Identifying these risks early can help you make a well-informed commercial decision that considers the value of site constraints when crunching the numbers or determining whether a site stacks up against your investment and development aspirations.

2. Complex Planning Requirements

How long is a piece of string? Anyone in the industry begins to ask this question when they see the growing list of requirements that planning applications comprise of. It seems like planning has become a catch all and fix (and rightly so!) for many of the problems society is facing from an increasingly alarming biodiversity and climate crisis, the loss of community spaces, the need for a sustainable modes of travel, mitigation against flood risks and perhaps the most dividing and complex issue, our growing populations housing crisis. All these pressures need to be carefully balanced to create sustainable places and successful applications.

However, taking a step back these all need to be considered before you even start drawing up development proposals. It is a planning consultants’ role to identify these issues and provide strategic advice in how we shape a development so that it can address local and national planning policies on the multifaceted issues that communities are facing.

In real world terms this means working with specialist consultants to identify and advise on ecological matters, the need for arboriculture reports and flood consequences assessments, or perhaps the information required to demonstrate that the old community building you would like to purchase is no longer viable or that very special circumstances exist so that affordable homes for local people can be built on green belt land (or grey belt!)

Planning regulations are often dense, technical, and vary by both country and local authority with England seeing six updates in the National Planning Policy Framework in the last five-years alone! With an everchanging policy environment KEW Planning brings in-depth knowledge of local and national planning policies, ensuring projects comply with all necessary requirements from day one, reducing the risk of costly mistakes or planning refusals.

3. Negotiation and Problem Solving

Once an application has been validated the application has a three-week window in which statutory consultees and the general public have an opportunity to comment on the submitted application material. It is on receipt of these responses where potential delay and subsequent negotiations between the local authority and the applicant begins, a place to easily get unstuck without the guidance and negotiation skills of a planning consultant. 

During consultation, consultees provide guidance and commentary to the Planning Officer on technical planning matters such as arboriculture, urban design, ecology and flooding and in some cases objecting to planning applications on technical grounds. It is key that these objections are carefully considered and responded to proportionately without compromising your project. Working pragmatically with technical consultants, a planning consultant will unpick these matters and help co-ordinate the technicalities in order for a design change to be made or further information submitted to rebut or reassure consultees and the Planning Officer. 

Throughout the determination of the application and beyond the consultation period KEW Planning takes a communicative role building on existing working relationships with local authority Planning Officers by acting as a representative and advocate, articulating the merits of your proposal and addressing objections with authority and professionalism; a valuable asset that respond quickly and proportionately to ensure your project moves through the planning process swiftly so you can get on and build!

“The overall knowledge and ability to reason with all parties. We most certainly feel better
equipped with KEW on board…KEW have the ability to make any issue seem less difficult to
overcome ”. Phil Booth, Senior Project Manager, Newport Norse.

4. Faster Decisions

At present, the time taken for a planning application to be determined is taking much longer than the statutory timeframe (8 weeks for minor & 13 weeks for major in England and 8 weeks for all applications in Wales) with only 19% of major planning applications being decided during the statutory timeframe in England. This is partly due to the ever-changing complexities that planning must grapple with and the under resourcing of Local Planning Authorities to deal with applications. 

It is therefore increasingly important to make the process as smooth as possible and make the decision-making process much simpler (and quicker) for the Planning Officer. Ultimately, a planning consultant adds value by streamlining the process, anticipating obstacles, and optimising your proposal to align with planning goals ensuring a strong submission. Through day- to-day application work we like to engage collaboratively with our local authority counterparts
building professional working relationships that helps to iron out any bumps in the road to approval, pushing for a positive decision at every opportunity to ensure your projects keeps moving forward. This can lead to quicker determination timeframes, reduced costs, and greater confidence for homeowners, investors and stakeholders alike.

Takeaway Thoughts

The planning system is not just a box to tick. It’s a critical and increasingly complicated part of shaping your project’s success. A planning consultant provides the insight, experience, and advocacy needed to ensure the correct decision are made and alleviate the level of uncertainty throughout the planning process. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or embarking on your first project, having the right planning advice can make all the difference.

Ready to add value to your project? Consult with KEW Planning early and build on a foundation of informed, strategic and commercial decisions.