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Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission report

The highly anticipated Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission report was finally published in January 2020. What was included in the report?  The report places a great emphasis improving the design and quality of built homes in England. The report entitled ‘Living with Beauty’ outlines the commission’s proposals to the government for a new development and planning framework.  The report highlighted throughout the importance of good quality design and providing opport...

Southwark rooftop homes

Back in September 2019, Southwark Council announced their plan for the development of Rooftop Homes to help achieve their target of building 2,500 council homes by 2022. In the longer-term, Southwark Council aims to build 11,000 brand new Council homes by 2043. The Council’s plan is to build modular homes off-site which would then be craned and installed on-site to minimise the disruption for the local residents To achieve this ambitious housing target, Southwark is considering the opportunity...

WEA Planning at Martin Goodall’s new book launch event

Thomas Tinel from WEA Planning attended Martin Goodall's event 21 November 2019. The event, held at the institute for Civil Engineers on 1 Great George Street, provided an interesting discussion on the latest changes to permitted development at the occasion of the latest update of Martin Goodall’s Permitted Change of Use. The discussion looked at the conversion of agricultural buildings into dwellings under Class Q. This was an opportunity to discuss what the case law considers to be ...

National Design Guide

In great anticipation to the planning profession, the government has finally published the National Design Guide.  The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick, finally took centre charge of his role and one of the first things he completed on his to do list was to publish the National Design Guide, forming an integral part of the government’s collection of Planning Practice Guidance.  A main theme of the National Design Guide is “Wellbeing”...

Hammersmith and Fulham Planning Approval

WEA Planning are delighted to have obtained planning permission for a double storey rear extension and a basement extension for a terraced property on Kinnoul Road, Barons Court, Hammersmith after extensive consultation with the client team from design inception.  The applicant and WEA first met with the architect to discuss the constraints of the site and previous London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham objections to a first floor extension.  WEA Planning then met London Borough...

Notting Hill roof alterations

WEA Planning gained planning permission for the installation of railings at roof level, and new rooflights for a top floor flat in a prominent property on Chepstow Crescent, Notting Hill (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea). The client contacted WEA Planning after receiving a negative pre-application response from RBKC. The brief was to help find a good design solution that would be supported by the planning and conservation teams. The installation and the railings and the new openable roof...

Housing Secretary announcement

Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference on 30th September 2019, the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced a future reform and amendments to the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) adding to the recent changes introduced in May 2019.  This is a summary of the main changes introduced by the upcoming revision to the GPDO:...

Lawful Development Certificate granted for flat in Wandsworth

WEA Planning has been successful in confirming that the creation of a 3-bed flat initially approved as a 1-bedroom flat on Gilbey Road, Tooting is now immune from enforcement and therefore a lawful conversion. WEA Planning worked with the client to gather evidence to demonstrate to Wandsworth Council that the conversion (in breach of a planning permission since 1989) occurred over 10 years ago. As dictated by the Town and Country Planning Act, this flat is now established and no enforcement...

Mansard roof extension won on appeal in Hammersmith and Fulham

WEA Planning has successfully won an appeal against LB Hammersmith and Fulham to permit two versions of a mansard roof extension to the roof of a townhouse on Ongar Road Fulham! The decision follows two refusals from the Council and a refusal to engage with the applicant, architect and WEA Planning.  The applicant contacted WEA Planning after a difficult pre-application meeting with London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham about their project to extend their flat through the construction...

Thomas Tinel joins WEA

Thomas joins the WEA team in our Hoxton office.  Thomas completed an Meng in Engineering and Planning in Lyon, France in 2015. He developed a strong interest for housing issue and for his master’s thesis, he worked on fuel poverty, developing tools to identify and measure fuel poverty at a local level in France. Having gained experience in planning policies in Cork City Council, being involved in the city’s town centre action plan, Thomas decided to move to the UK to develop a career in...

Appeal Success London Borough of Camden

WEA Planning has been successful in obtaining planning permission at appeal for the retention of uPVC windows to the front elevation at loft level to a large terraced house in the Mansfield Conservation Area, London Borough of Camden. The new uPVC windows were installed in the loft to replace the old 1970s dormer windows, improving thermal insulation of the flat.  After receipt of an LB Camden enforcement officer requirement to remove the uPVC windows, the applicant contacted WEA Plann...

Permitted Development Rights Update.

Following our recent post about future changes to Permitted Development, amendments to the General Permitted Development Order 2015 was published a few days ago. The changes below will all come into force on the 25th May 2019. The amendments are set out in The Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development, Advertisement and Compensation Amendments) (England) Regulations 2019. They do not include the right to allow upward extensions....

