Working for Chevin Homes Planning & Design Practice has successfully secured planning permission for an attractive new development of 8 semi-detached affordable bungalows with associated biodiversity enhancements and landscaping in Chellaston on the south side of Derby, writes Richard Pigott, Director at Planning & Design Practice.
The site was acquired by Chevin Homes but had been earmarked for ecological enhancements as part of a recently completed scheme for 34 dwellings by Redrow Homes. However, with the assistance of Ramm Sanderson ecologists and Golby and Luck Landscape Architects, we were able to demonstrate that the site could be partially developed, with the remaining land being better managed as part of a robust long-term plan to secure significant ecological improvements to the land to the rear of the dwellings. South Derbyshire District Council agreed that the benefits of the provision of 8 new affordable dwellings would be significant and that no other significant harm would result from the proposals. It is understood that Chevin Homes have discussed the proposals with a number of the Registered Providers operating in the district, and that a delivery partner will be identified in the near future.
Planning & Design Practice have a successful history working with Chevin Homes, a renowned local house builder. Working on their behalf we were successful in securing planning permission for the redevelopment of Brookside Farm, Breadsall, Derbyshire.
This development comprises a mix of just five exclusive barn conversions, new build homes and restoration of the original farmhouse. The site is located in a beautifully secluded backwater position with outstanding views and picturesque countryside walks, which is just 5 minutes drive away from Derby.
Having secured planning permission for the site in 2018 for Chevin Homes we were delighted that their development won ‘Residential Development of the Year’ at the East Midlands Business Link ‘Brick Awards’ 2021.
Chase Farm is a bespoke courtyard development of just eight truly unique homes situated on the edge of the Peak District at Ambergate, Derbyshire within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and was completed earlier this year.
This project was an exciting one for us to work on as it comprised of the redevelopment of a brownfield site with a derelict social club and car park, two 19th century cottages and an agricultural barn. The whole site had been neglected for the last few years and the buildings were rapidly degrading. We were successful in achieving full planning permission for one new detached dwelling on the footprint of the old social club, a terrace of 4 new dwellings, the restoration of the two cottages and the conversion of the barn to a dwelling.
We work with developers of all sizes, from small companies working on one property at a time to large housebuilders and commercial organisations where multi-million pound schemes are the norm.
Since being founded in 2002, we have established a strong reputation for providing honest and sound commercial advice, skilled presentation, advocacy and negotiation.
Our core planning and architectural expertise is supported by specialists in Heritage and Urban Design. We always think innovatively, and a collaborative approach is at the heart of what we do.
For more information, or to discuss how we could help with a specific project or property please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371.
Over the last 20 years, Planning & Design Practice have worked with and for a wide range of public sector and not-for-profit bodies including Government Agencies, District and Unitary Local Authorities, County Councils and Town/Parish Councils. A number of our senior team have extensive experience of working in the public sector and this undoubtedly helps us to understand the requirements of public bodies. Below we provide a number of case studies to illustrate the breadth of our experience.
NHS – In recent years we have provided planning consultancy services for our client the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust for a number of NHS projects at hospitals in Derby, Burton-on-Trent and Telford. At Royal Derby, for example, we have been involved with the creation of a 3 storey ward extension, a new operating theatre, a new day patient ward, and a temporary ward to help address winter pressures. We are also currently working to deliver a new medical centre; further ward extensions and a multi-storey car park.
Local Planning Authorities – We have managed the appeals process for numerous local planning authorities, particularly where a planning committee has refused a planning application against officer recommendation. This includes expert witness services at public inquiries and appeal hearings. We have also provided expertise in Local Plan preparation and the formulation of other planning policy documents.
Other local authorities – We are currently working for Derbyshire County Council to help coordinate a planning application for a multi-million pound scheme to regenerate Elvaston Castle’s historic grounds and make it self-sustaining site for future generations. Working alongside a host of third-party consultants, our role has been to provide planning consultancy services and strategic direction for the project. We were also commissioned to prepare an Environmental Statement as the proposal meets the thresholds for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Parish and Town Councils – We have used our planning expertise to advise Parish Councils and Neighbourhood Plan Groups on the production of neighbourhood plans. This work has included: helping to unlock funding streams for the production of neighbourhood plans; organising and managing public consultation events; providing advice on the structure and layout of plans and the precise wording of policies; and testing draft plans for soundness before they are sent for examination.
