Planning & Design Practice have successfully secured planning permission for the conversion of two former farm buildings into two houses within the open countryside in Loscoe, Derbyshire. The barns enjoy views across to Heanor Gate.
The approved plans have allowed for conversions that will see two contrasting dwellings. Plot 1 is a rectangular, single storey, two-bed roomed dwelling with new windows across all elevations. Plot 2 is an irregularly shaped two-floor three-bed roomed home with a new glass link between the kitchen and the lounge and new windows across all elevations. These have been carefully designed to respect the agricultural character of the site, with no significant rebuilding, alterations or extensions.
Planning permission for the conversion of agricultural buildings into dwellings in Amber Valley can be difficult to achieve, especially when partially located outside of settlement boundaries and within the Green Belt. Our planning argument was built around the allowance for development within the Green Belt in accordance with Local Plan policy EN2 and the conversion of existing buildings in the countryside in accordance with Local Plan policy H6. As the development followed the below criterion, the principle of the conversion of the barns into dwellings within the Green Belt was deemed acceptable:
“The proposals would not have significantly greater impact than the existing use on the openness of the Green Belt and the reasons for including land within the Green Belt
Strict control is exercised over any future extension of the building and any associated land uses which might conflict with the openness of the Green Belt and the reasons for including land within the Green Belt
The buildings are of permanent and substantial construction and are capable of conversion without major or complete reconstruction
The form, bulk and general design of the buildings are in keeping with their surroundings”.
Additionally, in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework, the proposed development will help to boost the supply of homes (paragraph 59), re-use redundant barns and enhance the immediate setting of the area (paragraph 80) and will promote under-utilised buildings to effectively supply housing on the site (paragraph 120).
The site is sustainably located on the edge of the Loscoe settlement boundary, within walking distance of essential amenities, services and public transport routes to nearby centres.
We are delighted to have achieved a permission that will secure the future of the building, will provide a future resident with a home in the country, and has unlocked significant value in the site.
We have vast experience working on rural projects for homeowners, landowners and farmers in rural areas including rural housing development, barn conversions (both through planning applications and prior approval), farm diversification schemes and tourist accommodation.
For a no obligation consultation to discuss your project or property, please contact us on 01332 347371.
Planning & Design Practice are delighted to announce that planning permission has been granted for the cladding of a building (retrospective) and change of use to a house to support rural business in Barlborough.
The building is associated with a fisheries business to the north of Barlborough. As the business continues to grow there became a need for the owner to be located permanently at the site, in order to help with the day-to-day running of the business, as well as benefitting from a better level of security that comes with being at the site permanently. The building was located close to a number of listed buildings, as well as being in close proximity to the M1 motorway and within the Green Belt.
The proposed development sought to convert an existing building, which was used in conjunction with the fisheries business, to a dwelling. The design would see the building have new metal cladding, a feature which is often associated with rural buildings, as well as new windows and a small garden area.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) allows for the change of use of existing buildings within the Green Belt.
The building will be subdivided internally to provide living accommodation on the western portion and storage space associated with the fisheries business on the eastern portion. The dwelling portion of the building will consist of 3 bedrooms, family bathroom and a utility space, which will also provide a doorway access into the storage area portion of the dwelling. The western portion of the dwelling will house the kitchen, dining and living areas.
There are a number of heritage assets located close to the site. These include Barborough Hall, Barlborough Hall Stable block and Barlborough Conservation Area. The design of the proposals considered the character of these heritage assets. The proposals ensured that there will not be any physical affect any of these Listed Buildings. However, the site is located within both the Grade II Listed Historic Park and Gardens and the Barlborough Conservation area, both heritage assets in their own right.
The character of the area alters significantly from the formal gardens, which have a close association with the Hall, to the land west of Ward Lane, where the site is located, which acts as a boundary to the formal managed gardens directly to the south and east of the hall. Due to the proposals retaining the existing building materials and not adding any additional elements to the building, the existing character of the area is retained. The proposed design will not increase the size of the agricultural building, nor will it fundamentally alter its appearance, besides the inclusion of windows and doors. Therefore, the proposals were considered to be acceptable in heritage terms.
