Fisher German is one of the region’s leading providers of comprehensive town planning and surveying advice offering detailed knowledge and specialist advice on the constantly changing national and local town planning system.
Most local planning authorities across the North West have a local plan in place and many parishes are progressing neighbourhood plans. There is still the opportunity in many authorities to submit sites for potential allocation in local or neighbourhood plans and our experts can help advice on this process.
Further changes are on the way with more local planning authorities introducing Community Infrastructure Levy, a planning charge payable on certain development types which helps to deliver the infrastructure required to support new development in an area.
In England, the Housing and Planning Bill is progressing towards Royal Assent, expected later this year. Whilst the Bill is yet to be finalised, a number of proposed measures will have impacts in taking forward schemes, for example on affordable housing delivery.
The changes to permitted development rights, has seen a significant increase in clients realising the potential of their assets by converting agricultural buildings to residential use. We are currently advising a wide range of clients looking to progress development opportunities for their land and buildings on a range of schemes across Cheshire, the Wirral, Staffordshire and North Wales.
Recently, the government has also made permanent the permitted development rights for change of use from office to residential. This means that office buildings can be converted to residential use without applying for detailed planning permission, subject to meeting a set of conditions that require ‘prior approval’ from the local planning authority.
Fisher German has both town planning and building surveying experts in the North West, on hand to provide a comprehensive service in preparing planning applications and submitting the necessary plans. Fisher German can also advise landowners and prospective developers on progressing new build development proposals through the planning system, whether this involves submitting applications or promoting sites thorough Local and Neighbourhood Plans.
If you have planning enquiries for land or buildings that you wish to discuss, please contact our north west regional planner Ian Stevens on 01244 409660 or email ian.stevens@fishergerman.co.uk