Other not-for-profit organisations – We are currently working for Forestry England, an executive agency, sponsored by the Forestry Commission, which looks after the nation’s forests. Current proposals involve the creation of a new visitor centre at one of the forests overseen by FE to improve the customer experience and broaden the appeal of the site further.
We have also worked with a number of housing associations including Nottingham Community Housing Association and Platform Housing Group on the detailed design phases of proposals for new affordable housing sites.
Comprising RTPI Chartered town planners, RIBA Chartered Architects and architectural assistants, plus heritage specialists, our staff bring a wealth of experience from a range of backgrounds and from across the UK and Europe. For a no obligation consultation to discuss how we can help you achieve success with your project please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01332 347371.
Planning & Design Practice have a long, successful and healthy relationship working as planning consultants for the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHBD). Recently we have worked with the Trust to submit applications for a transitional care unit, 85 extra care apartments, a 72 bed care home, a community hub, a GP and primary care facility and a 100 place children’s nursery at the Outwoods Hospital site, Burton upon Trent. In addition we have recently submitted an application for the construction of a new outpatient’s department at the Royal Derby Hospital. We are lucky in Derbyshire to have these large-scale hospitals and their smaller partner hospitals, its hard to imagine life without them. In this article, our Heritage Consultant Ruth Gray takes a brief look at some of the more significant contributions to the healthcare system that have originated here in Derbyshire.
Almost accidently, quarantine was pioneered in Eyam in 1666, by the selfless acts of the villagers who segregated themselves from the general population after they discovered that the plague had manifested itself in the village via a parcel of cloth arriving from London. Doctors later realised that their use of an enforced quarantine zone limited and helped prevent the spread of disease. Other break throughs discovered from this terrible episode were around contamination with the realisation that the washing of coins in vinegar before being left in payment for food parcels prevented the spread of the disease to those who left food parcels at the edge of the village.
Riley Graves – Eyam
Before the 18th century medical provision in Derbyshire, and across the country as a whole was not the concern of the state. If you became ill you had to depend on family, friends, neighbours, and the poor and labouring classes either used the services of friendly societies or if they couldn’t afford that the clergy and parish provided some outdoor relief and medical treatment. Medical advice was unregulated and provided by a variety of commercially motivated apothecaries, surgeons and physicians. With the industrial revolution came the need to keep the workforce healthy and it was this need that allowed for the beginnings of a public owned health service.
Derbyshire Infirmary opened June 4, 1810, its establishment in Derby had its beginnings with the inventor, poet, and Lunar Society member Dr Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802)-who founded a clinic and dispensary in Derby financed through a philanthropic society. Darwin and some fellow Doctors gave their advice for free whilst the local apothecaries benefited from alternating in making up prescriptions. The aim of the Enlightenment philosophers, philanthropists, architects, and governing committees was to limit infection by isolating the sick from the rest of the population ensuring that the general labour force remained productive 1. Darwin hoped his clinic and dispensary would be the foundation of an infirmary and if he had been younger, he may have taken on the task himself but that was left to William Strutt (1756–1830)2.
Derby Royal Infirmary 1819
Strutt already had considerable experience of designing bridges and mills. One of Strutt’s most important concerns was the development of fire-resistant structures and technology in textile mills (one he pioneered when he rebuilt Belper North Mill) and the application of these in other contexts. The Infirmary was one of the first British hospitals to use, iron pillars and beams, iron-framed windows, and a fire-proof ceiling (over the baths). It also contained (amongst other innovations) a new heating system that allowed the patients to breathe fresh heated air whilst old air was channelled up through the glass and iron dome at the centre. Strutt’s design is significant not just for its construction but also because it is an example of design bringing together all the concerns of Enlightenment architecture, scientific rationality, and the in-built design efficiency of public institutions.
