There is a skill to securing planning permissions and ensuring controversial or difficult planning projects in sensitive rural and urban areas get the go ahead.
Property projects don’t just happen and need an experienced hand to guide the development through the planning process. A small housing development in a beautiful part of Northumberland may face obstacles and sometimes even a simple but innovative single designer-house can face neighbourhood objectors.
Developers can waste significant time and money fighting losing battles if they don’t find the right planning expert and/or consider compromising on the original plans. A specialist in this area is JT Planning which has built its reputation by working closely with clients, their architects and local authorities.
Jon Tweddell, director at JT Planning, in Amble, said: “We achieve permissions for clients by providing a bespoke service which is very much tailored to the client and their development requirements.
We have established good relationships with local authorities throughout the North East and beyond to help ensure that our clients receive a fair hearing. This is borne out by the fact we have received a raft of permissions over the last month.
Jon Tweddell, JT Planning“The planning system is very much ‘front loaded’ presently, therefore you need to consider a long list of planning issues when advising on individual schemes.”
Planning issues include location, design, ecology, contamination, mining, transport, archaeology and landscape impact, to name but a few. Each of these areas require specialist advice to secure a positive outcome and a planning permission for the client.
JT Planning fully manages the planning process by involving the best consultants to ensure the best outcome for clients.
Jon said: “Planning is extremely subjective, especially around matters of design, therefore it is critical to discuss a client’s proposals with all of the relevant stakeholders, especially the local planning authority, who will issue the planning decision.
“We have established good relationships with local authorities throughout the North East and beyond to help ensure that our clients receive a fair hearing. This is borne out by the fact we have received a raft of permissions over the last month.”
He is particularly proud of a development at Longframlington, Northumberland, for Dacre Street Developments. This is a scheme of 10 executive homes on farmland on the outskirts of the village. Jon explained: “This project involved careful negotiation with the local authority because their initial response was to oppose the development. Careful planning and negotiation meant that we eventually secured a valuable permission for our client.”
Managing director of Dacre Street Developments, Sean Pringle, said: “We have only known Jon for a short time but it became very clear that he knows his stuff and has some good relationships with local authorities. We have now involved Jon with some of our other projects because of his expertise in the planning field.”
More recently JT Planning has secured permission for a new housing scheme on a greenfield site in Widdrington. Some 16 months in the planning and three planning committee meetings later, the council eventually granted permission.
Jon added: “Endurance and perseverance can be part of the process. Securing permission for the Widdrington development was made particularly tricky because there was a high level of opposition to the development.”
“Often, there has to be give and take on the part of all parties, but permissions can usually be found for most projects and developments”, explained Jon.
