Our planning consultants form an integral part of the design team, helping clients achieve their project aspirations. Our insights and research help to inform design decisions right at the beginning of the process that maximise the potential for a positive planning outcome and minimizes timescale.

We aim to avoid potential delays and frustration in planning by identifying the unique issues that each project will face. We identify an accurate and robust baseline for each scheme, critically assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each site relative to the scheme proposed.  We work together to understand the opportunities and constraints imposed by planning considerations before embarking on the design.

Each project has a distinct set of challenges. We develop comprehensive strategies tailored to the nuances of the site from the very beginning of the project, designed to identify then reduce planning risk. These might involve  promoting the economic case, the social and environmental context, or regulatory requirements, or any combination of these factors. Tailoring our planning strategy also extends to pro-active engagement with stakeholders and promoting a positive dialogue between our clients and the communities in which their projects are located/ their projects serve.

Our nimble team can respond quickly to project demands. We are able to stand in the shoes of Local Planning Authorities to accurately predict their likely reaction to schemes, so saving time in the design phase and making the pre-application approach to the Council more robust. 

This is particularly the case with schemes that raise heritage and conservation matters.  We use an approach for such schemes to identify and then quantify the heritage benefits they produce, to ensure the benefits outweigh any impacts on the site.  We regularly deal with schemes that involve listed buildings, conservation areas and undesignated heritage assets, or which lie in their settings.   

We have a wide range of planning-related expertise covering various development types, including commercial, mixed-use, hospitality, green-belt, retail, residential and conservation. Our planning lead has extensive experience in both the private and public sector.