PLANNING

VIABILITY, ADVICE, STRATEGY, CONSULTATION, APPLICATIONS

KNOWING THE PLANNING SYSTEM

Planning is the price we all pay for living in a democracy!

The laws and regulations around planning in the UK are there to protect us when somebody else is proposing a development that affects us; it’s comforting to know that we have a system in place that holds the developer to account and is there to protect the best interests of everybody who may be affected by the development.

However, the planning system doesn’t seem quite so benign when you find yourself in the role of developer. But when you are considering building work that is exactly what you are.

The planning system is complex and highly procedural. It can be difficult to understand what is required or exactly what it is you need to be applying for; even whether or not you actually need planning approval in the first place.

The planning system attempts to cater for every possible situation, but in reality it is imperfect in almost every case

It tries to address a wide range of complex and often conflicting issues under one bureaucratic umbrella

It is often difficult to understand what you need to be applying for, or whether or not you actually need planning approval

The language used by planners is obscure and bureaucratic, and it is often hard to know exactly what is needed to secure that elusive approval

The planner’s requirements can sometimes appear arbitrary and perverse when applied to your particular proposal

The planning system is extremely procedural so negotiation and getting decisions made can be a slow and frustrating

Planning departments and Local Authorities are generally over stretched and under resourced

Location

Size

APPEARANCE

Impact upon neighbours

Ecological Impact

Transportation and parking

Sustainability

Impact upon local services

Conservation

Accessibility

Waste management

“With in depth knowledge and understanding of changing planning policy Design Principle Studio tailor our advice, guidance and help to your specific needs”

This combination of challenges can, and often does, make the process of obtaining planning consent complex and stressful. This is a fact of life for us and we understand the process and the individuals who are influencing decisions.

Sometimes design is about the management of compromise and this is never truer than in the planning process. The requirements of the planners can seem arbitrary and perverse. Occasionally planners can be challenged. However often, in order to avoid unnecessary confrontation and delay, it is better to look to compromise solutions to bypass a planning obstacle or, where possible, provide either more information, or an alternative solution.

Design Principle Studio helps clients to...

DEVELOP YOUR BRIEF

We can help you analyse your requirements and develop your brief.

SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS

We can look at where you might need to balance the requirements of conflicting pressures and give you options of how to get the best solution to complex problems.

VISUALISE THE BUILD

We can help you visualise the building in its surroundings and understand exactly what it’s going to look like as part of the decision making process.

MANAGE CONTRACTORS

We can administer a building contract so that you have peace of mind that you will be totally in control of both the budget and the process from start to finish.

DRIVE VALUE

We can advise on how to get the best value for money and ensure that you appoint the best contractor for your particular project.

DESIGN END TO END

We can provide detailed deign solutions right through the process from choosing a plot to interior design.

Get in touch with Waterland Architects for Planning advice & services

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