforcement proceedings being served by your local council.
If you would like to discuss a certificate of lawfulness please get in touch.
Appeals
Why Appeal Your Refused Planning Application
Decision Notices can often look very final, and the one you received most probably has lots of policies both local and national being quoted. If however I told you that often when checked the policy numbers quoted don’t always relate to what they are being implied, and when investigated further, we do find that in fact they are sometimes misrepresented, used incorrectly or inappropriately all of which open opportunities for a well-structured, robust and comprehensive appeal to be favoured when appealed.
It is also important to remember that local policies are just that policies, they are not legislative and as such are interpretable, something a planning inspector will assess during an appeal.
We have extensively worked on a variety of planning appeals which range from planning inspectorate appeals and drafting grounds of appeal statements to local authorities.
Our supply chain partners who have a wider expertise with supporting appeals such as Highways, legal teams, ecologists, sustainability consultants, Arboriculturist & landscape architects, feed into our overall statement / report of appeals when submitting.
If you would like to discuss an appeals case which you have recently been issued or served a notice please get in touch.
Change of Use
Generally planning permission is not needed when existing and proposed uses fall within the same classification use however it is always recommended that this information is consulted with ourselves before proceeding with any planning submission of any kind.
If you are proposing to change the use of buildings or land, we would always recommend that you seek advice from ourselves to confirm whether planning permission is required or not.
Additionally, before you lease or buy a property for your business, you should check whether you need to obtain planning permission for its intended use, and if so, your chances of getting it.
We have successfully complete many pre-applications for developments which have different or same classifications and in some cases, the proposals carry certain factors being considered as follows;
- Historical placement
- Context of planning
- Specific planning policies
- Design guide regulations
RJ Planning are experienced in preparing applications for change of use and are compiled with a strong case to be presented in front of relevant planning authorities
If you would like to discuss your change of use proposal please get in touch.
CIL
The Community Infrastructure Levy is a tax on development payable in areas that have adopted the charge. This includes all development in London, and it will eventually include over half of planning authorities nationwide which most developers are not aware as yet.
As well as obvious effects on viability of development, it is also important to think about how buildings on development sites are managed and planning applications are structured.
RJ Planning Dynamics has market-leading expertise in advising on CIL. This includes engaging with the charge setting process to influence the level of CIL charges, and providing strategic advice to developers on management of existing assets, calculating likely CIL liability, the relationship between CIL, Section 106 and wider viability, phasing of large scale developments for CIL purposes, and working with local authorities to ensure delivery of infrastructure where a CIL is in place.
We manage the levy charge process prior to any development commencing and always advise our clients to carry this out sooner rather than later to avoid surcharges being imposed. Furthermore we deal with the complexed CIL which is in place to the additional Mayoral CIL in London which sit alongside the Section 106 agreements.
If you would like to discuss CIL fees please get in touch.