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Negotiated Pre-Commencement Conditions: Welcome news

Pre-commencement planning conditions and the delays caused to project programmes have always plagued the UK planning system and its ability to encourage development. As stated by Ashfords LLP:On 1 October 2018 the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (Commencement No 5) Regulations 2018 will trigger section 14 of the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017, specifically subsections 14(1), (3) and (4). This in turn will implement s100ZA (4) to (13) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The governmen...

Change of Use of unit to Residential in Kensal Rise - Approval Granted

WEA are pleased to advise we have secured planning permission for retrospective Change of Use from live/work unit (Sui Generis) use to residential (Use Class C3) at Kilburn Lane, North Kensington, London Borough of Brent. Originally built as one of the 23 live/work units contained within Regal Building, the unit has been used solely for residential accommodation since construction. WEA Planning managed the application and demonstrated the proposal’s compliance with both local and national poli...

London Borough of Westminster Planning Policy Summary

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...

London Borough of Wandsworth Planning Policy Summary

The Wandsworth Local Plan consists of a series of documents with Core Strategy, adopted in March 2016, being the most important, setting the spatial vision for the borough. The Development Management Policies Document (DMPD) and Site Specific Allocations Document (SSAD), both adopted in March 2016 support the Core Strategy objectives.  Wandsworth is now reviewing the policies in the Local Plan that relate to employment land which are expected to de adopted in winter 2018. The Council will a...

London Borough of Sutton Planning Policy Summary

On 26th February 2018 the London Borough Of Sutton adopted the Local Plan as a development plan document (DPD) replacing the Core Strategy (2009) and the Site Development Policies DPD (2012). The new Sutton Local Plan set out planning strategy and policies for the borough’s development until 2031.  The Council publishes also Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) periodically to provide further guidance for the Local Plan policies. As most of the SPDs are dated before 2008, with Planning...

London Borough of Merton Planning Policy Summary

The existing Local Plan for Merton has currently superseded the Unitary Development Plan 2003 and contains the Core Planning Strategy adopted in 2011. The Local Plan 2020 is now being produced by the Council and is expected to be submitted this summer and adopted in spring 2019.  Merton provides Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) to provide further guidance on Local Plan policies with most of them being dated prior to 2007. The most recent Merton’s SPDs are Basement and subterranean p...

Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames Planning Policy Summary

Since 2012 there has been substantial changes to the current Development Plan for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames with Core Strategy 2012 being the main development plan document of it.  The Core Strategy 2012 will be replaced by the new Kingston Local Plan 2019-2041 that has already begun to be produced by the Council and is expected to be adopted later this year. ...

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Planning Policy Summary

The existing Local Plan, setting out spatial strategy for future development in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was adopted in July 2015. The current Consolidated Plan (2015) combines alterations since the Core Strategy adoption in December 2010 and remaining Unitary Development Plan (UDP) extant policies saved in September 2007.  Since 2015, The Council has been undertaking a Partial Review of the existing Local Plan. On 5th May 2017 the Council submitted the Local Plan Partia...

London Borough of Islington Council Policy Summary

Islington has an adopted Local Plan made up for several documents including Core Strategy (2011) and Development Management Policies (2013). Following the government’s requirements, Islington is currently preparing an up to date Local Plan setting out the development approach for the borough over the next 10 to 15 years.  The draft Local Plan Review, expected to be published in Autumn 2018 for consultation and in December 2018/early 2019 for adoption, will include a review of the Core Str...

London Borough of Hounslow Planning Policy Summary

The current Hounslow Local Plan was adopted on 15thSeptember 2015 by the Council and forms part of the planning framework of the borough.  A new Local Plan is being prepared by the Council for which the first consultation has already taken place. Following two more consultations, the submission of the draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State is expected in winter 2018 and its adoption in spring/summer 2018.  The Council has also adopted a number of Supplementary Planning Documents, s...

London Borough of Hillingdon Planning Policy Summary

The Development Plan for Hillingdon forms the statutory basis for planning decisions. It consists of Hillingdon’s Local Plan: Part 1 – Strategic Policies (previously known as the Core Strategy) that was adopted on 8th November 2012 and is to be reviewed in 2018 and adopted in 2010. Saved Unitary Development Plan (UDP), Policies adopted in 2007, consist also part of the Development Plan until their deletion on adoption of Local Plan Part 2. The Local Plan Part 2, including Development Managem...

London Borough of Harrow Local Plan Policy Summary

The Harrow Local Plan currently comprises Core Strategy and Development Management Policies that contain strategic approach to managing growth and development to 2026. The Development Management Local Plan was adopted on 4thJuly 2013 while the Core Strategy was adopted on 12thFebruary 2012 containing policies and site allocations used to determine planning applications. According to Harrow Local Development Scheme, adopted in March 2018, the Harrow Local Plan will be reviewed, and the first cons...

London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Planning Policy Summary

A new Local Plan was adopted by the Council on 28th February 2018, replacing the Core Strategy 2011 and the Development Management Local Plan 2013. The Local Plan 2018 with London Plan forms the Development Plan for Hammersmith and Fulham.  New Planning Guidance Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) was also adopted on 28th February 2018 providing more detailed guidance on the application of the Local Plan 2018 policies. ...