Supporting urban and rural business
Planning & Design Practice Ltd is a multi-disciplinary team of Chartered Town Planners, Architects, Architectural Assistants and Heritage Specialists. Gaining planning permission is a key step in almost any development. We can take a project through from inception to completion, but we also offer the flexibility to engage a client’s own architects and provide a planning service, whilst our design team can also work with clients who have engaged other town planning professionals.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd are well versed in researching and understanding local Council’s policies to ensure the best possible case if put forward for our clients, helping secure planning outcomes beneficial to both urban and rural business owners.
For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371 or enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.
Shaun Hyde, Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
Planning & Design Practice are pleased to have secured a Lawful Development Certificate, alongside a Section 73 application, for Morefruita Farm.
Morefruita Farm is a farm shop located in Clowne, Worksop. The site has been active since the 1960s, when it was run as a “pick your own” farm and nursery.
This business was in operation until 2005, when the site gained permission to be run as a garden centre/nursery. The site has continued to be in this use since then, with 6 acres of land behind the site solely devoted to growing fruit and vegetables to sell in the garden centre/nursery. The business also sells other local produce and plants, as well as gardening paraphernalia and local products such as baked goods, cards, and soft goods.
The applicants were approached by the Council last year, informing them that they were unknowingly in breach of one of the planning conditions on the site. Due to when the permission was granted, the planning conditions for the site were more restrictive than what they can be now.
To rectify the breach, we, on the applicant’s behalf, applied for a Lawful Development Certificate and a Section 73 application to vary the breached condition.
The Lawful Development Certificate allowed for certainty that the barn that the applicant’s were trading out of, which replaced a greenhouse that previously stood on the same footprint, was lawful. Planning Legislation states that a building is ‘lawful’ if, on the balance of probability, it has been erected for a period of at least 4 years. The steps for this involves gathering evidence to show that the building has been standing, which could include photographs, aerial views, and other documents. In this case, the building was erected in 2012 and therefore was granted the Lawful Development Certificate.
The Section 73 application allowed for the restrictive condition that the applicants were unknowingly in breach of, to be varied. The variation allowed for the applicants to continue to sell the goods in the garden centre/nursery lawfully. The Council agreed to an amended wording which allowed for the sale of the goods in the garden centre/nursery, without opening the site up to wider domestic sales due to the unsustainable location of the site for these goods.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd is a multi-disciplinary team of Chartered Town Planners, Architects, Architectural Assistants and Heritage Specialists. We have a wealth of experience in designing and securing planning permission for commercial projects. Gaining planning permission is a key step in almost any development. We can take a project through from inception to completion, but we also offer the flexibility to engage a client’s own architects and provide a planning service, whilst our design team can also work with clients who have engaged other town planning professionals.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd are well versed in researching and understanding local Council’s policies to ensure the best possible case if put forward for our clients.
For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371.
Planning & Design Practice have successfully overturned a decision to refuse to grant planning permission for demolition of an existing bungalow to be replaced with a 1.5 storey house in Quarndon, Derby.
An appeal statement was prepared by Planning & Design Practice on behalf of our clients. the appellants, against Amber Valley Borough Council’s decision to refuse the application. The Council resolved to refuse planning permission for the proposed development for the following reason:
“The proposed development is materially larger than the existing dwelling and is therefore an inappropriate form of development within the defined Green Belt as it does not comply with any of the criteria set out in paragraph 149 of the NPPF. In the absence of ‘very special circumstances’, the proposed development would, by virtue of its definition as inappropriate development, result in harm to the openness of the Green Belt and failing to safeguard the countryside from encroachment. As such, the proposal is contrary to saved policies LS1 and EN2 of the Adopted Amber Valley Local Plan 2006, Policy QH1 of the Quarndon Neighbourhood Plan 2019 and Part 13 of the NPPF. The proposal fails to meet the environmental objective of sustainability as set out in paragraph 8 of the National Planning Policy Framework. The proposed harm identified results in a clear reason for refusing the application in accordance with paragraph 11 d) i of the NPPF.”
During the appeal process, we argued that there have been two prior approval applications which, if implemented, would significantly increase the size of the dwelling and result in a much larger house. Therefore, given the fallback position it is considered that there would be no harm to the openness of the Green Belt. Additionally, we argued that the majority of dwellings adjacent to the appeal site, also within the Green Belt have been replaced, extended or altered. This has meant the scale of dwellings and the character of the street scene has changed to that of large, modern dwellings.
