Looking Forwards After A Great Year Of Development

The new year brings the promise of lots of exciting new property developments across the North East and that means lots of planning opportunities

We start 2018 on the back of a highly successful 2017, which was a fantastic year for JT Planning. Not only did we expand into a wider range of general planning services, but our new surveying services, which started in 2016, enjoyed many new appointments.

The business has certainly diversified in the last 12-18 months as a result of market trends and we spend more and more time putting deals together for landowners and developers. We are regularly approached by developers who are sourcing sites, so we are in a good position where we can offer sites and put developers in touch with land owners.

In terms of the last year’s highlights I would definitely say that our major housing scheme for executive homes in Longframlington, Northumberland is up there. It was our own idea to develop this site for the original landowner, a local farmer. The planners opposed the development originally but they were eventually persuaded that a scheme could progress. We have also since completed a new, larger scheme for the developer who bought the site from the farmer.

This is a great example of how we now work.

It was very satisfying to have terms agreed on a major housing scheme for 40 houses in Wooler. Once a legal agreement is signed for affordable housing we expect to move this forward to a developer during 2018.

We are very proud of our roots in rural Northumberland. We act for Coble Developments and have been involved with many major schemes for contemporary residential and commercial developments. We now have our headquarters within Coble Quay, on the quayside in Amble, and take up office space within a new commercial building.

In terms of the surveying work, Kieran Atkinson, our land surveyor has been working on a wide range of projects including survey work for a sensitive boundary dispute and topographical surveys in Northumberland, North Tyneside and Gateshead. We have also received commissions for various surveys on large rural estates throughout the region including Rock Estate near Alnwick.

We are currently retained by several clients who come to us for both planning and surveying services.

I think 2018 holds a lot of new opportunities. We are already in talks with a major timber frame housebuilder in the Scottish Borders who are looking to expand in to North East England; we fully expect to be helping them to achieve this.

Gradually, we continue to broaden our geographical coverage. Most of our work is in Northumberland though we do advise on sites outside the region in Scotland, Cumbria and London. We are keen to work with others and develop opportunities for smaller housebuilders.

We would also like to build on our recent success of commercial work. We acted for the Cooperative Group recently in achieving planning permission for a convenience store on a sensitive industrial location. We see this as an area for JT Planning to get more involved and develop other sites.

All in all, we enter the new year with enthusiasm and an optimistic skip in our step!