Need a planning consultant in Surrey?

Planning Consultant Surrey

Bringing a planning consultant on board to help with a complicated application for property development can reap benefits. Their expert knowledge of the UK planning system can help devise a strategy to enable your scheme to navigate through the planning process.

In this article, we examine the role of planning consultants and look at Surrey County Council’s development outlook, before inspiring you with successful schemes handled by five planning consultancy firms in Surrey.

What is a Planning Consultant?

Planning consultants bring knowledge of local planning authorities’ development plans and national planning policies. This enables them to provide strategic advice and a bespoke service when it comes to considering a complicated planning application.

Their varied range of specialist services includes assessing sites for planning potential, conducting feasibility studies, preparing and submitting planning applications, negotiating with the local planning department, taking on project management duties, advising on listed building consent and building regulations, and handling planning appeals.

How do planning consultants differ from architects?

They are different disciplines: planning consultants focus on satisfying planning regulations and provide professional advice to assist complex planning developments, while architects design buildings and create drawings for builders to work from.

Surrey County Council’s Development Outlook

Surrey faces challenges with preserving its Green Belt and managing high housing demand, making careful planning crucial to maintaining the county’s character while supporting growth. There are plans to build around 30,000 new homes in the county between 2024 and 2035: to balance housing demand with environmental preservation, the council is prioritising green infrastructure, enhancing public transport, and protecting the county’s Green Belt and natural areas from overdevelopment.

Surrey County Council’s 2024 development plan aims to deliver more affordable housing, support local businesses, and improve infrastructure. Ensuring development is environmentally friendly is a key focus, with a commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting green spaces.

Areas earmarked for development include Guildford and Woking, where new housing and commercial projects are planned to meet the needs of growing communities. These areas will see a mix of residential and business developments, creating vibrant and sustainable local economies. Two major development schemes in the pipeline include the Guildford Local Plan, which will see thousands of new homes built, along with infrastructure improvements, and the Woking Town Centre regeneration project, focusing on revitalising the town with new housing, retail, and leisure spaces.

Stunning Schemes by Five Planning Consultancy Firms in Surrey

D&M Planning Ltd

Backed by over 25 years of experience, these chartered town planners advise on a varied range of development proposals from residential schemes to change of use and community projects, and give strategic land advice. Based in Godalming, D&M Planning specialise in planning work across the Surrey local authorities, east Hampshire, and London authorities. All the planners are members of the Royal Town Planning Institute and provide advice on all aspects of town planning from applications for planning permission to planning appeals, local plan representations, and site appraisals.

D&M Planning helped achieve planning permission for a pair of semi-detached houses following the demolition of an existing bungalow in Surrey. Previous applications had been refused due to concerns about design and impact on neighbours, but D&M Planning, working with Whitman Architects, designed a scheme that overcame these objections and the local council agreed that it would represent sustainable development.

Planit Consulting

Specialising in development in the Green Belt and sensitive locations, Planit Consulting works in the south east on schemes including residential extensions, new houses, and agricultural and commercial development. The consultants will monitor a project through the planning application stages and offer project management, site appraisals, and planning appeal work.

Planning permission was granted for an outbuilding and single-storey extension to replace an existing conservatory at this house in the Green Belt and in the Surrey Hills National Landscape. The local authority agreed the case put together by Planit Consulting constituted very special circumstances that enabled it to secure planning permission.

FORM Design Group

Offering expert planning, architecture and structural engineering services, FORM Design Group was founded in 2009 to provide a one-stop-shop for developers and private individuals. They specialise in listed building consent and conservation areas, restricted sites, mixed-use developments and sustainable design.

FORM’s challenge was to transform a small house into a four-bedroom home. The project involved a single-storey rear extension to create an open-plan space, while the first floor was enlarged by installing new dormer windows to the side elevations to allow more bedrooms while keeping the character of the existing house and ensuring no negative impact on neighbouring properties. 

Kiely Planning

Chartered town planners and members of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Kiely Planning consultants work on residential, commercial and leisure projects. They offer a full range of planning services and clients include homeowners, commercial developers, care homes and healthcare providers, while projects range from house extensions to mixed-use schemes.

Kiely Planning saved a family home from demolition by acting for the owners when the local planning authority served an enforcement notice, alleging that void areas in the basement were being used as living space contrary to a planning condition. Kiely Planning prepared evidence for the public inquiry and argued that the house was lawful; they overturned a restrictive planning condition and achieved planning permission for the void areas.

Squires Planning

This town and country planning consultancy provides services including planning applications and development appraisals and offers advice to private individuals, the public and voluntary sectors, and strategic land advice to landowners Their work focuses on the south east and London and Thames Valley.

Due to objections from neighbours, the client had withdrawn two planning applications for an extension before consulting Squires Planning. Consultants revised the scheme for a two-storey extension and an application was submitted to the local planning authority along with supporting information to demonstrate that the scheme would not have an adverse impact on the neighbouring Grade II listed building, and that the design was suitable.  Squires Planning worked with the local council conservation officer on the proposal to make further protections for the Grade II building, and the application was approved under delegated authority.

Find a Planning Consultant in Surrey

If you decide that your scheme would benefit from the expert advice of a planning consultant, you need to identify the right firm for you. Research chartered town planners who have many years of experience with projects like yours and have achieved successful outcomes.

While engaging a planning consultancy is not a guarantee of a successful conclusion, you will be giving your planning application the best chance of negotiating the local authority’s planning process.