Outside of the main city, smaller towns across Derbyshire began to benefit from voluntary hospitals being more conveniently situated, patients benefited from remaining close to relatives and friends 3. Initially these were founded by aristocratic benefactors such as the Duke of Devonshire but as the Victorian era progressed it was the industrialists that organised their workforces into contributing their wages towards forming hospitals that provided accident and emergency facilities that were essential in saving lives for the workers of the heavy industries of mining, steel and railways. Voluntary hospitals became an integral part of the Derbyshire community, and society as a whole. Funded by charity, subscriptions, and public events such as fetes, parades, and concerts, voluntary hospitals mirrored the fortunes of the local community with the hospital thriving if the community was thriving.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) understood from her own experience as a charitable gentlewoman that charity alone was failing the large industrial populaces, since they lacked the training and organization required to tackle the problem at scale. Nightingale who was raised in Lea in Derbyshire was a very influential figure in nursing following the Crimean war in 1854 her passion for creating a better healing environment for patients prompted her to write ‘Notes on Hospitals’ in 1863 outlining her priorities for designing hospitals. She concentrated not just on the efficiency aspects of hospitals to get people back to health but also the social requirements of patients 4. Nightingale was revolutionary in that not only was she was instrumental in steering healthcare provision away from religious groups and charities towards state run systems 5, but also her influence on hospital design was recognized and implemented over the next hundred years.
Healthcare pioneer- Florence Nightingale
The twentieth century with its two world wars proved that as Florence Nightingale had known, healthcare provision would suffer under a poor economy. The National Health Service Act in 1946 was the death knell for the voluntary system 6, and the 5th of July in 1948 was the end to voluntary fundraising for the hospital system. By the time the NHS came about, people expected medical cover as a part of their professional and personal life.
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust now provide healthcare for the region, and we at Planning & Design are happy to have been able to assist with their expansion, helping to provide infrastructure for the 21st century, and support as visitor numbers increase to pre-Pandemic levels.
For more information on our team and our work, and to find out how we can help you achieve a positive planning decision contact us on 01332 347371 for a no obligation consultation.
Notes and Further Reading:
1: The Derbyshire General Infirmary and the Derby Philosophers: The Application of Industrial Architecture and Technology to Medical Institutions in Early-Nineteenth-Century England PAUL ELLIOTT 2: M.Craven, Derby an Illustrated History. Breedon Books. 3: Community and the Voluntary Hospitals in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, 1900-1946: Economy, Society, Culture. Edward Cheetham A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Nottingham Trent University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In collaboration with the Midlands 4 Cities Doctoral Training Partnership September 2020. 4: http://www.mahlum.com/pdf/HistoryofHealthcareArchBurpee.pdf 5: R. Bates and J. Godshaw Memel, Florence Nightingale and Responsibility for Healthcare in the Home. 6: Community and the Voluntary Hospitals in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, 1900-1946: Economy, Society, Culture. Edward Cheetham A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Nottingham Trent University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In collaboration with the Midlands 4 Cities Doctoral Training Partnership September 2020
As Evans Vettori celebrate their recent awards success with The Lyth Building for Nottingham Trent University, which was awarded the RIBA East Midlands Building of the Year Award 2022, we asked their Founder, Rob Evans about his favourite building and architectural inspirations. Here he discusses the many merits of the Grade II* Listed Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, designed by Architect Frederick Gibberd following a global competition.
1967: England had won the World Cup, Liverpool F.C. were champions of England, The Beatles had just released Sgt.Pepper – and I was taken by my family to a new Cathedral, the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King . As an 8-year-old ‘Thunderbirds’ fan, this futuristic architecture encapsulated a palpable sense of optimism. I actually looked forward to going to mass there and was once so excited running around, that I cut my head on the corner of William Mitchell’s beautiful bronze door, thereby sealing a visceral relationship. I love it not just for its spiritual beauty but also for its amazing story.
