Need an planning consultant in London?

Planning Consultant London

Engaging a planning consultancy can bring in-depth experience to add weight to a development scheme, particularly if it faces a challenging time during the planning process.

We highlight planning consultants’ specific skill sets and showcase five inspiring projects successfully masterminded by London planning consultants.

Development in London

The London Plan 2021, a framework for development across this south east city over the next 20-25 years, includes a major programme of building houses and employment space. London’s population is projected to reach 10.8m by 2041, increasing by 70,000 each year, and to cater for this, tens of thousands of new homes are needed and accommodation for new jobs across London boroughs. The Plan’s Good Growth strategy has six objectives: build strong and inclusive communities; make best use of land; create a healthy city; deliver the homes needed; boost the economy and increase efficiency and resilience.

The Plan aims to rebalance development, including affordable homes, new opportunities, and economic prosperity; a central element is helping London boroughs coordinate growth with new targets set. The Plan sets out where major development and infrastructure should be delivered. Mixed-use developments are planned in all parts of the city to improve communities, alongside the creation of greener open spaces as London moves to become a zero-carbon city by 2050.

Why do I need a planning consultancy?

Planning consultants are often brought on board to advise on schemes that face a particular challenge in the planning process. Their expertise on local authorities policies can often prove invaluable and give you the best chance of success as well as saving time.

What do planning consultants do?

Planning consultants provide expert advice on town planning and development, from knowledge of national and local planning policies to permitted development rules and legal agreements, giving them strategic planning skills. They differ from an architect who will design a building and create drawings, while a planning consultant focuses on compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Their work typically involves an initial project assessment, followed by feasibility studies, preparation of planning applications for land owners and developers, and liaison with planning officers, local authorities and stakeholders.

Planning consultants may have specialisms in areas such as conservation and listed buildings or environmental reports. They ensure a project meets all regulatory requirements needed to obtain planning permission, and if planning applications are refused, they can deal with the appeals process.

Five Amazing Planning Consultancies in London

These planning consultants demonstrate wide-ranging skill sets that have helped bring development plans successfully through the planning process. One of their projects may chime with your plans and provide inspiration to help you find the right planning consultant for you.

Planning Insight

This London planning team can deal with projects ranging from large-scale residential schemes to difficult infill sites and commercial developments. Its services include site appraisals, planning applications, appeals, and consultancy work for private individuals and land owners.

Planning Insight secured consent for this new house in a sensitive conservation area next to Alexandra Park in the borough of Haringey. A previous application had been refused planning permission, and Planning Insight worked with the architects and heritage consultant to address the reasons. When the scale of the building was reduced to lessen its impact on the adjacent park, the project received few local objections and was approved.

Bell Cornwell

Bell Cornwell advises on all sectors of the development industry and helps private individuals, developers, and land owners at all stages of the planning process. The firm offers a full range of planning services from initial advice through to discharging conditions. Consultants are members of the Royal Town Planning Institute and are skilled at providing commercially-minded advice.

This London planning team helped obtain consent for a replacement house in Chelsea following an unsuccessful application. The scheme involved the demolition of an existing two-storey cottage and its replacement by a new two-storey house with a basement, or the reconstruction and extension of the existing building including a new basement. Despite local objections, the scheme was approved after discussions with planning officers in pre-application meetings.

Aitchison Rafferty

This town planning consultancy offers a full range of property services from building consultancy to planning, development and valuation. This employee-owned business has a proven track record and deals with sectors including residential, commercial, education, and healthcare.

Aitchison Rafferty secured consent for this house in the open countryside in Daventry in a Special Landscape Area. Planning consultants achieved consent via paragraph 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework after identifying the site’s constraints and taking a landscape-led approach. A pre-application enquiry was made to assess the local authority’s position, and on receiving a positive response, the planning consultancy undertook a baseline landscape and visual impact assessment which informed the planning process. Materials reflected the local Daventry Ironstone Hills and the site’s historic use as a stone quarry, and the sustainable design includes renewable technologies.

allPlanning

This London planning team prides itself on its industry knowledge, having worked mainly with local authorities’ planning departments over the last 20 years. These planning specialists can deal with all projects from concept to obtaining planning permission and focus on bringing high standards and imagination to projects while adding value. allPlanning.co.uk works with private individuals, business owners, developers and architects.

allPlanning (together with Building Doctors) achieved planning permission for this new house in Enfield on a problematic, constrained site with significant access issues to overcome, along with opposition from neighbours. allPlanning’s extensive knowledge of the pre-application and application processes resulted in a successful outcome and an inspiring construction.

DRK Planning

From its London base, this town planning consultancy has a proven track record, working with clients across England offering planning, development, and legal advice aimed at maximising development value. Its services include pre-planning and due diligence, urban regeneration, planning applications, dealing with objections, enforcement, and appeals.

DRK Planning provided strategic planning and planning law advice which paved the way for permission being granted to convert two semi-detached houses into nine new dwellings within the existing footprint. The pre-application process involved a plan to add a stand-alone backland development home and a lower ground floor.

Next Steps

These fantastic, often technically complex schemes have hopefully inspired and helped you to consider your exact requirements from a planning consultancy. Planning consultancies range from national firms that take on major development schemes to small boutique operations catering to smaller private projects.

Along with offering advice on local authority planning policies and providing strategic skills, most firms will offer full planning services. Examining the type of work that a planning consultancy carries out will enable you to select the right one for your project.