Planning Stages

Consultation with the local community

It is important to consult with local residents at the earliest opportunity especially with regard to proposed developments which are going to have a significant impact on the local area. Keith is well versed in this and he has a very good understanding of the politics of the planning process. So whether it is a presentation to local residents or discussions with local ward Councillors, Keith can assist with the strategy and execution. He also has experience of collaborative working with specialist consultation consultancies. Keith recently advised a client on local consultation with regard to the proposed conversion of a public house to residential. This involved communication with local residents, voluntary sector groups and the local Councillor. Who better to advise on the politics of the planning process than someone who served on a planning committee for 16 years?

At the start of the planning process

Keith offers a jargon free service making planning comprehensible to those with no previous experience of the legislation or procedures. At the start of the process Keith conducts a policy analysis to identify any planning policies which may impact on the proposed development and devises a strategy with the client to minimise the likelihood of a refusal of planning permission. A pre-application meeting with planning officers is sometimes deemed necessary and helpful to the client as this will identify any concerns they may have on policy grounds and thereby give the client early notice of potential problems. As a consequence the client may be able to revise the scheme to meet the concerns expressed by officers or have a strategy in place which minimises these concerns and makes a refusal of planning permission less likely. Keith can assist with pre-application meetings as well as full planning applications.

Objecting to a proposed development

Keith also has experience of working with Residents' Associations or individual householders who wish to object to a proposed development or to make the conditions attached to it more onerous. This requires a clear exposition of planning legislation and local policies which are relevant. Keith can also advise on what are valid planning objection to a proposed scheme and what are not. Moreover, he can suggest suitable wording for proposed conditions or variations.