After Lutyens ‘30s design for the second biggest cathedral in the world was finally abandoned, a design competition was held. It attracted a staggering 293 entries. Frederick Gibberd (a non-Catholic) prevailed against the likes of Lasdun with a design rich in symbology, simply expressed the latest thinking from Rome: ‘’All the faithful should be led to that fully conscious and active participation in liturgical celebration’ (Second Vatican Council ’62-’65). Cardinal Heenan’s letter to the competitors exhorted ‘The high altar is not an ornament to embellish the cathedral building. The cathedral, on the contrary, is built to enshrine the altar of sacrifice.’ Gibberd’s simple design concept (often compared with Neimayer’s 1960 Cathedral of Brasilia) was a ‘precise geometry rising from rocky surroundings’. His central crown symbolised Irish kingship rising above the protestant merchants on the dockside.
During construction Taylor Woodrow’s single tower crane, revolving slowly upwards, was visually perhaps the most splendid piece of contractors’ tackle seen in England since the war. The huge angled ribs, reaching for the sky as the frame went up, perfectly expressed its lofty purpose.
At architecture school there was a truism that every student had to design a circular building to ‘get it out of their system’. At Liverpool however the circle works wonderfully to create a simple focused space, which is hard to convey with photography. Attending a sung mass is the only way to fully appreciate the majestic synthesis of volume, light and sound.
One of my favourite ideas is the curved ramp which leads the procession up from the presbytery in Lutyens’ crypt. The giant organ strikes up and is joined from below by a sublime choir. Soon the cross appears over the parapet, closely followed by the tall Bishop’s hat. Pure theatre, and a poetic way to link 60’s modernism with 30’s neo-classicism. Another favourite part is the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament – a perfect fusion of modern art and architecture. Ceri Geraldus Richards’ pale blue and yellow stained glass washes heavenly sunlight over his abstract painting. Sixteen radial bays contain a variety of chapels and the main entrance. I have always enjoyed these subtle variations around the perimeter – miniature Corbusian spaces in their own right.
In the middle of the volume, the thorny baldacchino, with its sophisticated battery of audio equipment, succeeds admirably in spatially linking the altar with the lantern high above. The subtly dished floor means that a (rare) congregation of 2,000 can all see the alter, yet there is still a sense of intimacy for the more regular small congregation.
On completion the Cathedral’s ‘scale-less’ interior received criticism in the Architectural Review (Jun 1967). The ‘brutally’ bare concrete soffit rather reminds me of the concrete Pantheon dome, standing in stark contrast to Piper’s brightly coloured stained glass. The AR did allow that it was admirable that the architect should have had such humility as to allow his cathedral to be ‘tampered with’ by its users.
Sadly ‘60s optimism proved short-lived, and the Cathedral came close to being demolished after mosaic tiles fell off and leaks appeared in the innovative aluminium roof. I don’t envy Gibberd the lawsuits that followed. He was sued by the church for £1.3m, and eventually the roof was replaced with stainless steel.
With dwindling congregations and income, the days of such grand church projects now seem to be over. The biggest church project our practice has designed was a community hall. This won ‘Best New Church Building’ in 2014 – a sobering illustration of the lack of church building. I may never design a church, but the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King will remain a powerful symbol of optimism in modern architecture.
Planning & Design Practice is pleased to announce that planning permission has recently been secured for the erection of linked dependent relative accommodation located within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Buffer Zone and Matlock Bath Conservation Area.
The site is located with the defined countryside to the east of Matlock Bath and comprises a large domestic property with a generous curtilage that wraps around the property. The property sits in relative isolation, bounded by open countryside to the north, east, south and west.
Figure 1: Photograph of the existing house
The dependant relative accommodation would comprise of an open plan kitchen/dining/living room area, a single bedroom, utility room and bathroom.
The proposed ’pseudo’ agricultural style dependant relative accommodation/garage building would be linked to the host dwelling by a discreet flat roofed glazed link.
