All developers and property owners should realise that planning applications must have regard to a much wider set of issues than in the past. It is thus our firm advice that all schemes should have an integrated planning and sustainability approach…with a high level of advice occurring from scheme inception stage onwards.

ENABLING PROJECTS provides both PLANNING CONSULTANCY and SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RELATED services to allow for this integrated approach. We do hope that you will take time to see these links.

We do hope that you have read the preceding sections of this part of the website on SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT and the SPATIAL PLANNING SYSTEM.

We see the PLANNING REQUIREMENTS FOR MOST PLANNING APPLICATIONS AS BEING :

• Virtually all development schemes must now have a DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT.  

• The PLANNING STATEMENT should include the D&A Statement and refer to the pertinent policy and give a reasoned justification for all aspects of the project.

• Many development schemes will require a SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL and/or a SUSTAINABILITY CHECKLIST. This might involve a CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMERS ASSESSMENT for residential schemes or a BREEAM study for commercial projects.

• ENERGY ASSESSMENTS, CO2 EMISSION ASSESSMENTS and RENEWABLE ENERGY PROPOSALS are all becoming standard in planning applications. CARBON NEUTRAL or CARBON LOW developments will be an increasing requirement of even standard housing and commercial developments.

• TRANSPORT IMPACT ASSESSMENTS, GREEN TRAVEL PLANS, NOISE ASSESSMENTS, ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENTS within planning applications are often a requirement.

All developer clients should ‘stay ahead of the game’ by being fully aware of the changes to the planning system and by integrating these into their schemes and planning application programmes. Deliverability is the key, and this depends on a coherent, robust and comprehensive approach to dealing with the new planning system….

A planning and sustainability led approach to schemes is the best way forward for all involved in the planning and development process. For more on this please see PLANNING CONSULTANCY and SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES. You can also see the PROJECT TYPES that we work on and our TRACK RECORD.