we write planning statements & prepare pre-Apps and planning applications
full planning applications, prior approval, permitted development & commercial applications
planning applications
Our Chartered Planning Consultants have experience of dealing with all types of planning applications including:
Extensions & alterations to your home
An extension (dormer, rear extension, porch or outbuilding) can give you much needed space and add value!
Permitted Development Rights
Permitted development allows you to extend your home without needing full planning permission.
Prior Approval Advice & Applications
New permitted development rights allow you to convert commercial spaces into residential and extend upwards.
Commercial Planning Applications
Specialist planning services for developers and commercial clients.
Frequently asked questions
Do you provide pre-application advice?
Yes, if you are thinking of a development (an extension to your home or a property development like a shop/office conversion or new-build house), contact us for advice on whether your proposal is likely to get planning permission.
We can look in detail at your proposal, use satellite imagery to assess the site and surrounding area (or, for an additional fee, visit the site itself), look into similar local planning applications and research local planning policies.
Do you submit pre-applications to councils?
Making a pre-application submission to your local council is a good way to work out if you are likely to get permission (though sometimes pre-applications are not the best way to go).
We can prepare a pre-application submission (including a Supporting Statement), liaise with the case officer assigned to the case and attend a site visit or face-to-face meeting at the council offices.
How do I take advantage of householder permitted development rights?
If you want to extend your home or build an outbuilding, you don’t necessarily need full planning permission – you can take advantage of permitted development rights. PD rights allow you to extend to the rear and at roof level (through a hip-to-gable roof extension and a dormer), or to build a porch or an outbuilding.
We also have experience of larger home extensions (extensions to a depth of 6m or 8m) and upwards extensions to add whole extra floors to houses.
The government’s Interactive House and Technical Guidance provide useful advice on the permitted development rights available to homeowners.
Martin Gaine’s book How to Get Planning Permission: An Insider’s Secrets also goes into detail about how to make the most of permitted development rights, with insider tips and tricks, and advice on how to avoid the most common pitfalls.
Can you help with planning applications for homeowner extensions?
If your house does not have permitted development rights or what you want to build doesn’t meet the permitted development requirements, you can still apply for full planning permission.
We can help with advice, a Supporting Statement and in submitting and managing your planning application.
What are Class MA (commerical-to-residential) permitted development rights?
Class MA allows the conversion of commercial premises in Use Class E into flats and houses. Check out our blog post about Class E here.
Although you don’t need full planning permission, you do need to apply for prior approval and there are requirements that you must meet. We have a great deal of experience with Class MA applications – contact us for more information.
What other permitted development rights are useful to property developers?
There are a number of other permitted development rights that are of interest to property developers who want to avoid having to make a full planning application. There are permitted development rights to extend shops and other commercial premises.
There are also rights to convert empty space above shops into flats (Class G), convert houses and flats into HMOs (Class L) and convert barns into homes (Class Q). There are also rights to add extra floors to buildings to provide new flats (Part 20).
Can you help with commercial planning applications?
We work with smaller-scale property developers on a range of proposals, including converting houses into flats, converting commercial buildings into homes, extending buildings and various types of changes of use.
Can you help discharge planning conditions?
When planning permission is granted, it is usually subject to various conditions. Sometimes, you are required to discharge conditions before you can start work. This requires a new application (a ‘discharge of condition’ application, also known as an ‘approval of details’ application). We can assist with putting together and submitting such an application.
Some conditions are simply unfair and should never have been imposed on your grant of planning permission. We can appeal those conditions and submit a new application to have them removed. We frequently apply to remove conditions that remove permitted development rights from a house – see our article on conditions removing permitted development rights here.
What if I have been refused planning permission or have received an Enforcement Notice?
Contact us now for advice on your development project or to discuss how we can help you prepare and submit pre-application submissions and full planning applications.