The linear, rectangular shaped corrugated metal clad building with a shallow pitched roof of simple form and shape is considered to have a convincing agricultural appearance that would successfully integrate with the former reconstructed Farmhouse. The dependant relative accommodation would predominately be powered and heated by the Ground Source Heat Pump and PV panels which already power and heat the host dwelling.
Figure 2: Approved elevations
Derbyshire Dales has a significantly older population structure than most local authority areas and the evidence within Council Local Plan indicates that the population of people aged 60 plus is anticipated to rise by 32% over their plan period (2017 – 2033).
Planning & Design Practice applauds Derbyshire Dales District Councils planning policy stance on such developments which support the provision of accommodation for older people to ensure that the elderly are able to sustain on-going independence either in their own homes or with the support of family members. To enable this, the Council considers strict evidence-based proposals for the creation of self-contained annexes and extensions to existing dwellings in order to accommodate an elderly or disabled dependent.
We have vast experience of working on these types of projects for homeowners and landowners to ensure the best possible case is put forward to justify the need for such Elderly needs accommodation. We can provide you with expert advice on issues to be taken into account prior to submission of your application through to receiving the decision.
For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371.
Andrew Stock, Principal Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd.
Two new homes will be created following a successful Class Q planning application. Andrew Stock in collaboration with Jonathan Jenkin and the Architectural Team at Planning & Design Practice are pleased to announce that planning permission has been secured for the change of use and associated building operations of two agricultural buildings known as ‘The Green Barn’ and ‘The Black Barn’ to form two houses in Kniveton, Derbyshire.
The application site has a rather complex planning history, which Andrew Stock, who recently joined us as a Principal Planner, knows very well having been the Planning Officer who dealt with a number of applications at this site whilst previously working for Derbyshire Dales District Council.
The Green Barn is the smaller of the two existing agricultural buildings consisting of a single detached steel framed agricultural building. This building is enclosed on three and a half sides, with the half open side facing the other barn.
Figure 1: Photograph of the Green Barn
The building would be converted into a two bed roomed dwelling, comprising an open plan kitchen/living area, plant room, WC, utility/storage room and an open plan lobby/dining area.
Figure 2: Approved elevations of the Green Barn
The Black Barn is the larger of the two building as it is formed of a traditional stone and tile barn with an adjoining modern steel framed addition. The buildings are fully enclosed. The modern addition is finished in corrugated sheets above a concrete panel plinth.
Figure 3: Photograph of the Black Barn
The building would be converted into a three bed roomed dwelling, with the stone building converted into a kitchen and dining space with the remainder parts of the building providing living space and bedroom/ancillary space.
Figure 4: Approved elevations of the Black Barn
The total combined habitable floor space for of the development would be approximately 459m2 and the total combined curtilages would extend to approximately 430m2.
Class Q Barn Conversions are something Planning & Design Practice are well versed in, having helped lots of clients imagine and realise their dream homes. The permitted development right legislation is a notoriously complicated and complex issue with many Planning Authorities. Since the permitted development right legislation was introduced, there have been several notable appeal decisions which have altered and clarified how Class Q applications should be dealt with by an Authority.
More recently, the term “fallback” is used in when an existing consent confirms that the principle of development which can then be used as a lever to gaining full planning permission. For example, if prior approval had been obtained to carry out the conversion of an agricultural building to a residential dwelling via Class Q (agricultural to residential conversion), this then allows the existing fallback position (in this case the Class Q prior approval) to be applied to a full planning application for a similar scheme.
It is an area of planning which also attracts the interests of those people who wish to push the ex-tent of their properties in the green belt using householder permitted development rights. Particularly in those instances when local plan policies are restrictive on the amount of extension allowed.
We have vast experience of working on barn conversions both via full planning and/or prior approval (Class Q) application routes. For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states: Heritage significance derives not only from a building’s physical presence, but also from its setting. The NPPF definition further states that in the planning context heritage interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic, or historic. Planning & Design Practice regularly write Statements of Heritage Significance and it is perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the application stage for our clients as it can reveal some hidden gems.
One such example recently was for our clients Oakenstone, with Belmont House a 19th Century Villa in Matlock Bath.
