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There are many circumstances where an activity or building may not have had planning permission but may still be lawful. This can be demonstrated through a S191 Certificate. Equally, there are times when you may need confirmation, before doing something, that planning permission is not required. In such cases a S192 Application may help. We can generally advise when either is appropriate and then assist with the application.

Equally, if you own or control an area of land you may wish to influence what the plan says about it, or whether it is or is not promoted for development. Local Plans contain development management policies and it is important to review these to ensure that none are too onerous or damaging to your interests. We can advise you on when these opportunities arise and help you with your representation.

A Neighbourhood Plan may be prepared by a local community to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood with regard to the form of new development. It is important to monitor and comment on the content of such plans when they are formulated.

Periodically Councils put out a ‘call for sites’ when they are seeking new sites for specific developments, eg housing land, employment sites, green infrastructure.
The practice works with a range of clients from major house builders, local developers and land owners to guide them through the complex processes.

The location of new development is largely determined by Local Plans which Councils produce/update approximately every 5-10 years. These will set out where new development will go and what policies will control this. The public are consulted several times and it may be important for you to comment, which we can do on your behalf.

A development proposal is usually best supported by an explanatory statement. This may be a Planning Statement and/or a Design and Access Statement.

Legislation requires that many planning applications have the support of a Design and Access Statement to explain the evolution of a particular scheme. Such statements typically set out the design opportunities and constraints of a site and explain the rationale of the proposed development. BJC Planning liaise with design teams and other consultants who contribute to the development to provide a comprehensive approach to the production of a Design and Access Statement.

A Planning Statement provides a more general account of the planning proposal. It is likely to address the planning history of the site, the relevant planning policies and other planning guidance, the sustainability of the site and other subject areas not covered by a Design and Access Statement such as a summary on landscape, ecology, highway considerations, nitrate offsetting and Biodiversity Net Gain.

A Heritage Statement is prepared to support proposals which may impact on a heritage asset, which may include a Listed Building or Conservation Area.

Many of our clients have defined aspirations for their land or project, but in some cases, the nature of the opportunity is not clear cut. BJC Planning is able to provide advice on the most appropriate and viable uses for a site to meet the needs of the client and the wider community. Where it may add value, we are also able undertake initial high-level massing studies (3D massing models produced using Google SketchUp) to provide an early indication of the potential for development on a site, prior to incurring architect fees. We can use this data to inform early-stage options appraisals to give clients guidance on the potential for development on the site and where relevant, inform strategies for disposal.

BJC Planning is well connected with land owners and developers. Where appropriate, we are well placed to support land owners with securing planning permission for development of their land prior to a sale to a developer. This process can be expensive and carries risk that the land owner may not wish to be exposed to. In these circumstances, BJC Planning may be able to promote the land at risk on the landowner’s behalf and if successful, the costs of promotion would be deducted from the gross sale receipts at the end of the process. Where this is beyond the scope of BJC Planning, we can introduce the site to third party Land Promoters, and also manage the ultimate sales process to secure the optimum value for the site for our client.