Planning Insight

15 days until planning fees increase on the 1st of April 2025. Big changes include a hike on S.73 fees and increases to householder fees, take a look at our blog by Penny G. for the details. https://lnkd.in/ehrw_QXE

📣 Call for Sites from Oxford City Council 📣 Oxford City Council is inviting parties to submit sites for potential future development as part of its next local plan.The council will assess sites that: - Can deliver 10 or more homes - Can Provide at least 500 square metres of employment space - Are larger than 0.25 hectares If you have a site that meets the criteria and considering submitting for consideration, Planning Insight can assist with this process. Email info@planninginsight.co.uk for assistance. #localplan #planningconsultant #planningpermission #development

Updated Planning Practice Guidance: Green Belt and Grey Belt New Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) clarifies how authorities should assess Green Belt land and identify grey belt areas when reviewing boundaries for development needs. Key Updates: ·     Assessing Green Belt – Evaluating land against Green Belt purposes (sprawl prevention, town separation, historic preservation). ·     Identifying Grey Belt – Land with a weaker Green Belt function may be classified as grey belt, but this doesn’t guarantee development. ·     Sustainability & Green Space – Development should be in sustainable locations and contribute to accessible green spaces. This reinforces the NPPF’s policy-led approach to Green Belt reviews. You may have caught our Green Belt Guide, which we will be updating shortly. Read the updated PPG here: bit.ly/3D9BCss #PlanningPracticeGuidance #GreenBelt #GreyBelt #NPPF #UrbanPlanning #Housing

Southwark Council is inviting residents, businesses, developers, and landowners to submit potential development sites for the next Local Plan. This is an opportunity for sites to be promoted as part of the development plan process... the details are below: 🔹 Any vacant or underused site can be submitted 🔹 Sites may be allocated for housing or other development 🔹 Deadline: 2nd April 2025 🔹 Submissions to the GLA Call for Sites will also be included 💡 Get in touch if you would like to promote your site in Southwark info@planninginsight.co.uk.

📃 GREEN AND GREY BELT GUIDANCE DOCUMENT 📃 With the significant changes to green belt policy in the NPPF at the end of last year, our latest guidance document provides important information on green belt policy and includes a specific section on the new Grey Belt policy. Use this information to understand what to look out for when searching for sites. The document can be found on our Insights Hub: https://lnkd.in/eEVfew3f #greenbelt #greybelt #planningconsultant #planningpermission #insight

Our Associate, Philippa Baruch, providing useful insight on recent grey belt decisions. #greenbelt #greygelt #planningpermission

Another appeal allowed. We were trusted by King Media to secure a temporary advert consent for a listed building on Commercial Street. The Council considered the temporary advert would be harmful but the Inspector agreed with our stance stating: "The proposed shroud and advertisements would cover most of the façade of the LB. However, the evidence indicates that irrespective of the outcome of this appeal the façade would be covered for the duration of renovation works by a shroud and scaffolding. The contribution of the LB to the street scene would thus be significantly reduced during this time in any event." Very sensible decision and great work from our Associate Philippa Baruch! #planningappeal #planningpermission #towerhamlets #advertisement

NEW GREY BELT GUIDE COMING SOON. We have compiled a new green belt guidance document which will include a simple guide to the Grey Belt much like our previous guidance documents on permitted development and airspace. This new document will be published very soon on our Insights Hub. Be one of the first to be notified of its publication by signing up to our newsletter below. https://lnkd.in/edKnhimB

Yesterday we concluded a rather long saga in the Royal Borough of Kingston. Our client sought to make better use of their underground car park as controlled through planning obligation. We sought to modify the obligation to allow longer term leasing and allocation of spaces amongst other matters. Following a rather protracted application process (20 months to determine the application!), we appealed the refusal and yesterday secured approval. In such matters, the Appellant has the right to be heard and so we elected for a hearing to enable a thorough discussion of the case with the Inspector and challenge the LPA's rationale for refusing the scheme. In the end, the LPA did not provide any submissions. Based on our detailed submissions and evidence the Inspector requested we agree to written representations. In order to mitigate costs further for both parties and expedite the decision, we agreed. The LPA's behaviour however was also found to be unreasonable and a full award of costs given in the Appellants favour. A long wait but a good decision in the end.

Our latest blog post from Penny G. on the increase to planning application fees coming in April 2025. https://lnkd.in/ehrw_QXE