Tips for small-scale developers on planning permission
Ritchie Clapson CEng MIStructE is a veteran property developer of almost 40 years and co-founder of propertyCEO.
Here are his tips on how small scale developers can apply for planning permission.
He says: “We see lots of news items about the Government’s plans to update the creaking planning system, devised in the 1950s. The Government has introduced changes to the planning system, with more to come.
“For example, as small-scale developer if you want to change the use of a building there are now Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) to help you. So, if you want to change the upper floors of a shop into flats, convert an office to apartments, or turn an old barn into a house, there are PDRs that can allow you to do it, plus many others besides.
“Most PDRs require you to apply to the council to obtain what’s known as prior approval, but this differs significantly from the full planning permission process. However, there will be situations where you have no option but to apply for full planning permission.”
Here are Ritchie’s tips on having the best chance of success with your application:
Be thorough. Planning departments are massively underresourced, yet they are required to assess planning applications within eight weeks (13 weeks for larger projects). What happens if your application has reached week seven and it’s still languishing in the planning department’s in-tray? Does the planning department rally the troops, and miraculously turn around your application within a week? Or will they write to you on day 55 asking for a parking survey or contamination survey, or any one of about a hundred different surveys they could ask for, which effectively stops the eightweek countdown and puts the ball back in your court? You can probably guess the most likely outcome.
So, give some thought to which surveys the planning authority could reasonably request for your project. Enclosing this with your original application could save you time later on. Also, triplecheck that your application is 100 per cent complete before submitting it.
Submit a high-quality application. Planning officers are not particularly sympathetic to applications that are poorly written, badly constructed, or difficult to understand.
So, make sure that yours is the exact opposite. It may seem overkill, but planning is a people business, and we all know how rational they an be.
Know your local Town Plan. All local authorities have one and it gives details of their local planning policy. It always amazes me how many developers fail to do their basic research and submit plans for something expressly forbidden within the local Town Plan.
Consider the character and street scene. No building is an island, and the planners will judge how your proposed development fits within the context of other buildings in the immediate vicinity and the street scene overall. If your proposed building is three storeys and the neighbouring houses are two storeys, expect to be called out on it.
Beware of privacy, access, and light. You must consider whether your development will impact on neighbouring properties and the units you intend to build.
Don’t forget to make use of permitted development rights.