November London Borough Planning Policy Update

Westminster’s development plan includes the Westminster’s City Plan adopted on 9th November 2016 and policies of the Unitary Development Plan saved on 24th January 2010 by the Secretary of State. Although is currently being reviewed, the Council asks for full weight at Westminster’s City Plan when determining planning applications. The Council advises that very limited weight should be given to the emerging policies at an early stage of the plan-making process. Regarding the UDP, the saved...

Harrow Green Belt success

WEA Planning has been successful in obtaining planning permission for the erection of a two storey rear extension and rear dormer to a large detached house in the Pinner Hill Estate Conservation Area, London Borough of Harrow. The proposal also included extension and floor to ceiling height increase at lower ground/basement floor level to facilitate the conversion of the cellar to habitable space.  After a very negative pre-application advice, the applicant contacted WEA Planning to review ...

Budget and Planning Reform: Supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of the new homes

The Planning reform consultation proposes crucial changes to the planning system and permitted development rights – promoting residential use through conversions and extensions – and to use class orders – proposing the creation of a new Class A to include shops, financial and professional services, restaurants and cafes. Namely:...

Budget and Oliver Letwin’s independent review of build out: final report

In his report, former Conservative Cabinet member, Sir Oliver Letwin recommends local planning authorities should have the power to designate specific areas – in places with high housing demand – within their local plans as land which can be developed only as single large sites. Councils should also have the power to compulsorily purchase (CPO) this land at prices that reflect the value of those sites once they have planning permission. Letwin, promoting mixture in the type and size of ...

Budget 2018 - Key Planning Announcements

The last Budget before Brexit was delivered by Chancellor Philip Hammond on the 29th October 2018 and included proposals for several alterations to the planning system. The Chancellor also published Sir Oliver Letwin’s Independent review of build out: final reportwhich included proposals on how to close the significant gap between housing completions and the amount of land allocated or permissioned. Alongside the Autumn Budget, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Gove...

Upward Extensions and the new National Planning Policy Framework

As housing demand is constantly increasing in London, more and more people are interested in extending their properties. If you are a homeowner or a developer who wants more space or new flats to rent or sell you should be aware that apart from rear, side and roof extensions the new planning reforms are designed to make it easier for you to grown vertically your property.  Secretary of State Sajid Javid states: “The answer to building new homes isn’t always an empty plot or developing o...

Planning for Housing 2018 How to get more homes allocated, permitted and delivered

The Planning for Housing conference was organised for its fifth year by the Ministry of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The annual national gathering for key players within the public and private sector took place on 9th and 10th October to discuss and explore solutions to the complex issues affecting the housing sector. The two-day conference including thought-leading debates, practitioner-led workshops and multi-regional case studies focused on ways to get more h...

Planning Appeal timescales

Further to WEA Planning’s previous article, ‘Appeal Delays’, the latest statistics from the Planning Inspectorate with regards to the time it is taking to determine different types of planning appeals was published on 9thOctober 2018 with significant changes compared to the previous figures of October 2017, February 2018 and March 2018.  A slight improvement was noticed for householder, advertisement consent and other minor appeals, with the waiting for determination time decreasing f...

Grand Designs magazine showcases the benefits WEA Planning brings to ambitious homeowners

For a growing business such as WEA Planning, recognition in front of a wider audience is a precious privilege. So it was a great honour for us to be mentioned three times in the October 2018 edition of Grand Designs magazine. We were particularly proud to be on the suppliers’ list for the project that was featured on the front cover of the edition published in the same month as the prestigious Grand Designs Live show is held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham....

Larger Rear Extensions: Deadline for completion nearing.

If you are a homeowner or a developer and you wish to extend your house you should be aware that this can take place without the need for planning permission if your proposal is considered permitted development subject to the relevant limits and conditions.  While the length normally accepted for single-storey rear extensions was 4 metres for detached houses and 3 metres for all other houses after the publication of “The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment...

London Road Twickenham Success

Permission granted for condition removal to allow the opening of a fitness studio located at London Road, Twickenham! WEA Planning obtained approval for the removal of the ‘Personal Permission’ condition. WEA managed to save resources and time for the applicant who, following the planning strategy WEA proposed, is now able to move forward and open their business. Another great result for WEA in London Borough of Richmond upon Thames!...

Planning portal planning application fee transaction charges

For existing and future clients, the now privatised Planning portal is introducing a new service. The promotional text states: "As well as smoother, speedier validation for your applications, our new service will provide:A consistent set of payment options across all authorities – including online, telephone, bank transfer and chequeThe option to nominate a third-party to pay securely for the applicationThe ability to pay for your application 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year...

National Planning Policy Framework July 2018

Today (24th July 2018), the Government published the first revision of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which, following widespread consultation, replaces the original NPPF introduced in 2012.  In regards to on-going applications and appeals, the NPPF took immediate effect, therefore developers and planners need to be aware of the changes, as they will affect their schemes. However, for the purposes of examining local plans, the policies of the revised NPPF will apply to the pl...