DHA Planning Group

DHA Planning Group have secured #PriorApproval for KENT & DARTFORD ESTATES LIMITED for the change of use of a #commercial property in #Crawley town centre to 7 #residential #apartments.   In accordance with #Class MA of the #GeneralPermittedDevelopmentOrder 2015 (as amended), DHA Planning Group successfully demonstrated to Officers Crawley Borough Council that the proposed #conversion scheme complies with all elements of Class MA including issues related to #transport, contamination, #flood risk, noise and provision of #natural light.   DHA #UrbanDesign prepared the drawings for the application and NED JOHNSON ACOUSTIC CONSULTANTS LTD provided the supporting #Acoustic Assessment.   If you would like to discuss this prior approval any further, please contact Chris Hawkins (Planning) or Alex Bones (Design).

DHA Planning Group have successfully secured planning permission at #appeal for the erection of a new dwelling on a site to the south-east of Maidstone. The scheme, which was designed by #DHAUrbanDesign, was originally refused permission by Maidstone Borough Council in July 2023 on three grounds, including the impact of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area and on existing trees. However, thanks to the case put forward by #DHAPlanning, the appointed Inspector from the Planning Inspectorate disagreed with the Council’s decision and instead found that the scheme would in fact merge visually with the site’s surrounding built form and would not appear out of place.  The Inspector also found that the proposal would not have a harmful effect on nearby trees.  Given these findings, the appeal was allowed and full planning permission was granted. If you’ve had a similar scheme refused permission and would like to discuss prospects at appeal, please feel free to contact DHA Planning’s Matthew Garvey.

DHA Planning Group have secured #planningpermission from Maidstone Borough Council for local business Alan Firmin Ltd for a change of use of two existing industrial units on #WheelbarrowIndustrialEstate in Marden to a flexible business use.  This permission will ensure that a new home for leading eco consumables provider, smol who have outgrown their premises in Paddock Wood, can be provided in the Borough of Maidstone.   The proposals will provide over 100 new jobs on site and will see the old Boddingtons Factory repurposed to provide a #flexiblebusinessuse (Class E(g), B2 and B8) premises for smol . If you would like to find out any more about this new permission or Smol, please get in touch with DHA's Chris Hawkins. #dhaplanning #planningpermission #changeofuse #industrial #flexiblebusinessuse #newjobs #sustainabledevelopment

Another #GreenBelt success story for DHA Planning Group...... #DHA have secured #outlineplanningpermission, on #appeal, for three new detached homes on a highly constrained backland site in #Hayes, within the #LondonBoroughofBromley. The proposed scheme by our client South East Living Group was originally refused by the Council under delegated powers at the end of 2023, with Officers citing six reasons for refusal including harm to the openness of the #GreenBelt and to the character and appearance of a #ConservationArea. Considering the effects of the proposal, the #PlanningInspector accepted #DHA’s arguments that the new homes would not be inappropriate development in the Green Belt and will comfortably assimilate as part of the suburban character of the area whilst making a meaningful contribution to the borough’s housing supply. For any further information regarding this appeal scheme, or if you would like help with any similar schemes, please feel free to contact DHA’s Jack Karagoz or Daniel Blake.

📣 Publication of Devolution White Paper 📣 Following DHA Planning Group's post at the end of November, the highly anticipated #DEVOLUTIONWHITEPAPER has been published. #DHA's Hannah Young provides an initial overview of the Paper and some of the Government's key proposals in the article below, including the programme of local government reorganisation for two-tier areas, and for unitary councils where there is evidence of failure. Following the invitation for devolution proposals earlier this year (which we know Kent, Sussex and Surrey all expressed an interest), the Government will invite a number of plans to join its Devolution Priority Programme. The government will announce the areas included in the Devolution Priority Programme in due course. DHA will continue to delve into the detail. In the meantime, please click below to read Hannah's article. #devolutionwhitepaper #government #localgovernment #reorganisation #moreplanningreforms https://lnkd.in/eNFvQQKu

With the new #NPPF being published at the end of last week, DHA Planning Group will provide various commentary over the next few weeks on the implications from the updated guidance.   To kick us off, Danielle Lawrence (DHA Viability) discusses in the article below, the new 'golden rules' that #developers in the #greenbelt must adhere to, specifically in terms of #viability.   Please do not hesitate to contact Danielle Lawrence if you have any queries about her article. #nppf #planningpracticeguidance #viability #planning #development #greenbelt #government 

