WHAT WE DO
SL Planning Ltd. is a specialist online Town Planning & Development Consultancy which operates across the whole of the UK.
Based in the North East of England the company engages in the following types of planning related work:
PRE-APPLICATION DISCUSSIONS
If you are considering applying for planning permission sometimes it is beneficial to speak to a Planning Officer at your local Council.
The Planning Officer will be able to advise on the information which will be necessary to support your application and will also
be able to give you an informal opinion on how they see your proposals progressing through the planning system.
SL Planning can undertake these discussions on your behalf.
Following such discussions we will write to you immediately setting out the content of the feedback received whether positive or negative.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
SL Planning can project manage and pull together all of the necessary information required to prepare and submit a planning application
to the Local Planning Authority.
When we act as your agent we will keep track of the application and call/email you regularly to let you know how things are progressing.
OBJECTIONS
When you receive a notice from your Local Planning Authority informing you of an application which you feel will impact on your quality
of life you may want to object.
If your objection is not framed to take account of the relevant ‘material planning considerations’ your Local Planning Authority are
unlikely to afford much weight to your concerns.
SL Planning can submit an objection which takes account of the relevant planning issues.
If the application gets as far as being determined by the Council’s Planning Committee we know that for some people public speaking
can be a daunting process. If you prefer SL Planning can represent you professionally and speak at the Planning Committee on your behalf.
PLANNING CONDITIONS
Most applications for planning permission are granted subject to conditions.
Sometimes it is necessary for these conditions to be satisfied before you start work on site and other times it may be necessary
for further details to be submitted within a set period of time.
SL Planning can project manage your approval until such a time when the planning permission becomes unconditional.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN REPRESENTATIONS
If you have a site with longer term development potential SL Planning can prepare and submit Development Plan representations to your
Local Authority’s Planning Policy team.
Development Plan (or LDF) representations are generally a long/medium term process and can only be submitted at such a time when the
planning authority’s consultation period allows.
SL Planning can also represent you at the subsequent Development Plan Inquiry.
DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENTS
Most planning applications will need to be supported by a design and access statement.
In general a design and access statement needs to take account of the surrounding site context and show the Local Planning Authority
how your scheme has been designed to take this into account.
The statement also needs to set out the proposed method of access and show how the needs of disabled people will be taken into account,
where appropriate.
SL Planning is able to undertake the relevant site appraisal and advise on the most appropriate form of design and access methods.
This will inform the preparation of the design and access statement which we can also prepare on your behalf.
SECTION 38/106/278 LEGAL AGREEMENTS
Sometimes more complex applications will be subject to a legal agreement:
For example: a residential scheme requiring a proportion of the development to consist of affordable housing,
a scheme where highway improvement works are necessary to allow the development to proceed or a scheme where it is necessary
to divert a public right of way.
SL Planning can undertake negotiations and discussions with the relevant planning authority and legal professionals regarding
the nature of such legal agreements.
PLANNING APPEALS
You can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against a Local Planning Authority’s decision, most commonly, in the following circumstances:
i) If you have had planning permission refused;
ii) If you have had an application for advert consent refused;
iii) If you have been served with an enforcement notice;
iv) If you don’t agree with a condition imposed on an approval notice;
v) If your application has not been determined within the required 8 or 13 week timeframes and you have not agreed an extension of time.
Appeals can be undertaken in three forms; Written Representations, Hearing and Inquiry. The Planning Inspectorate has the authority to decide
how an appeal will be determined. The majority of appeals will be dealt with by Written Representations.
SL Planning have significant experience dealing with and submitting planning appeals. We also offer a relatively unique way in which you
pay our consultancy fees in respect of your appeal. Please see the no win no fee link for further details.
HOUSING LAND AVAILABILITY ASSESSMENTS
With a national housing shortage it is more important than ever that Local Planning Authorities are consistent in the way in which they
deliver housing.
National Planning Guidance indicates that all Local Planning Authorities should maintain a consistent 5 year housing land supply.
If a Local Planning Authority is failing to do so you may be able to bring forward housing developments on unallocated sites.
SL Planning is able to review Local Authority housing land supply and produce housing land availability statements.
These statements could be vital in supporting any applications for housing development.
LAWFUL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES
Sometimes when important planning documents can not be produced to substantiate a claim that a site has been used in a certain way,
for a certain period of time, it may be that you will need to apply to the Local Planning Authority for a Certificate of Lawful Development.
Such an application must produce evidence that shows ‘on the balance of probability’ that your claim is legitimate.
SL Planning is able to advise on, gather, prepare and submit this evidence in support of such an application.
DEVELOPMENT BRIEFS
SL Planning can prepare and review Development Briefs in association with or to be used in connection with the purchase or disposal of development sites.
SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISALS
The planning system is full of jargon surrounding the terms ‘sustainability and sustainable development’.
It may sometimes be necessary as part of your planning submission to justify your proposals in terms of their sustainability.
This can take two forms:
i) Justification of sustainable construction methods (for example; will your development be fitted with an efficient heating system,
how will drainage be sustained, does your development conform with BREEM standards or the code for sustainable homes)
ii) Justification of how your development will be sustained (for example; are you close to shops, public transport links, services,
schools, jobs etc.)
SL Planning can undertake these types of appraisal and set out the findings in a report which will support your planning application/appeal.
SEQUENTIAL SITE ASSESSMENTS
Sometimes a Local Planning Authority may ask for an application to be supported by a sequential site assessment.
This is effectively a review of other sites which could be capable of accommodating a similar type of development to the one you are proposing.
A sequentially preferable site would be a site closer to a defined centre which is capable of accommodating a similar type of development.
SL planning can undertake a review of the relevant sites and produce a sequential assessment report to support your planning application.
STATEMENTS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Some Local Planning Authorities require the applicant to undertake a community consultation exercise before the planning application is submitted.
This generally applies to major applications and can take the form of a public exhibition or a leaflet drop in your local area inviting comments
from members of the public.
SL Planning can undertake these consultation exercises on your behalf and produce a Statement of Community Involvement
report to support your planning application.
SITE APPRAISALS
If you are considering disposing of or purchasing a site for development it may be useful to know what type and what density of
development is likely to be acceptable in terms of a planning application.
SL Planning can identify the relevant opportunities and constraints and summarise these in the form of a report which may be useful
in the sale or purchase of a site.
ENIVRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
SL Planning can prepare and submit EIA Screening and Scoping Opinions to the Local Planning Authority.
We can also assist with pulling together the relevant sections of a full Environmental Statement.
SECONDMENTS
SL Planning can undertake temporary secondments to Local Planning Authorities.
This can be useful for periods of maternity leave cover or where it has been difficult recruiting suitably qualified staff.
Reduced rates can be negotiated for longer term contracts.
MINERALS AND WASTE
SL PLanning can prepare and submit applications relating to Minerals extraction including Review
of Old Minerals Permissions (ROMP) applications
and proposals relating to general quarry works.
SL Planning can also prepare and submit applications relating to Waste operations. We can also liaise with the Enivronment
Agency where appropriate to assist in securing a relevant waste management licence.
For further information on how we maybe able to assist please email us at office@slplanning.co.uk or call 01429 290805
SL Planning | 12 Cragston Close, Hartlepool, TS26 0ET | Tel: 01429 290805 | E-Mail: office@slplanning.co.uk |
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