Need a planning consultant in Merseyside?

Merseyside Planning Consultants

Merseyside’s focus on growth indicates that opportunities for development projects exist across this north west region. Housing and employment space are priorities for Merseyside County Council which wants to make the area attractive to cater for its growing population.

The Merseyside area is home to iconic and valuable places such as highly developed waterfronts and conservation areas on the coastline, and the council is mindful of the need to protect these assets.

A complex development scheme may benefit from the advice of planning consultants: often their specialist knowledge of the town planning process can clarify the best way to proceed with a planning application. After describing the reasons for using planning consultancy services, this article looks at some stunning schemes handled by five planning consultancies in Merseyside.

Why use Planning Consultants?

A planning consultant will have a wealth of knowledge about the planning process which could simplify the route for your scheme. Planning consultants will be familiar with local authority policies on development as well as the national outlook.  

A planning consultancy can work for private clients and major companies, and provide a wide range of planning services, including site appraisals and feasibility studies, planning applications, negotiations with planning officers, heritage and listed building expertise, Green Belt applications and planning appeals. By streamlining the process of applying for planning permission, professional planning consultants may well be able to offer cost and time savings.

The Merseyside Area and Development

Merseyside County Council’s 2024 development plan focuses on sustainable urban growth, economic revitalisation, and addressing housing needs. By 2035, Merseyside plans to deliver approximately 35,000 new homes, catering to a growing population while maintaining the region’s character.

The council aims to enhance transport links, create job opportunities, and support renewable energy projects while preserving the region’s green spaces and coastal areas.

A key challenge for Merseyside is balancing urban expansion with protecting its natural beauty, including areas like Formby Beach and the Wirral Peninsula. The council emphasises redeveloping brownfield sites and implementing eco-friendly building practices to minimise environmental impact. Initiatives also aim to enhance the appeal of Merseyside’s iconic waterfronts, attracting tourism while safeguarding local ecosystems.

Significant areas earmarked for development include Liverpool City Centre, where residential, commercial, and cultural projects are planned, and Birkenhead, which is undergoing a major regeneration. Two flagship projects include the Liverpool Waters development, transforming docklands into a vibrant community, and the Wirral Growth Company project, focusing on rejuvenating town centres and infrastructure.

Impressive Schemes by Planning Consultancies in the Merseyside Area

Mosaic

Founded in 2006, Mosaic has a record of work for housebuilders, private clients and local government and focuses on fostering long term relationships. This independent consultancy specialises in providing planning expertise on market housing, affordable housing and housing for the elderly.

Mosaic Town Planning successfully secured planning permission for a change of use and restoration of this vacant mill to create 24 self-contained apartments.

NUKO Planning

This small but experienced team provides a full range of planning consultancy services and handles schemes from the application process through to completion. NUKO Planning works on residential schemes, commercial schemes, leisure and tourism, listed buildings and conservation work, Green Belt applications and planning appeals.

NUKO Planning obtained planning permission for eight one- and two-bedroom flats on the site of an existing warehouse and office building in Warrington. The site is close to a highway and a park and had limited parking space. The application, which included a parking plan, highlighted the social and economic benefits of the scheme to the area.

PWA Planning Group

Founded in 2013, PWA Planning acts for many major property and development companies, specialising in industrial and commercial schemes and the housing, energy, sport and leisure sectors.

PWA Planning submitted an application for planning permission to convert a former 1970s office block adjacent to Preston Guild Hall into one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. A major challenge was the site’s position next to the Grade II listed bus station, which involved working closely with the architect and heritage consultant. The scheme, which was designed by RPS Design Group and included solar panels, a green sedum roof and a living green wall, was approved in June 2024.

Entrust

Offering a wide range of pre-construction planning and environmental consulting services, Entrust helps businesses to manage and mitigate their environmental impact. Entrust works with sectors including wireless telecommunications, renewables, utilities, energy storage and EC charging. Planning consultancy services include pre-planning consultation, planning statements and EIA screening, GIS constraints analysis, public consultation, archaeology, flood risk assessment, landscape and visual impact assessment and biodiversity management plans.

Entrust secured planning permission for this 330-acre utility scale solar farm in Ireland within eight weeks. The application included an initial feasibility study, a cumulative 3D model of the solar farm and numerous environmental reports.

Studio Cass

Good design and efficient management of the planning process are key to how Studio Cass operates. The team are chartered members of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Landscape Institute, and offer initial town planning advice, feasibility studies, concept design, architectural and landscape design, listed buildings and conservation work, planning and listed building consent applications, specification for tender and construction and planning appeals.

This 1930s cottage at Newton, Wirral, was extended to create distinct internal and external spaces using bespoke oak joinery and external green oak cladding.

Find a Planning Consultant in Merseyside

The first step is to identify firms with a track record of success with planning applications like yours in the north west. Meet consultants to see if you could work alongside them, and ask to see examples of their projects to see if they appeal to you. Hiring planning consultants may not mean that your scheme is bound to succeed, but the right firm should provide you with the best chance of achieving planning permission and realising your dreams.