[Q&A] Urban planning permission: Understanding what’s required & navigating the challenges

Are you currently struggling to obtain planning permission for an urban development? Or perhaps you’re looking ahead to a future project and are curious about potential planning-related issues?

Unfortunately, securing planning permission for urban developments can be littered with challenges. Having worked with hundreds of developers over the years, we understand how frustrating the planning system can be.

We recently sat down with Victoria Lane, planning expert and Area Manager at Waterman Aspen, to get her latest insights on urban development planning permission, challenges, processes, useful resources, predictions and more.

Q. What are the most common challenges developers face when seeking urban planning permission?

A. Political pressures play a significant role, especially given the recent appointment of the new Labour Government. The shift from the Conservatives to Labour and their vision to ‘Get Britain building again’, means there’s an increased focus on current and future planning processes. And, of course, we have the local political scene which filters down from the national agenda, which can actually be more of a challenge for developers to navigate. For instance, if developers are looking to build a HMO or a small apartment, they will potentially face local pressures from residents and councillors, regarding local-level issues, such as parking, highways and nearby amenities.

From a local Government perspective, particularly a local authority perspective, there’s a distinct lack of resources, which has been widely reported upon by the media in recent months. Labour intends to create an additional 300 planning officer roles within local councils. However, this number equates to just 0.75 planners per authority, which simply isn’t enough to deal with the backlog in applications that already exists and keep up and deal with all future applications efficiently.

Q. What impact do the decisions of local councils and planning authorities have on urban developments?

A. They have a significant impact. Planning delays can lead to delayed construction start dates that then lead to developers being hit with unwanted interest and late fees. Where more major developments are concerned, developers do have the option of going down the planning performance agreements route. While it does come at an additional cost, it is designed to expedite the process and make sure deadlines are met.

Generally speaking, planning applications for minor schemes (fewer than ten units) should typically take eight weeks to complete. Developments involving more than ten units should take a maximum of 13 weeks. The scale of Government funding is determined by local authorities’ Key Performance Indicator (KPI) performance – the flip side of this for developers is that they may have their planning applications refused because of these KPIs. If Local Planning Authorities (LPA) are determined on hitting KPI’s for issuing decisions and an application is likely to go over the prescribed timescales significantly, then they may just issue a refusal rather than working with the applicant to address any issues and agree an extension of time. It is rare but it does happen, particularly where the LPA is less willing to engage. If this happens, they will need to appeal the decision, which can add an additional time to the overall process.

Q. How do planning frameworks shape urban developments?

A . It all stems back to Government policies. The emerging National Planning Policy Framework is very much focused on a new standard methodology for calculating housing need and issues surrounding Green Belt including the introduction of Grey Belt.

Each local authority must prepare a Local Plan which follows the main thrusts of policy within the National Planning Policy Framework. These take an extraordinarily long time to prepare, and presently, local authorities are holding back if they are in the early stages of preparation or rushing it through prior to the adoption of the emerging National Planning Policy Framework due to the impact it may have upon their housing need requirement.

In order to shape urban developments, developers need clear guidance set out within planning policy which explicitly confirms what is and is not acceptable in planning terms and provides guidance for those grey areas of the planning system.

Q. What are the strategies that developers can use to increase their chances of obtaining planning permission in urban areas?

A. Ideally, they should speak to the relevant authority to seek pre-application advice before formally submitting their application. This is especially important for more complex developments. It is important to note however, that any advice received from the relevant authority is not binding and this will be stated in their response. By taking on board advice received in the pre-application response, developers should hopefully see their application being completed more swiftly and the process being a lot smoother as many of the issues would have been addressed in the submission.

It is also important to research the planning history on the site, this will determine whether a similar proposal have previously been submitted and whether it was permitted or refused. This provides valuable insight into the likelihood of receiving planning permission. Alongside policy the planning history is an important consideration which shouldn’t be ignored.

Q. How can developers work proactively with local authorities to streamline the approval process?

A. Stay in regular contact with your case officer, for example email or call them a couple of days after receiving your validation letter to introduce yourself and make them aware that you are available to discuss the proposals should they have any queries or concerns which will allow you to address them to hopefully receive a positive outcome.

Finally, always follow up after the consultation period is over. You cannot underestimate the importance of communication between you and the case officer.

Q. How can developers effectively engage with local communities to gain support for their projects?

A. Developers involved in delivering major projects need to talk to the local communities that are going to be impacted by the development. For example, they may want to host open sessions in which they share their proposals and hold consultation sessions before embarking on the planning process.

Communities like to voice their opinions, especially if they have a vested interest in the end result. Developers must be open to having discussions and implementing changes based on the feedback that is shared with them. This will help make sure their project(s) are welcomed instead of being rejected by local residents and businesses.

Q. What future challenges do you anticipate there being in relation to obtaining planning permission for urban developments, particularly in high density areas?

A. Traffic generation and sustainability-related challenges have always been rife and will undoubtedly continue to exist for the foreseeable future. While city centre living may be geared around easier accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians, developers still need to cater for motorists.

However, there’s also the fact that city centre developments may evolve even further over the next five to ten years as people decide they want to move out of them in favour of a slower pace of life. In turn, this will present a whole new challenge in itself – how do we encourage them to stay where they are? If we are unable to, what is the next available most suitable use for the vacant building?

Q. What advice would you give to developers who are new to navigating the planning permission process within urban settings?

Maintain good communication with all of the relevant people and organisations, i.e. local authority planning teams. Also, appoint a good planning consultant and follow their advice.

Q. Finally, which tools or resources should developers use to help them prepare for their next urban development planning application?

A. The Planning Portal website is particularly useful. It contains a whole host of information, which includes consent types, the decision-making process, sustainability and planning and appeals. And as obvious as it may sound, developers should keep tabs on the latest Government planning and wider housing-related news headlines.

At CrowdProperty we are passionate about the projects we fund. We work closely with developers to help them navigate every opportunity and challenge and ensure a smooth, successful project. We provide realistic financial projections and are here to support you every step of the way.

Call us today on 020 3012 0166 to discuss any project you have in mind. We are happy to share our own experiences and expertise to help you evaluate and plan your project effectively. Alternatively, you can apply for funding in just five minutes and get an instant Decision in Principle* today.

*Instant DIPs will not be issued for projects where the loan amount is greater than £3.5m (or £3m if bridging), the profit on cost is below 5%, the loan amount is less than £100k, the loan term is greater than 24 months, if any required data is omitted, or the loan type is portfolio acquisition, special situation, planning gain or project refinance.