Need a planning consultant in Bristol?

Planning Consultant Bristol

If you have a complicated development project in the Bristol area, a planning consultant could clarify the best route to securing planning permission.

From solving technical complexities to dealing with objections, planning consultants can bring wide-ranging expertise to development proposals. In this article, we explain what planning consultants do, and then highlight some amazing schemes carried out by five Bristol planning consultants.

What’s the Difference between Planning Consultants and Architects?

Architects design buildings and create detailed drawings that builders can work from while planning consultants deal with satisfying planning regulations for challenging development proposals.

Planning consultants typically:

• Have an in-depth understanding of local planning authority development plans and national policies.
• Carry out feasibility studies.
• Prepare and submit planning applications.
• Conduct negotiations with planning officers. 
• Handle planning appeals.

The Bristol Planning Outlook

A major development programme is planned for Bristol over the next few years, focused on more affordable housing, boosting economic growth, and enhancing public spaces. Bristol City Council plans to build around 33,500 new homes between 2024 and 2035, a target that reflects the city’s commitment to meeting demand for housing.

The Bristol Council planning strategy aims to create a vibrant and sustainable city: reducing carbon emissions and promoting green infrastructure is part of its goal of making Bristol a leading example of urban sustainability.

Key areas earmarked for development include Temple Quarter and Hengrove Park. Temple Quarter is set to become a major hub with a mix of residential, commercial, and cultural spaces, transforming the area around Bristol Temple Meads Station, while a new community with housing, green spaces, and improved amenities is planned for Hengrove Park.

Major development schemes include the Temple Island project, which involves new homes, a conference centre, and offices, and the Western Harbour redevelopment which aims to create a thriving waterfront neighbourhood.

We Showcase Five Great Planning Consultancy Firms in Bristol

These amazing recent projects demonstrate the wide range of work that Bristol planning consultants deal with. If you have a challenging development scheme in the Bristol area and need advice from specialist consultants, these projects might inspire you.

Grassroots Planning

This independent planning consultancy has a diverse portfolio of work and a wide range of experience. Grassroots Planning is a residential, commercial, recreational and mixed-use planning consultancy offering planning, design and project management services to landowners, homeowners, housebuilders and independent schools. Their work includes private houses, regeneration projects, sports and recreational projects and large urban extensions in the Bristol area, South Wales and the South West. The company provides site appraisals, feasibility studies, pre-application submissions, applications for full planning permission and planning appeals.

This scheme is for a residential development of 14 houses and open space. The site is partly with a Local Green Space designation and outside a settlement boundary, but close to local facilities. It involves well-designed homes with low stone walls and includes bungalows. The Bristol planning team dealt with ecology and drainage issues and negotiations with planning officers as the application attracted significant objections before being approved.

Planning Ventures

Working with property owners, developers and architects, Planning Ventures can support every step of the planning process. Its work includes heritage projects, new architecture and house extensions, and consultants deal with planning appraisals, pre-application advice, applications for full planning permission, applications in conservation areas and site planning.

This high-quality scheme prioritised the site’s landscape and ecological context which comprised a former garden and paddock to the side and rear of a house. The scheme arose as the local authority did not have a five-year housing land supply and the site was sustainable. The planning process involved a pre-application submission, stakeholder consultation, submission of an outline planning application and further amendments before securing planning permission.

Alder King

Practical planning advice to overcome planning obstacles across all key sectors is provided by Alder King, whose clients include small businesses and national clients in the public and private sectors. The firm works with developers, investors and corporate occupiers on all aspects of commercial property and land.

Alder King was the lead consultant in this refurbishment scheme at a Grade II listed student property comprising 13 bedrooms owned by Bristol University. Alder King developed and agreed on the project brief with stakeholders and the project was completed in an 18-week construction period, including a complete redesign of shower rooms to wet rooms.

Aspect360 Ltd

This independent planning consultancy advises clients on urban and rural planning matters, listed building applications, and can provide evidence for appeals. The firm is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and provides planning advice on major mixed-use schemes, listed building alterations and heritage assets, barn conversions and agricultural development.

Aspect360 achieved planning permission for an infill house within the Bristol & Bath Green Belt, providing a robust argument to justify the scheme outside a designated settlement because it complied with the national policy that allows infilling. The high-specification building, designed by WH Architects, is constructed using traditional rubblestone with timber weatherboarding and render and includes a solar array.

Lucy White Planning

Planning services offered by this independent planning consultancy include listed building consents, preparing and submitting planning applications, planning appeals, and promoting land through development plans. Clients include landowners, developers, housebuilders, private individuals, parish councils and community groups.

Lucy White Planning secured planning permission to convert a complex of buildings, including a listed building, to provide a special educational needs school. Development proposals demonstrated that the use would ensure the long-term maintenance of the listed building, and the works would not detract from its character and appearance.

Take the Next Step in the Planning Process

As well as helping you achieve planning permission, other advantages of appointing a planning consultant are that they may save you time and reduce the stress associated with planning applications.

Whether your development proposals involve house extensions, listed buildings or commercial property, input from the right Bristol planning team may provide a planning strategy to enable you to achieve planning permission.