London Borough of Ealing Planning Policy Summary

On 10th December 2013 the Local Plan superseded any saved policies in the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) that was adopted in 2004. The current Local Plan comprises Core Strategy DPD (2012) and Development Management DPD (2013) amongst other documents, while following the new planning system under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, 2004, Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) replace Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) in the new planning system.  A new Local Plan will comprise a co...

London Borough of Camden Council Planning Policy Summary

The Local Plan, replacing the Core Strategy and Camden Development Policies document, was adopted by the Council on 3rdJuly 2017 and is now the basis for planning decisions and future development in the borough.  New Camden Planning Guidance (CPG) was also adopted by the council on 26th March 2018 after consultation between 15 November 2017 and 12 January 2018 as Phase 1 of the review of Camden Planning Guidance. CPG documents regarding design, planning obligations etc. were amended to refl...

London Borough of Brent Planning Policy Summary

Brent’s Local Plan comprises of the Core Strategy adopted 12th July 2010, Development Management Policies adopted in November 2016 amongst other documents. The Council has started work on a new Local Plan which will shape how the borough is developed to 2036. From August to December 2017 the Council undertook some engagement events while from 8thFebruary to 22ndMarch 2018 consulted on an ‘Issues and Options’ document. The comments are now being considered and the new local plan is expected...

Barnet London Borough Council Planning Policy Summary

The current Local Plan includes a suite of Development Plan Documents (DPDs), Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and design guidance notes.  Core Strategy and Development Management Policies were adopted by the Council on 11thSeptember 2012 as part of the Development Plan replacing the policies in the Unitary Development Plan (2006), with the exception of 13 saved policies (Chapter 12 of the UDP) for Brent Cross and Cricklewood. The new Local Plan which will replace the Core Strategy a...

Chapter Road, Brent - Flat Conversion Success

WEA Planning gained planning permission for the conversion of a dwelling house into two-self contained flats at Chapter Road, London Borough of Brent. WEA Planning worked closely with the council at the pre-application stage and advised on the form and design of the scheme prior to submission, providing detailed planning justification. The permission will now enable the applicant to move forward and implement development of the conversion providing much needed high quality housing in London Boro...

Chelsea Football Club Stadium on hold

On hold indefinitely will be any pre-construction design and planning work for the Chelsea Football Club in Fulham.  “The club does not have a timeframe set for reconsideration of its decision. The decision was made due to the current unfavourable investment climate” according to the club’s announcement.  Although different locations such as the Battersea Power Station were proposed for the new stadium through the years, the Chelsea Pitch Owners stipulated that if the club moved ...

Fire and Rescue Service HRRB - Grenfell Tower, Kensington

After the fire last June at Grenfell Tower in Kensington, West London, Dame Judith Hackitt, in his interim report of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, recommends that planning authorities should consult a newly created body (JCA) on more than 10 storey buildings -regarded as high-risk residential buildings (HRRB)- to ensure that in the event of fire, the building “is sufficiently accessible” to rescue services.  Hackitt argues that even if the focus of the planning system is to meet...

The Town and Country Planning (Pre-commencement Conditions) Regulations 2018

New regulations for local authorities including all London Boroughs asking for pre-commencement conditions ahead of the granting of planning permission will come into force on 1 October.The Regulations were signed off by former housing minister Dominic Raab earlier this month and the key change is the requirement for the Local Planning Authority to obtain the applicant’s written consent to the terms of any pre-commencement conditions demanded as a condition of planning consent. This will inevi...

The Raynsford Review: Town Planning & housing reform?

The new Raynsford Review’s Interim Report “Planning 2020”, by former housing minister Nick Raynsford, was presented on 15th May at the House of Lords. The review is being led for the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and by a cross-section of built environmental professionals, including CPRE, and has engaged with over 1,000 people over the last year including many members of the public. The report examines the English Planning System highlighting that continued deregulation has ...

Appeal Delays

During the last year, developers and planners are increasingly frustrated by the delays at the Planning Inspectorate (PINS).  WEA Planning and clients can testify to this experience.   The scale of delays for planning appeals was announced on twitter. Householders have to wait 15 weeks – more than double the average duration in 2013/2014. Hearings on average take 36 weeks while inquiries will take 49 weeks for a decision. While appellants for normal written representations have ...

Ormond Road, Islington - Appeal Success

WEA Planning have been successful in appealing the decision of London Borough of Islington for a loft conversion at Ormond Road. The refused application for the erection of an extension to the rear roof slope and roof of outrigger and installation of roof lights to front roof slope was found excessive and out of scale with the existing surrounding buildings by the Local Planning Authority. Providing detailed analysis and a clear construction of fallback argument, WEA Planning managed the appeal ...

National Planning Policy Framework Draft: Changes to Town Planning in London

After two and half years and several drafts, the 5th March was finally the day when the Government published the long-awaited draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) accompanied by numerous supporting consultation documents such as Developer Contributions, Draft Viability Guidance and Housing Delivery Test Measurement Rule Book. The focus of the draft revised NPPF and Prime Minister Theresa May’s speech was the housing crisis and ways it can be resolved.  The revised framewor...