The inspector found that although the increased floor area and height of the dwelling would result in a significant increase in the bulk and mass on the site and the development would harm the openness of the Green Belt, given the expense of the applicant preparing prior approval applications, substantial weight is given to the fall-back position. Therefore, there were very special circumstances to justify the granting of planning permission.
Planning Permission refused? Helping you appeal
Had Planning Permission refused? All is not lost. Planning & Design Practice specialise in appealing planning decisions.
We have extensive experience with the many types of planning appeals, from written representations to informal hearings and public inquiries. Our expert team at Planning & Design Practice can help you to navigate the complex appeals process and give you the best chance of a favourable outcome.
For a no-obligation consultation to discuss your planning appeal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 01332 347371.
As 2023 draws to a close, Director Richard Pigott picks out some of his own highlights from the year at Planning & Design and further afield.
Our Successes
Here at PDP, we have had some notable successes in 2023 across a wide variety of projects including major housing applications, large scale renewable energy projects, major health projects and education sector developments. In addition, we have continued to build on our long-standing specialisms in rural development and heritage related work. This included working as Architects, alongside Bagshaws LLP, to secure planning permission for the conversion and extension of a disused stone barn in Derbyshire, and securing planning permission for the Royal Exchange Buildings refurbishment in Derby city centre on behalf of Clowes Developments.
It has also been a successful year in our Sheffield office, based at the iconic Park Hill, which has continued to grow with new recruits and an increased workload, maintaining our specialisms in rural and heritage projects. We have had positive results in a range of development types including: the approval of a complicated site for a replacement dwelling in a dense woodland set within the conservation area and green belt where we worked with Thread Architects to secure consent; appeal success for a two-storey extension of a curtilage listed coach house in the suburbs of Sheffield working with DKMY Architects; and the commercial expansion of an existing rural manufacturing centre to accommodate recent, significant growth. We continue to work on barn conversions across the country and our success at appeal remains high. Several of our previous appeal successes are now on site and making good progress towards completion. It is always exciting to see projects come to life.
Our Team
It has become a tradition to have a company study day out to an interesting UK city but in 2023 we went one step further with a 2-day trip to Milan and Pisa. Suffice to say, all did not go quite to plan with thunderstorms and rail strikes (in Italy not the UK) complicating our travel arrangements but a good time was had by all and we are already planning our next trip for September 2024 (destination TBC).
Team PDP – Italy 2023
On the staffing front, we have welcomed David Symons to the team as a Senior Architect in July 2023. The bulk of David’s work to date is in residential design where he has over 5 years of experience working across RIBA stages 1-6 in the East Midlands on projects ranging from domestic extensions to bespoke new build dwellings and housing development sites of up to 75 homes. He has already proven a valuable addition to the team.
Tina Humphreys, who has been with us since 2018, completed her Part 3 exams to qualify as an architect in November. Tina took an unconventional route into architecture and has had her fair share of challenges to contend with (not least studying with a young child) but her persistence has paid off. Congratulations Tina! Also in the architectural team, we are saying goodbye to Siegfried Doering who is retiring at Christmas. Siegfried has been a calm, steadying influence in his 4 years with us and we wish him a happy retirement.
In the planning team, Andrew Stock has taken to the private sector like the proverbial duck to water in his 2 years with us and is now part of the senior leadership team as an Associate Director. We are also developing our own talent, as evidenced by the fact that our Graduate Planners Shaun, Emily and Megan were all promoted to Planners during the year and in September we welcomed our first ever Planning Apprentice in Samuel Young. Sam is studying a RTPI accredited degree on a part time basis at Sheffield Hallam University whilst learning on the job with us 4 days per week.
Local news in 2023
It has been another progressive year for Derby in 2023 with some significant developments starting, finishing or emerging in the pipeline. The pick of the completed developments is probably The Condor building at Becketwell, and within a stones throw of this the 3,500 seater Performance Venue is rapidly taking shape and due to open in just over 12 months time. Wavensmere have emerged as the pre-eminent developer in the city, with work nearing completion on their Nightingale Quarter scheme and exciting projects in the pipeline at Friar Gate goods yard and Cathedral One. For more on this visit an article by our Marketing Manager, Gary Stringer here.
