Planning Issues Ltd

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, RIBA Qualified Architects, Architectural Technicians and Affordable Housing experts.

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 development prospects. 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 excellent 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. Planning Issues has a proven track record of achieving excellent results at appeal.

To ensure the best possible case is put forward at appeal, the Company uses the services of Planning Lawyers, Shoosmiths, www.shoosmiths.co.uk, an established and reputable national legal firm. Counsel for Appeals is provided by some of the country's leading QCs in the planning field, www.landmarkchambers.co.uk.

The most frequent issues arising during the planning process are affordable housing provision and the impact on the character of the area, as the developments proposed by Churchill Retirement Living  are generally perceived to be larger than others in the area. The experience and expertise of Planning Issues' Planning and Design teams helps overcome these concerns. The Company has gained a reputation for sound planning advice and good design.

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. Planning Issues has developed considerable experience in presenting economic viability cases to reduce or remove financial contributions.

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.

On the whole, Planning Issues aims to achieve a co-operative approach when dealing with Planning Officers and Committees, and Local Authorities often welcome the approach taken as an attractive and proactive alternative to Churchill Retirement Living's major competitors.