WEA Planning are Lewisham planning consultants offering advice on all levels of planning application from small-scale house conversions up to large commercial projects.
We can help you gain the planning permission you need, regardless of the type of proposal:
Confirmation that a development can be built using permitted development rights.
Prior notification - an express application scheme for smaller projects.
Development in Lewisham conservation areas or where you need listed building consent.
Change of use in Lewisham - for applications where no structural changes take place, but the building is used for a different purpose.
Residential extensions, basements or loft conversions in Lewisham.
Commercial developments, including new build and change of use.
Our experience working on planning projects in across London covers all the different stages of the planning process.
We can help you with:
Initial consultations and pre-application submissions.
Making a full planning application to the London Borough of Lewisham.
Applications to remove or vary a planning condition.
Negotiating Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contributions.
Obtaining Certificates of lawful use.
Planning appeals and public inquiries.
Making representations at Lewisham planning committee meetings. Most applications will not need to go this go through this process, but even a smaller planning application can be called before the committee if there are a sufficient number of unsatisfied objections.
With experience across many different sectors, WEA Planning can help with your scheme, whatever the nature and type of building proposal it is. We have worked on all of the following types of scheme across London:
Residential schemes, including securing planning permission for large garden outbuildings, extensions, home offices and conversions from offices to flats.
Commercial planning applications.
Educational buildings, health centres and similar such public sector planning applications.
Other usage types (sui generis). This planning application type covers any kind of building which does not already have its own usage class.
Lewisham is located in South East London, bordered by the River Thames to the north and adjacent to several other boroughs, including Greenwich, Southwark, and Bromley.
The borough has a population of around 300,000 and includes key areas such as New Cross, Deptford, Brockley, Forest Hill, and Catford.
Lewisham has a history of community building and co-operative projects, with several large housing co-ops including Sanford Housing Co-op, and Brockley Tenants' Co-Operative. RUSS have led several self-build projects at Walter's Way, Segal Close and Church Grove.
Lewisham is well-connected via multiple transport options, including National Rail services, the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), and various bus routes. Although there have been plans for the Bakerloo line to extend to New Cross and Lewisham, there are no TfL underground services in Lewisham.
Lewisham is home to several parks and green spaces, such as Hilly Fields and Blackheath Common, providing residents with opportunities for outdoor activities, sports, and community gatherings.
The borough has many arts and cultural venues, including the Rivoli Ballroom, the Horniman Museum and Gardens, and the Albany Theatre. The area has many small independent venues which attract students from the nearby Goldsmiths University.
The borough faces significant opportunities for change and development. The centres of Lewisham and Deptford are in the middle of redevelopment projects. Landsec have developed a masterplan for the city centre and demolition of the shopping centre.
The borough also has significant planning challenges and constraints. Key issues in the borough are mitigating flood risk, risk to heritage assets and designated open space and housing affordability.
Contact Us
Use the contact form to find out how WEA Planning can help you.
Please refer to our Privacy Notice page for details regarding our GDPR Policy and protection of your data.
WEA Planning have a successful track record of gaining planning approvals across London. We are Lewisham planning consultants who can make representations to the London Borough of Lewisham planning team on your behalf.
The Local Plan informs the policies which guide development across the borough, this includes residential, commercial, parks and other public infrastructure. These policies are important to decide whether to approve planning applications.
The Local Plan was adopted in 2014. The borough is producing a new Local Plan which will cover the period 2020 to 2040. Find more information and follow the progress of the Draft Local Plan online.
The London Borough of Lewisham has around 368 listed buildings and structures, many locally listed buildings and structures, 29 conservation areas, and 1 scheduled ancient monument.
Details of the locally listed and statutory listed heritage assets in the borough can be found online.
Article 4 Directions
Article 4 Directions enable a local authority to remove certain permitted development rights. This means that for the specified development a planning application will need to be submitted.
The borough has article 4's in place for some of the conservation areas in the borough. There is an Article 4 direction for the change of use from dwellinghouse (C3) to a small HMO (c4) across the borough. The borough is preparing an article 4 which should come into force in 2025 for change of use from Class E (commercial) to Class C3 (dwellinghouse) across key retail and industrial areas. There is more detail on the borough's website.
-----
Are you looking for Lewisham planning consultants who can advise you on all stages of the planning process? Contact us today to see how we can help!