Belmont House is positioned in the conservation area known as Temple which is notable for its steep paths and stone retaining walls. It is part of a group of detached villas built below the Heights of Abraham and on the Tithe Map of 1847 Belmont House named collectively as ‘Belle Vue’. They are mentioned in W. Adams book of 1840 which described the group Belle Vue as private lodging houses ‘on a sweet terrace with a fine view of the Bath belonging to J. Rawlinson, esq.’ We researched James Rawlinson and discovered that he was a notable portrait artist who was a contemporary of Joseph Wright of Derby (even purchasing brushes for him when he went to London). His most famous portrait was of Erasmus Darwin who was a physician and one of the founding members of the Lunar society and a key thinker of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave-trade abolitionist, inventor, and poet and of course Charles Darwins grandfather.
We also discovered that James was the son of George Rawlinson (1734-1823) who was an architect from Derby who was ‘notably Arkwright’s architect of choice’. Historian Maxwell Craven attributes George Rawlinson to Rock House, Sir Richard Arkwright’s gentleman’s residence. He also states that he was responsible for the facade of the Greyhound Hotel in Cromford along with Alderwasley Hall and Mellor Mill in Manchester. George Rawlinson is included in Howard Colvin’s Dictionary of British Architects. He built ‘Belle Vue’ his own Villa first in 1800 and later his family built in its grounds Montpellier House (Hillside) sometime between 1833 and 1840 and Belmont which is dated 1847.
To discover research like the above it is important to research backwards in time. This ensures that all the known details are from recent years, meaning that any changes of street name or house name can be easily tracked. In preparing heritage assessments it is important that all the relevant information is sourced and referenced. Examples of sources we consulted for Belmont House was, The Historic Environment Record (HER Record), Derbyshire mapping portal for the Ordnance Survey Maps, and because the building is Grade II listed, we looked at the Historic England Listing. Also useful was the Derbyshire Dales Matlock Bath Conservation Area Appraisal. The assessment of the building in its historic context was informed by various publications including those published by the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Education Trust and other relevant historic publications. We also used old photographs and illustrations to pinpoint any original details we may have missed.
Not all properties are as easy to research as Belmont House, many houses do not have notable occupants that have left documentation in the public record. For these properties we need to look at title deeds, electoral registers, trade directories and censuses to build up an accurate assessment of significance. By providing the facts as we find them, we can help smooth the planning process because we have been able to reveal what is heritage significant about a property and what is not. Thus, avoiding or minimising any conflict between the buildings heritage conservation and any aspect of the planning proposal.
Thinking of buying a listed building or a home in a Conservation Area? For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, or for more information on the heritage services we offer including Statements of Heritage Significance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out how we can help.
With summer holidays at the forefront of many people’s minds and holiday homes frequently in the news, Jonathan Jenkin, Consultant and Chartered Town Planner at Planning & Design Practice sets out how planning policy can create a manifesto for change to eradicate the problems caused by this phenomenal rise in popularity.
I heard a report on second homes on the Isle of Wight having myself recently returned from a holiday in Cornwall where there are more holiday and second homes in most coastal villages and towns than permanent homes. In Derbyshire where I live, many of the Peak District villages are dominated by holiday and second homes and this leads to a lack of housing stock, the collapse of local communities, pressure on public services that struggle to meet demand, with wages that cannot keep up with house prices, rapidly rising house prices, low local wages relative to house price, a lack of affordable homes and very few homes for first time buyers.
The demand for and growth in second homes and holiday homes has been phenomenal in the past five years. Firstly, the tax advantages of holiday and second home ownership are significant and many holiday homes are now run as small companies and are exempt from council tax. Cornwall alone is losing £15m a year in lost council tax.
Secondly, the internet and working from home have made holiday home letting much easier and cheaper, the pandemic has driven a demand for a better quality of life and allowed people to work from their second home for periods of the year.
Thirdly, climate change and the pandemic have reduced the demand to fly, travel widely and holidaying abroad.
