Origin3

Our LinkedIn feed is filled with takes on the publication of the new NPPF consultation and other intriguing documents. Rightly so, as the change to national policy is significant and extends beyond rolling back the Dec 23 NPPF changes(and rightly condemned by anyone wanting young people to have a chance at homeownership soon).   The NPPF changes focus on reverting to the pre-Dec 2023 position with some tweaks. Two key points:   📌The Duty to Cooperate is back and strengthened. While not a Duty to Agree, plans “should ensure” that “unmet development needs from neighbouring areas are accommodated” according to para 11b. To us, this suggests neighbouring councils must ensure those needs are met. 📌Housing Targets are back and mandatory. Para 62 requires strategic policies to use a local housing need assessment based on national planning guidance and consider unmet needs from neighbouring areas. There’s no mention of using a bespoke method for "exceptional circumstances”. If a LPA can't meet its housing need, neighbouring councils must accommodate those needs.   The significant publication yesterday was the table of new housing targets by LPA, revealing the increase in targets and how the draft NPPF provisions will work. For example, consider Bristol and its surrounding authorities, all with significant Green Belt areas. Apologies if the following sounds like a scene from Yes Prime Minister. Currently, the local housing need for the West of England Combined Authorities is 5,412 dpa, rising to 6,735 dpa with North Somerset included. Seem simple? No, because Bristol's Local Plan claims it can't accommodate the 35% urban uplift, setting its need at 2,503 dpa. Bristol can only manage 1,925 dpa and seeks help from neighbouring authorities. North Somerset, planning for only 933 dpa instead of its 1,324 dpa need, can’t assist. South Glos is unable to help, and B&NES has not yet responded. Thus, of the 6,735 homes needed annually, only 4,892 are planned for, leaving nearly 37,000 households without housing over 20 years. Looking at the figures released yesterday. Bristol sees a lower LHN of 3,057 dpa. BANES rises to 1,466 dpa, South Glos to 1,717 dpa and North Somerset to 1,587 dpa – making a total of 7,827 homes a year.    Challenging yes, (we note that Bristol, BANES & South Glos to their credit are already looking at Green Belt release to accommodate new homes) but this approach brings clarity, transparency, and simplicity. The housing need figure is not debatable, eliminating the ‘pass the parcel’ game with Bristol’s unmet need. Discussions should move away from whether to build the homes, to where and how to deliver them. In 20 years, the residents of over 37,000 new homes- currently unaccounted for in the development plan and housing need calculations charade- will be living in, working in, and contributing to the West of England sub-region and North Somerset. We see this as progress and look forward to contributing to the delivery of new homes.

Are you heading to the Royal Town Planning Institute Preparing for Appeals, Hearings and Inquiries Seminar at Somerset County Cricket Club today? Keep an eye out for our Planning Director Richard Grant, who will be running a joint session with Rachel Tadman looking at lessons to learn from a Planning Inquiry that they were both involved in.

Origin3 is pleased to share that an outline application has been submitted to Somerset Council on behalf of Land Value Alliances LLP for a mixed-use development at West Wincanton. The proposed development comprises up to 650 dwellings, care home, local centre, primary school and land for employment, with all origin/destinations connected by a network of active travel connections routed along key corridors and open spaces. The natural environment has a presence throughout the application site with homes and places of recreation nestled within and connected by terraced landscapes, green corridors, open space, and woodland copses. #townplanning #newhomes #urbandesign #urbanplanning

Well... A new NPPF by the end of the month, mandatory housing targets, Ministers ready to intervene, more planning officers, energy and infrastructure projects, and more planning reform in the last 72 hours than in the previous 14 years! Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called for urgent reform of our ‘antiquated’ planning system. Committing to “facing down vested interests” and accepting “short-term political pain,” she emphasized that planning system reform is critical. Our thoughts are below, but we hope that the changes will result in many more families and younger people finding opportunities and new homes over the next 5 years… 1. Commit to building 1.5 million new homes over 5 years. 2. Reform the NPPF with growth-focused mandatory housing targets by month’s end. 3. Reverse the ban on onshore wind farms. 4. Create a task force to unlock 14,000 stalled housing sites. 5. Fund 300 additional planning officers. 6. Use ministerial powers to prioritize projects with regional and national benefits. 7. Direct all LPAs to ensure universal Local Plan coverage and review Green Belt areas for development. 8. Focus on unblocking energy and infrastructure projects.   Importantly, the Chancellor noted that there will be criticism and that balances need to be struck between growth and the environment – but that the Government will not pander to those who always say no.   As always, the devil will be in the detail. What will the new NPPF say, and will it sweep away the changes from December which are a drag on housebuilding? What is meant by mandatory housing targets and how will they be calculated and enforced? How will the benefits of development be weighed when the DPM intervenes? And will the new Local Plan processes set out by the previous Government be retained?    But sometimes it is best to listen to the tone of these announcements and not the detail. The Chancellor set out some clear messages: - Planning reform is urgently needed and central to the Government’s growth agenda, - Housebuilding must increase massively to meet the 1.5m target, - The Government will take on those who say no, and - Local Authorities are expected to embrace and deliver these priorities or interventions will be made. This is one of the first major policy announcements of the new Government, and it feels as if the spotlight has turned firmly on those local authorities who have been dragging heels on Local Plan work and not facing up to building the homes that are needed - housebuilding is a National Mission, of National Significance, and the Government intends that everyone active in the sector understands that importance. The next few weeks will be huge in seeing how these messages translate to real reform of the system.