DHA Planning Group are delighted to have secured full #planningpermission from Sevenoaks District Council for the residential repurposing of Maplescombe Farm in #Farningham. The approved scheme allows surplus agricultural buildings to be converted in a manner that will create 7 new family homes, with further redundant buildings removed from site. The planning process has been a challenging one with several significant hurdles to overcome. The site sits adjacent to a Grade II listed farmhouse, whilst it is also situated in the #KentDownsNationalLandscape and in the #MetropolitanGreenBelt. Given the site constraints, a strong team effort has been needed with #DHA offering a full suite of #planning, #design, #transport and #drainage services, alongside wider expert input from HCUK Group, #BriarwoodLandscapeArchitecture and PJC Consultancy Ltd. The result is somewhat bittersweet having seen an earlier scheme for 10 dwellings dismissed at appeal twelve months ago. Whilst we are, of course, delighted to have secured this new consent (via delegated powers), when we started out, the site was proposed for allocation of 35 new build homes in an early iteration of a new Local Plan. With the updated #NPPF introducing a further huge (63%) uplift in housing need for Sevenoaks District Council (1,149 homes per annum now needed), it does feels like a missed opportunity to maximise the use of a substantially developed site. Particularly with so much greenfield Green Belt and National Landscape land still being needed. Whilst the new #Government appear committed to #housingdelivery, we hope to see the bigger picture reflected via the #appealsystem. For further information about this project, or the new NPPF, please contact David Bedford (Planning), Alex Hicken, Alex Bones (Design), Paul Lulham (Transport) or Chris Smoker (Drainage).

Further to DHA Planning Group's post this Summer on the consultation Housing Need Method, the release of the updated National Planning Policy Framework has seen these figures changed further as a result of additional tweaks made to the affordability multiplier. The key takeaway of these changes is that the need in #London, #SouthEast, and #East of #England have seen increases, with other Regions seeing a decrease when compared to the figures seen in the summer consultation. As a result of this, we have provided a handy table that compares the previous annual housing need requirement against the new standard method for Local Planning Authorities, within 8 Regions, including: London, #Kent, #Surrey, #EastSussex, #WestSussex, #Hampshire, #Berkshire, and #Essex. Our #GIS team have also updated their interactive map based on these figures which can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/e9qcX-cQ

Further to DHA Planning Group's post this Summer on the consultation Housing Need Method, the release of the updated National Planning Policy Framework has seen these figures changed further as a result of additional tweaks made to the affordability multiplier. The key takeaway of these changes is that the need in #London, #SouthEast, and #East of #England have seen increases, with other Regions seeing a decrease when compared to the figures seen in the summer consultation. As a result of this, we have provided a handy table that compares the previous annual housing need requirement against the new standard method for Local Planning Authorities, within 8 Regions, including: London, #Kent, #Surrey, #EastSussex, #WestSussex, #Hampshire, #Berkshire, and #Essex. Our #GIS team have also updated their interactive map based on these figures which can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/e9qcX-cQ

DHA Planning Group are delighted to announce on behalf of Taylor Wimpey plc that Folkestone & Hythe District Council approved #ReservedMatters for the final phase of development at #ShorncliffeGarrison for 48 dwellings at Planning Committee.           Shorncliffe Garrison is a strategic site allocation for #residentialdevelopment of up to 1,200 new homes and new community facilities, which was previously under the ownership of the #MinistryofDefence.     The application represents the culmination of 12 years of work, from supporting site acquisition to securing a hybrid planning consent and subsequent submission of reserved matters. This final reserved matters scheme proved to be the most challenging designed around three retained buildings which include the #GradeIIListed Racquet Court and Concrete Barracks block, and the non-designated water tower.  These buildings have consent for a range of potential uses including retail, café, offices, assembly and leisure or health care/care facilities.   The approved scheme also incorporates a new public square and open space from which the retained heritage assets can be appreciated.           The Team comprised: Ben Baillie and Katie Lee from Cooper Baillie Limited Jenn Mesuria from Green Landscape Studio Edward Hawkins from RPS (formerly CgMs Heritage) Cathy Hoskins from #ArgentConsultingEngineers Jago Keen from #KeenConsulting Clare Caudwell CEcolMCIEEM from CSA Environmental   To find out more about the redevelopment of Shorncliffe Barracks, please contact #DHA's Lucy Wilford, Oonagh Kerrigan or Jessica Bache