Fourthly, Brexit has made property ownership in Europe more difficult, with the costs of running a holiday home or a second home in Europe have increased substantially while demand is only slowly recovering.
It should also be recognised that there is also a long-term shortage of homes in Britain, driven by a lack of public housing. This has driven up the price of housing way above increases in earnings and inflation, so the demand for second homes and holiday homes is also seen as a means to increase wealth without having to work for it.
A Manifesto for Change:
We can solve this problem in the following ways:
1: All holiday homes and second homes should be registered with the council. This is due to start in Cornwall next year.
2: National planning policy should create a distinct holiday and second home use class separate from a property which is in permanent residential use as a home (the ‘principal dwellinghouse’). All those properties registered as holiday and second homes should fall within this new class. This is not a radical idea, houses in multiple occupation are already treated differently in the planning system as are homes restricted to those working in agriculture and forestry.
3: Holiday homes and second homes would be subject to a double council tax charge whether they are owned individually or by a company. Currently a council can only increase council tax on vacant property. This will help to fund local services including health.
4: A second/holiday home can become a principal dwellinghouse and be deleted from the register and by doing so will be subject to the normal level of council tax. Planning permission will not be required. However, if the owners of a permanent home, then want to use it as a holiday home or a second home, planning permission will be required.
A local council may have planning policies to prevent the loss of permanent accommodation in key locations.A council may also require all new build housing to be for permanent occupation only. This already happens in key tourist spots such as St Ives.
If a property is being used as a second/holiday home without being registered, then it will be subject to enforcement action. All holiday and second homes will be identified on local plan maps, available to access on the internet. All holiday letting companies will be required to ensure all property owners register their properties with the Council as a condition of letting and this would include Airbnb and other internet based letting companies.
5: To help ease the current shortfall in affordable rented property, winter lets would be allowed on holiday property for a minimum period of 6 months. The property owner would register the holiday let as being in short term permanent occupation with the council, and this would allow the council tax burden to be shared between the tenant and the owner without a change in use class.
6: Park homes and lodges that can be lived in throughout the year would be treated in the same way. These rules would not apply to caravan parks, and short-term camping and caravan sites.
These measures would provide local communities with more control, they would help to share the burden of providing local services and create more balanced and vibrant communities in the long term.
Jonathan Jenkin, Planning Consultant and Chartered Town Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
As Planning & Design Practice celebrate 20 years of success, founder Jonathan Jenkin looks back and offers his reflections on our 20th anniversary of providing town planning services, architectural expertise and specialised heritage advice.
The Beginning
In 1999 I was working for the Environment Agency as their Regional Planning Manager, and I did not enjoy it. The Environment Agency only comments on flood risk, the protection of their ‘main rivers and the protection of groundwater. I was managing the four teams in the Midlands Region, but I did not get to deal with the applications. I had to commute to Solihull from Ashbourne, and I was beginning to dread going to work on a Monday morning.
So, with the support of my civil partner Phil, I quit. I’d worked as a Principal Planning Officer for two councils and was a chartered town planner. So, I started a consultancy, initially working out of a small office of my partner’s art gallery and café in Ashbourne. I enjoy planning and architecture and although I had never run my own business, there seemed nothing to lose.
I quickly received work locally, rural work, in the Derbyshire Dales. I formed a good working relationship with Nick Hansen from Bagshaws and we started getting planning permission for his clients and evaluating the potential of farms and farmsteads.
I undertook an evening CAD course at University of Derby, and I started preparing drawings as well as the planning applications and statements to support the applications. In those pre-digital days it was four paper copies of all documents and I because a regular at dropping off envelopes at Matlock, Ripley, Bakewell, and Derby.
These early successes prompted a move to premises in Derby, and in 2002 Planning & Design Practice was created as a stand-alone company.
Today
Twenty years later the company has become a major player in development. We have 17 staff, two principal offices, one in Derby and one in Sheffield and we are both a chartered planning practice and an accredited RIBA practice. We have achieved successful development on several thousand sites, we have won several significant planning appeals and generated many millions of pounds of development value across the Midlands, in the Southeast and in South Yorkshire.
