Overview
Our Planning Team have extensive experience in providing assistance to determine planning applications on behalf of Local Planning Authorities. This has previously been undertaken in a flexible manner, offering scope to how we engaged for such work, as well as the range of applications overseen. This has included Certificate of Lawful Developments, Conservation Area consents and Householder Applications to allow the Council Officers to deal with the more complex proposals; and conversely larger schemes for up to 50 dwellings and 10,000 square metres of employment/commercial floor space have been undertaken, taking the more complex projects away from the pressurised Council Officers.
Case One
We were able to assist St Albans City and District Council in determining 400 householder and permitted development submissions, including submissions within Conservation Areas and for Listed Buildings. Site Notices and visits were undertaken to each property, with dialogue provided with the applicants/agents as necessary to enable a positive recommendation where feasible. The small scale nature of these applications allowed this work to be undertaken on a fixed cost basis per application.
Case Two 
We assisted East Hertfordshire Council in determining 34 Householder Planning Applications, covering a period of staff recruitment by the Council, in order to prevent a backlog of applications. This followed a similar approach to that with St Albans City and District Council.
Case Three 
We undertook 134 applications for Cherwell District Council covering small and medium sized residential, employment and commercial schemes. Dialogue with the Council’s Team Leaders occurred on these proposals to ensure consistency with the Council’s previous decisions. Discussion and meetings with applicants/agents where necessary were undertaken to allow swift decisions to be issued. A more flexible pricing structure was undertaken with this work, reflecting the differing input level required on specific applications.
For further information, please contact:
Jonathan Weekes, Director, on 01604 979 465 or via email to jonathan.weekes@argroup.co.uk.
