Most individuals who seek to maximize the value of their land or property know little or nothing of the planning system and its idiosyncrasies. Some of my clients have previously ‘had a go’ and found themselves in a pickle. Others simply do not know that support from planning consultants actually exists. My role in these situations is to act as an expert guide through unfamiliar and often rather frightening territory. I sit down with people and take them through all the stages of the process, step-by-step.
It’s all about reassurance – keeping in touch so the client always knows what’s going on, and why. Once people recognize that I have their best interests at heart, they’re more than pleased to let me take the lead.
These are typical of the cases on which I advise, although I have withheld the names of the individuals involved to respect their privacy:
My planning strategy for a replacement dwelling involved a ‘land swap’ in Cheshire’s Green Belt and was won on appeal.
This concerns a proposal for the redevelopment of a former incinerator and slaughterhouse site in the Derbyshire Green Belt to provide new dwellings. This goes against the council policy to keep current employment sites in use.
On behalf of the landowners I have argued that, in this particular case, any return to an employment site would not be viable due to its single-track access and its inappropriate setting for today’s large-scale meat processing technology. The case is on-going.