Artists Impression: Cathedral One
Perhaps the most exciting news from my perspective though is the progress that Down to Earth are making in acting as a catalyst to lift the city’s aspiration towards a greener and bluer future in something which is being termed “nature-led regeneration”. Their first project space, Electric Daisy, is an award winning new public garden and events venue in the city centre and no less than Tim Smit, Executive vice chairman and co-founder of the Eden project has described Down to Earth Derby as “my favourite project in the whole wide world.” I had the pleasure of attending a Talking Business session in November and all attendees were in agreement that the blue-ing and green-ing of Derby City centre is a top priority in order to make the city a more vibrant place to live, work and visit.
The National picture
There were some depressing (if somewhat predictable) delays to the government’s climate change and biodiversity net gain agendas. In the world of planning, the government continued to tinker with the permitted development rights, and, at the time of going to press, were about to publish a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). It is expected that the NPPF will do away with mandatory housing targets and Green Belt reviews but how will that help the Government reach its 300,000 target next year? There is talk of tough action on councils without a local plan but what are the actual sanctions? Will there still be a 5 year supply test if housing targets are only advisory. And will the 5 year requirement be suspended for LPA’s with a new plan? You can tell a general election is on the horizon!
I will end on a positive note though, at least if you are a fan of Everton Football Club like me. Not only is the club on an uncharacteristically good run of form but it is currently building an architecturally stunning new stadium on the banks of the River Mersey. Whilst the stadium was not to the taste of all heritage bodies, the project will see the restoration of the historic wall, gate and hydraulic tower which stand close to the emerging venue, and the stadium itself will receive a brick facade at the lower end, blending with the industrial character of the area. The £500m+ project is recognised as the largest single-site private sector development in the country, contributing an estimated £1.3bn to the UK economy and creating tens of thousands of jobs. I believe the stadium will be socially and economically transformational for one of the most deprived parts of the UK and provides a fine example of heritage-led regeneration at its best.
Artists Impression: The New StadiumGrade 2 listed engine house
All that remains for me to say is that we will continue to strive for ever more sustainable development and hope to see many of you over the next 12 months. I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Richard Pigott, Director, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
Gary Stringer, our Marketing Manager and Derbian, reflects on another exciting year for the city.
As a Marketing Derby Bondholder, one of the key messages we’ve been hearing at their events this year is that Derby is undergoing a renaissance, evidence of which is apparent when one sees the cranes across the city skyline. A number of schemes are well under way that will see the city centre transformed, with new homes, new cultural centres and more green and blue spaces. This year’s London Embassy and Annual Business Event both provided excellent opportunities to network with other local business leaders and hear first-hand from the companies investing significantly in the city, and wider region.
City Centre Living
As our urban spaces evolve, Derby is no exception to a push for more city centre living.
Construction work has been completed on Fox House, a £35 million scheme, that forms part of the Nightingale Quarter, the residential redevelopment of the former DRI Site from Wavensmere Homes. Fox House, containing 209 apartments is the second stand-alone apartment building to complete at the £175 million scheme, with 35 houses also built this year. In total, the keys to 395 new Nightingale Quarter homes have been handed over during 2023.
Looking ahead, Wavensmere Homes together with Wilson Bowden Developments recently submitted a full planning application to build Cathedral One, which will consist of 186 one- and two-bedroom apartments . The nine-storey building will be constructed on vacant land bounded by Full Street to the west and the River Derwent to the east.
And at a Marketing Derby Bondholder event earlier this year, Wavensmere announced ambitious plans to transform Friar Gate Goods Yard to create 276 houses and apartments, and over 110,000 square feet of commercial space in the city centre, on the long derelict site.
2023 also saw the launch of the city’s first ever purpose-built build-to-rent apartments scheme, The Condor. Grainger Plc is the UK’s largest listed provider of private rental homes, and The Condor is their first scheme in Derby, representing a significant investment in the city. Built as part of the first phase of the £200 million Becketwell regeneration scheme, The Condor features 259 new build-to-rent apartments, located on the former Debenhams site in Victoria Street, and is named after one of the first engines built by Rolls-Royce in 1918, Rolls-Royce Condor III.
The Condor
Becketwell sets out its stall
Forming part of the second phase of the Becketwell regeneration, it is exciting to see the new Performance Venue taking shape. The 3,500-capacity entertainment and events venue, will be owned by Derby City Council and leased to and operated by ASM Global. Bowmer + Kirkland are hard at work on site, which is scheduled for completion in January 2025. The venue should prove an exciting addition to Derby’s cultural offering, creating a new city centre destination, as will the refurbished and refocused Derby Market Hall.
