Planning & Development Bulletin - Jul 2020

Following Boris Johnson’s ‘Build Build Build’ speech on 30 June, this week some of the first of the promised changes to the English planning system were unveiled.

From 31 August, changes to permitted development will allow for upwards extensions to create additional accommodation, as well as permit for the widely suggested right to demolish vacant commercial buildings and replace them with homes.

But of potentially much greater significance are the most major changes to the use class system since it was created in 1987, which could have far-reaching consequences for our towns and cities.

Our planning professionals have outlined their thoughts on the changes and what this means for our planning system. To view the article, click here.

On behalf of EcoWorld London, our planning team based in London has submitted a full planning application for the redevelopment of a key gateway site in Woking town centre.

The proposed residential-led, mixed-use scheme comprises of five buildings on parcels of land both north and south of Goldsworth Road, totalling 1.15 ha. The proposals will provide for 965 new homes, a range of flexible ground floor commercial uses (A1-A4, B1(a) and D1/D2), a replacement establishment for the existing Woking Railway Athletic Club and a new purpose-built homeless shelter for the York Road Project.

The scheme follows detailed pre-applications discussions with statutory and non-statutory consultees, including the Council, Design South East, Surrey County Council Highways and Network Rail, as well as neighbouring and existing on-site businesses. We led the client through the planning process, advising on challenging issues throughout, including tall buildings and associated considerations such as aviation, telecommunications, glare, wind and the impact on key views. Other issues advised on included the loss of on-site employment, site accessibility and re-location of existing tenants.

For further information, please contact a member of our team:

Katy Davis
Partner
07968 562702

Our Eastern team, based in Cambridge, has successfully promoted land at Knights Hill through the local plan process with the land first being identified as a direction for growth within the core strategy and later as an allocation for 600 dwellings and associated uses in the Site Allocations Development Plan Document.

Following the allocation of the land, our professionals prepared and submitted an outline planning application for the development of 600 dwellings, a local centre and associated development. Having received an officer recommendation of approval, the application was refused by the Council’s planning committee because of local concerns in respect of highway impact and the effect of the development on the Grade 1 scheduled ancient monument of Castle Rising Castle.

We were subsequently appointed as lead witness in the planning appeal which followed, with Partner Paul Belton acting as expert planning witness on the matter. The appeal was contested by Public Inquiry and was later called in by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State’s decision has confirmed that the development is acceptable, and permission has been granted.

Our client outlined:

“Carter Jonas provided an excellent witness. Paul Belton’s contribution to the landowners’ case at a recent inquiry in Kings Lynn was invaluable. He was meticulous in his preparation, and calm and clear under cross-examination. You could not ask for more.”

For further information, please contact a member of our team:

Paul Belton 
Partner
07796 148843
paul.belton@carterjonas.co.uk

Our planning team has recently submitted an outline planning application for a new market town at Chalgrove Airfield to South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) on behalf of Homes England.

This follows over three years of preparatory work and discussions with SODC, the County Council, local residents and other stakeholders. If approved, the development will provide 3,000 new homes, two new primary schools, a new 1,500 student secondary school, a new town centre, employment land and approximately 30 hectares of public open space.

Alongside the preparation of the planning application, our planning team was also responsible for the submission of representations to support the site’s draft allocation within the emerging Local Plan for SODC. A decision on the planning application is expected to be taken following the adoption of the emerging Local Plan.

For further information, please contact a member of our team:

Nick Taylor
Partner
07584 681596
nick.taylor@carterjonas.co.uk