Need a planning consultant in Northamptonshire?

Planning Consultants in Northamptonshire

With a rising population creating demand for more homes and business areas, development schemes are planned for Northamptonshire’s major towns such as Wellingborough and Northampton, as well as its smaller conurbations.

If you have a planning and development project in Northamptonshire, you may want to seek professional advice from chartered town planning consultants. Their specialist skills can often prove invaluable when dealing with a complicated planning and development project.

We outline the role of a planning consultant before looking at Northamptonshire’s development priorities and highlighting some amazing schemes that have achieved success following advice from planning consultants in Northamptonshire.

What can a planning consultant offer?

Chartered town planning consultants can identify the best approach for an individual development scheme on its journey through the planning process. Town planning consultants will have extensive knowledge of local authorities planning outlook and the wider planning system.

A planning consultancy will typically offer the following planning services:

• Assessment of development potential.
• Feasibility studies.
• Formation and submission of planning applications.
• Negotiations with local authorities throughout the planning process.
• Land promotion.
• Building regulations requirements.
• Public consultations.
• Development plan advice.
• Project management and liaison with other professionals.
• Fulfilment of planning conditions.
• Planning appeals.
• Advice for the private and public sector.

Planning and development in Northamptonshire

Key growth areas in the current development plan include Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering. Smaller towns like Towcester and Daventry will also see targeted developments to ensure balanced growth across the county.

Between 2025 and 2035, 40,000 new homes are planned in Northamptonshire to address rising population needs. Major development schemes include the Northampton Waterside Enterprise Zone, a mixed-use project with housing, business opportunities, and public spaces along the River Nene. Additionally, the Stanton Cross project near Wellingborough will deliver thousands of homes, a new railway station, and commercial spaces, creating a vibrant new community.

Environmental pressures include protecting the Nene Valley Nature Reserve and other green belt areas. The council is committed to integrating green infrastructure into new developments, ensuring biodiversity and sustainability are priorities. Flood risk management, particularly in areas near the River Nene, is also a key focus.

Schemes designed by Northamptonshire planning consultancies

CC Town Planning

This independent firm of charted town planning consultants is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and has a proven track record of success in securing planning permission for all types of planning development. Based in Northampton, the firm works with national housebuilders, investors, businesses and householders on projects of all scales.

A national housebuilder engaged CC Town Planning to secure planning permission for two houses which the council alleged had not been built in accordance with planning permission for the site: as a result they were overlooking an adjacent dwelling. An enforcement notice for demolition had been issued, before CC Town Planning secured planning permission on appeal to the Secretary of State.

APC architects & planning consultants

This multi-disciplinary practice offers planning and architectural services for projects of all sizes. It can submit planning applications and make representations for an emerging development plan. APC works with residential, commercial and public sector clients.

Following an approval for a change of use of a barn to a dwelling under Class Q, APC were appointed to prepare a revised layout and submit a variation to the original approval. Approval was achieved for a more functional scheme with a rural aesthetic.

Alpine Planning

Established in 2016, Alpine Planning Ltd has worked on new homes schemes, employment land, town centre regeneration and green energy parks for clients in the private and public sector.

This project involved a change of use of this building from E1 (office/retail) to mixed use E1 (commercial, ground floor to front) and C3 (10 flats) including provision of a three-storey rear extension and landscaped gardens.

James Wilson Associates

This planning, regeneration and economic development practice specialises in project managing complex development sites. A member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, the consultancy operates across the Midlands and further afield.

James Wilson Associates provided advice for Stanton Cross, a 360ha development comprising 3,100 homes and employment land in a new country park. James Wilson was lead officer for Wellingborough Council, responsible for developing the approach with landowners, creating a vision for the development and sustaining community support, creating a partnership with the developers, resolving technical issues and project managing the planning application. The scheme was complex due to the proximity to flood plains and drainage issues. Outline consent was granted followed by detailed applications.

Howkins & Harrison

Providing strategic development advice throughout Northamptonshire and further afield, Howkins and Harrison deals with all aspects of the planning process. They offer in-depth knowledge of the development industry and manage 4500 acres of land under option or promotion agreements for clients. The firm advises on option agreements, promotion agreements, hybrid deals, joint ventures, rural exception sites, commercial development, and roadside and retail/mixed use sites.

Howkins and Harrison were instructed by trustees to advise in relation to an existing promotion agreement that had expired. They marketed the nine-acre site to 12 promoters and assessed the bidders to present the best option to the trustees.

Looking for advice with a planning application?

Hopefully, these examples of the vision that town planning consultants can bring to a scheme have inspired you. Their strategic advice and knowledge of the planning system is especially valuable when considering a problematic planning development scheme. When considering town planning firms, find out if they have a good working relationship with the relevant local authorities and high success levels with planning appeals.

When selecting a planning consultancy or chartered town planning firm, make sure that they are experienced in projects like yours and can demonstrate a good track record of success. Whether you need advice with a planning application, an emerging development plan, an assessment of development potential, or planning appeals, the firm you choose should provide a wide range of planning services to ensure you receive the best advice before entering the planning system.