An iconic landmark in the city centre, the Market Hall is currently undergoing a £35 million refurbishment. Derby City Council see this investment as an opportunity to transform the Grade II listed building into a contemporary and vibrant destination that will attract visitors from the region and beyond. By linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter to the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the transformed Market Hall is intended to serve as a flexible space used for entertainment and restaurants as well as markets and will prove another attractive destination for the influx of new city centre residents.
A Derby Renaissance
These are exciting times for the city, and it’s residents, those born and bred here in Derby and those attracted by all that a modern 21st century can offer, including exemplary educational institutions, including the University of Derby and Derby College Group, and the opportunities presented by our hi-tech economy, most especially in aerospace and rail and increasingly in nuclear and green energy.
These developments and others underway, and in the pipeline will be undoubtedly bring more vibrancy to both the city centre, and the wider region, and help fuel the ongoing Derby renaissance. Watch this space!
Images from Derby Festé, the outdoor festival which attracts over 30000 visitors to Derby.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd is pleased to announce that Full planning permission has recently been secured for the change of use of an agricultural field for use as a driver training facility for excavators as part of a farm diversification scheme in Derbyshire.
Figure 1: Approved Site Layout
Policy S4 of the Adopted Derbyshire Dales Local Plan (2017) which considers development within countryside locations, supports development in such locations if it represents the sustainable growth of tourism or other rural based enterprises in sustainable locations where identified needs are not met by existing facilities or it comprises proposals for agriculture and related development which helps sustain existing agricultural and other rural based enterprises, including complementary farm diversification proposals.
Policy EC10 of the Adopted Derbyshire Dales Local Plan (2017) which deals specifically with farm diversification developments, supports proposals where it can demonstrate that such developments supplement, rather than replace or prejudice, farming activities on the rest of the farm.
The applicant started a free range egg business in 2010, holding up to 32,000 free range hens in three separate buildings across their landholding. In 2019 the applicant secured their own packaging license to sell free range eggs to the general public, including shops, restaurants and hotels covering Ashbourne, Derby, Burton Hilton, Repton and Uttoxeter. The Planning Team at Planning & Design Practice Ltd was instructed to assist in developing a case to demonstrate that the proposed change of use of agricultural field for use as a driver training facility for excavators was policy compliant.
It was successful argued that the proposed development is of a scale which would financially support the farming enterprise carried out on the applicant’s wider land holding rather than replace the farming use.
The site will be operated by Doctore On Track Training Services Ltd provide high quality, training, assessment and accreditation services to the Construction and Rail industries and will make full and effective use of the land and existing buildings for use as classrooms associated with the driver training facility.
Planning your farm diversification aims
Gaining planning permission is a key step in almost any development. Planning & Design Practice Ltd is a multi-disciplinary team of Chartered Town Planners who can take a project through from inception to completion. Farm diversification can be described as any proposal which seeks to supplement farm income on working farms which would be operated ancillary to the existing authorised agricultural activity at existing established farm enterprises. We are well versed in understanding local Council’s policies to ensure the best possible case if put forward for our clients.
For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371.
Andrew Stock, Associate Director – Chartered Town Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
Planning & Design Practice are happy to announce that planning permission has been granted for the siting of temporary classroom facilities and an office, as well as a temporary car park at a school in North Northamptonshire.
The School are currently in the early stages of a 30-year masterplan project, which will see it invest in improving the facilities and the educational experience for students. This application, together with the recently approved application to demolish a number of buildings, represents the early stages of the delivery of the masterplan.
The temporary classroom block is to be situated on a patch of green space, adjacent to the access road into the School. The building will house 8 classrooms, an office and a bathroom space. Externally, the unit will be finished with natural timber cladding, anthracite UPVC windows, timber ramps and steps and steel painted doors.
This small loss of green space, when considered alongside the fact that the classrooms are intended to help mitigate any disruption to the student’s education, was considered to be reasonable. It also complies with paragraph 95 of the NPPF, which recognises the importance of creating and expanding high quality schools.