In 2021 I stepped back from the leadership of the company and sold the business through an MBO. I now work part time as a consultant planner with time to pursue new interests and opportunities. The new shareholders are Richard Pigott, Jon Millhouse, and Michael Bamford.
I was pleased to welcome Jon Millhouse to the company back in 2005. He is now a company Director, part owner of the company and runs our heritage team. He is an acknowledged expert on listed buildings, conservation areas and the World Heritage site. Lindsay Cruddas our lead architect and company Director, is also an accredited conservation architect and together they provide sensitive development solutions in constrained locations.
Richard Pigott is a chartered town planner and joined the company in 2011. He specialises in appeals and major applications. Michael Bamford is also a chartered town planner and runs our Sheffield Office and is the third shareholder and a Director.
We are a team of committed professionals. The new management team has brought a new energy to the business and is exploring new opportunities. They are building on the company’s past achievements, its reputation, and its legacy. Their aim is to build further on the company’s reputation in rural development, heritage, and architecture with more large-scale high-profile projects and in extending the reach in which the company operates.
As we celebrate this 20th Anniversary, I am proud of what we have achieved, the clients we have helped and the problems we have solved and continue to solve. In the end the work is about problem solving, understanding our client’s needs, and providing a bridge between the client and the Local Planning Authority.
Planning & Design Practice are delighted to have helped redesign and negotiate a successful planning application for a new extension to the club house at Belper Rugby Club. The site is situated in a sensitive location within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and next door to the Grade II Listed Babbington Hospital, which was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, who also co-designed the Houses of Parliament.
Belper Rugby Union Football Club (BRUFC) is a community-based, popular rugby club and is the flagship rugby club in Amber Valley. The club was founded in 1975 and in the early years the club played its games on local pitches, using public houses for a clubhouse. In the 1980’s the club moved to Eyes Meadows, Duffield where it developed to regularly field three senior sides.
In 1995 the club identified Strutts Field as a possible new home. The school, which ran the site were finding it a burden and were looking for a partner to help with its upkeep, whilst not losing its use. After discussions, the club and school saw the benefit of working together and a lease was signed (with Derbyshire County Council) prior to the 1995/6 season. Strutts School has since closed and transferred to a new site on the Parks Estate. The current lease with Derbyshire County Council runs until 2056.
Initially there was only changing facilities at the site and in 1996 Amber Valley Borough Council offered the club a prefabricated building that had previously been used as office accommodation. As these facilities were temporary, and with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the University of Derby School of Engineering, plans for a new clubhouse were approved with construction completed in 2004. The club currently comprises 4 changing rooms, referee changing rooms, a social area with kitchen and a fully licensed bar. These facilities were adequate at the time for 2 adult male teams. BRUFC are an entirely volunteer run, community sports club. The club has emerged from the pandemic in a healthy position and player numbers continue to grow.
Currently, BRUFC have 90 registered male players, 30 registered female players and 135 players aged under 18. BRUFC continue to play First and Second senior teams each week and regularly have 3rds/Veterans matches. BRUFC women’s team is thriving and has started playing in a development team league, and BRUFC Juniors section has both boys and girls regularly playing and training. As the club continues to grow there is a requirement for the clubhouse to extend to allow for the additional occupancy.
The existing social space is not large enough to accommodate existing membership, and as a result lose much needed revenue. The extension will provide facilities more suited to the more diverse membership and to visitors to the club. The extension will also result in the club being able to offer a new and much-needed social facility for the community of Belper in a town centre location. BRUFC intend to use the extension to the social area as a means to income generate by hiring it out for private functions, such as small weddings.
At Planning & Design Practice, we recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas. Our Heritage team includes Director Jon Millhouse, who is a Full Member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, Architectural team leader Lindsay Cruddas, a registered Specialist Conservation Architect and Heritage Assistant Ruth Gray who recently completed a Masters in Public History and Heritage at the University of Derby. For more information on the heritage services we offer, or for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out how we can help on 01332 347371.
