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The Planning
Planning Issues Ltd is a subsidiary Company of Churchill Retirement (Group) and is responsible for the planning and design function of the Company. The Company consists of Chartered Town Planners, Affordable Housing experts, RIBA Qualified Architects and Architectural Technicians.
Planning Issues is involved right from the start of the land buying process. The planning and design teams work closely with the land teams, in thoroughly researching the land buying process at a very early stage. This ensures that Churchill Retirement Living is in the best possible position to secure planning permission for the sites it purchases. The track record of Planning Issues is extremely good and the majority of planning applications gain permission at first application. The Town Planners are highly experienced in both Local Government and the private sector and have a wealth of experience in sheltered housing for the elderly. In addition to this, the Company has a proven track record of achieving excellent results at appeal.
To ensure that the best possible case is put forward at appeal, the Company uses the services of established and reputable national legal firms with considerable expertise in planning applications and appeals. Counsel for Appeals is provided by some of the country's leading barristers in the planning field.
The most frequent issues arising during the planning process are affordable housing provision and the impact on the character of the area – the developments Churchill Retirement Living proposes are generally perceived to be larger than others in the area. However, with the experience and expertise of Planning Issues' excellent planning and design teams, the Company has gained a reputation for good design and construction in many sensitive locations.
Our in-house experts at Planning Issues have a proven track record of promptly finding the best possible provision of affordable housing, an increasingly prominent feature of any planning consent, which demands innovation from our team.
On the whole, Planning Issues aims to achieve a co-operative approach when dealing with Planning Officers and Committees, and so Local Authorities often welcome the approach taken as an attractive and proactive alternative to Churchill Retirement Living’s major competitors.
Commenting on our proposal at Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham the Planning Inspector stated:
"Drawing together my findings I consider that the trees on the site are its dominant visual feature and this would remain the case with the proposed development. Parts of the proposed building would be visible behind these trees particularly in the winter but this is to be expected in a suburban area of this type. I am satisfied that the mass, height, scale and design of the proposed building would respect the character and appearance of the surrounding area and would not have an adverse effect on the quality of the built environment. ...."
Extract from Planning Appeal Decision by Planning Inspector R J Yuille MSc Dip TP MRTPI -Appeal Allowed 2nd July 2007
At Filton, Bristol, South Gloucestershire Council were seeking a financial contribution of £1.3 m towards off site affordable housing. Following a three day Public Inquiry the Planning Inspector agreed that the financial contribution offered by Planning Issues of £828,000 was appropriate and stated in his decision:
"Even if there were to be a small shortfall the sum would nevertheless be sufficient to provide a significant element of affordable housing which would not be forthcoming from any other form of development on the appeal site, since it is not suitable for general market housing. The appeal scheme would also meet an identified need for sheltered accommodation for the elderly in a highly sustainable location, making efficient use of previously developed land on a prominent site for the purpose, in line with national and local policy. I consider that these aspects are material considerations of substantial weight in favour of the appeal proposal."
Extract from Planning Appeal Decision by Planning Inspector Andrew Hammond MA MSc CEng - Appeal Allowed 18th February 2008 with a partial award of costs to Churchill Retirement Living.
Planning Issues is keen to engage with local authorities on the very different issues of providing schemes for elderly residents and meeting a key population need. Principles such as density, car parking and affordable housing provision are very different with retirement schemes. We wish to ensure that Councillors and Planning and Housing Officers are fully aware of the specialist nature of sheltered housing compared to other types of housing.
If you would like to discuss our approach to planning in more detail contact Andrew Burgess, Managing Director of Planning Issues, at andrew.burgess@planningissues.co.uk or 01425 462100.