The temporary car park is to be sited on a playing pitch that the School use for football. After dialogue with Sport England, it was agreed that this could be mitigated by improving the adjacent rugby pitch. This will allow it to accommodate both sports during the School’s term.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd is a multi-disciplinary team of Chartered Town Planners, Architects, Architectural Assistants and Heritage Specialists.
Over the last 20 years, we 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, as well as schools and NHS Property Services. 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.
Gaining planning permission is a key step in almost any development. We can take a project through from inception to completion, but we also offer the flexibility to engage a client’s own architects and provide a planning service, whilst our design team can also work with clients who have engaged other town planning professionals.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd are well versed in researching and understanding local Council’s policies to ensure the best possible case if put forward for our clients.
For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371 or enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.
Temporary school classroom facilities – Proposed elevations
We are pleased to announce that working as Architects, alongside Bagshaws LLP acting as planning agents, we have been granted planning permission by the Planning Inspectorate for the conversion and extension of a disused stone barn in Derbyshire. The standout feature of the scheme being the proposal of the modern Corten clad extensions to the barn.
A contentious scheme, in the planning authority’s eyes at least, from the start, this is one we are very proud of. The project was carried out in multiple stages, the first being to secure permission under Class Q of permitted development, to establish the principle of residential conversion. Following this, full planning permission was obtained to simply replace the monopitch roof with a traditional dual-pitched roof. This provided the main part of the barn with a more spacious head-height throughout and opened the door for the barn to be converted, and increasing its value, with or without the extensions.
Following the approval for the new roof, a further application was submitted to infill the existing stone-walled pig sties at each end with modern ‘Corten’ steel clad extensions. The extensions bring the dwelling to life, providing more useable space and allowing it to properly function as a family home, as well as providing much needed natural light and making the most of the spectacular views over the countryside.
Obtaining permission for the extensions proved tricky however, initially being refused permission by the Council. However, our proposal was successfully pushed through the appeal process by Bagshaws.
The Planning Inspector noted that “The extension has been deliberately designed to have a contrasting, contemporary appearance to the main building,…” which along with its subordinate appearance in relation to the main building, as a result of its lower ridge height, would ensure that it would not overwhelm the appearance of the main building or the site.
He concluded that “Its contemporary design and rustic style would achieve a high quality and sympathetic design, as opposed to it appearing as a domestic extension.” meaning that the resulting development would appear as a converted agricultural building. Also that the setting of the proposed development, with its secluded position in the rural landscape and the backdrop of trees, would ensure that it assimilates well within the landscape.
As the Architects for the project, we are delighted with the outcome and are looking forward to progressing the scheme in the near future – and even more so, to see the scheme built and brought to life.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd are delighted to announce the planning permission for the erection of a new stables and formation of a menage on a site at Coxbench, Derbyshire. The new stables will replace an old agricultural building and will allow the client ample space for horses and horse-riding facilities.
The site is located within the Green Belt and the surrounding land is rural in character. This presented a challenge with regards to the planning application, as generally development in the Green Belt is discouraged, regardless of size or use. This meant that careful consideration was given to ensure that the design, layout and building materials used for the stables was in keeping with the character of the Green Belt and surrounding area.
Proposed elevations of the new stables
The timber material for the stables was chosen to incorporate a natural, sustainable feel to the building which also fits well within the surrounding landscape. The setting of the stables towards the corner of the site also allowed us to obtain planning permission through ‘preserving the openness of the Green Belt’ which is a key policy to conform to when applying for planning permission in the Green Belt.
The keeping of horses is an activity which is not unusual within rural areas. Paragraph 149 of the National Planning Policy Framework sets out what exceptions there are regarding the construction of new buildings. These exceptions include those in relation to outdoor recreation. Therefore, the proposals were policy compliant in this regard.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd is a multi-disciplinary team of Chartered Town Planners, Architects, Architectural Assistants and Heritage Specialists. Gaining planning permission is a key step in almost any development. We can take a project through from inception to completion, but we also offer the flexibility to engage a client’s own architects and provide a planning service, whilst our design team can also work with clients who have engaged other town planning professionals.
Planning & Design Practice Ltd are well versed in researching and understanding local Council’s policies to ensure the best possible case if put forward for our clients.
For a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on 01332 347371 or enquiries@planningdesign.co.uk.
Alfie Keelin, Planning Assistant, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
Shaun Hyde, Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