Origin3 are pleased to announce the submission of an outline planning application to Wiltshire Council for a residential-led mixed use development in Corsham, on behalf of land promotor, GTBE LLP. The application proposes up to 150 much needed new homes and an area for small scale employment with significant green infrastructure provision and a focus on active travel connections, utilising the site’s location along the A4 Bath Road between Bath and Chippenham.   The vision for the proposal is to provide an attractive addition to the settlement edge, and form a sensitive urban-rural transition, creating a place with local identity by providing buildings that complement the architectural richness of the adjacent Pickwick Conservation Area. The development will be fully connected with its immediate context and the opportunity exists to provide pedestrian linkages to existing community destinations. The scheme is set within a generous landscape framework, that will integrate the proposal into its immediate setting and enhance the principal landscape, ecological and drainage features of the site. #planning #newhomes #urbandesign

Origin3 is delighted to be part of the team that has successfully secured Full Planning consent for a low-carbon housing scheme at Knowle Hill, Puriton on behalf of This is Gravity Ltd.   Working closely with the client team led by Claire Pearce, the vision was to transform Knowle Hill, a redundant Royal Ordnance Facility water treatment works site near Junction 23 in Somerset, into a 6 dwelling housing scheme designed to reflect high standards in environmentally led architecture. This will ensure the site is an asset to the locality, support the wider Gravity - Smart Campus transformation ambitions, and help to raise standards of design as an exemplar for the South West region.   The proposals showcased a scheme designed to fit comfortably into the wider landscape, configured into 2 clusters or “farm steads” of 3 dwellings. With their pitched roofs and courtyards, they form groups of buildings not dissimilar to existing farms and remote estates found in the locality. However, the designs are contemporary with energy efficiency as a core principle applying methods for reducing the need for energy, utilising a range of renewable energy methods that are specific to the site and providing climatic responsive building envelopes through passive design principles.   We will be excited to see the vision come to life when the scheme is built out. #lowcarbon #enviromentallyled #planning #planningpermission #urbandesign

On 10th July 2024, our Planning Director Richard Grant is speaking with Rachel Tadman at the Royal Town Planning Institute South West event “Preparing for Appeals, Hearings and Inquiries”. Richard will be running a joint session with Rachel, looking at lessons to learn from a Planning Inquiry that they were both involved in. Richard acted for the Appellant and Rachel for the Council - we’re hoping they can put the past behind them and keep it friendly... but if not, the presentations could be quite lively! If you’re planning to attend to see the sparks fly, come say hello to Richard -he will be happy to talk to you about his experience of giving evidence at Inquiries and Examinations. Book your place online at https://lnkd.in/eSwrnNeU

East Devon District Council are consulting on further elements of their new Local Plan, including new employment, housing and mixed-use allocations, designated neighbourhood area housing consultations, the Clyst Valley Regional Park, sustainability, and the preservation of green wedges and coastal areas, and ensuring retail, leisure, and community spaces reflect residents’ and visitors’ needs. This consultation is part of the Council’s work to develop a Pre-Submission Regulation 19 Local Plan which is programmed for consultation in December 2024 and brings together the final set of topics to be consulted upon. Origin3 would be very happy to provide advice and assistance with any representations to be made to the East Devon Local Plan. Email us at info@origin3.co.uk or drop us a message on LinkedIn to find out how we can help you. The consultation closes at 5pm on 27th June 2024. https://lnkd.in/ehityYtJ

We are delighted to announce that Origin3 and O3arch. have successfully secured planning permission for an extension to KLEENEZE - KOTI LIMITED factory in Hanham, South Gloucestershire.   As a long-standing local employer with nearly 100 years of history at this site, this development will enable Kleeneze-KOTI to increase its manufacturing capability and meet growing demands in today’s challenging economic climate. It will also create new job opportunities to supplement its existing local skilled workforce. The new building will incorporate a substantial roof-mounted photovoltaic (solar power) array, to provide renewable energy that will supplement the factory’s energy usage.   The extension will increase the ground floor area by over 20%, creating a new loading bay and warehousing area that will free up floor space for manufacturing within the existing building. It will also improve horizontal and vertical circulation for employees, vehicles, and equipment, and improve accessibility through lift access from the car park to manufacturing and office floors.  It has been very rewarding for Origin3 and O3arch. to assist KLEENEZE - KOTI LIMITED in moving on to this exciting next phase in their history and we wish them all the best going forward.

Clare Danks shares her takeaways on the Building Garden Communities Conference, which she attended earlier this week with Chris Wilson. 🏡 "Being in a room of like-minded professionals in the stunning surroundings of the RIBA London is guaranteed to invigorate your thoughts on what makes a successful Garden Community, especially with Origin3's involvement in projects at Taunton and East Cullompton. The day was an interesting listen with wide-ranging topics - Rousing words from Jackie Sadek and the ‘Building through Change’ panel in particular capturing the desire to get on making a difference to providing development. Likewise valuable insights from David Reid of Legal & General regarding the role of Build to Rent as the third option in housing delivery for new communities. Now time to feedback to the rest of the team on these thought-provoking discussions, and how they may influence our work moving forward. Thank you Building Garden Communities Conference for a great day!" #BGC24 #GardenCommunites #Buildingforthefuture #Buildingforchange #CommunityDevelopment #Sustainability