The Grange

Rochford District Council

Projects like The Grange are about turning difficult planning histories into successful outcomes for our clients. This development had already faced refusals from Rochford District Council and a dismissed planning appeal. However, by analysing past issues and identifying a clear planning strategy, we were able to secure approval for this 26-unit residential scheme.

Although we were new to this particular project, we had a retained relationship with the client, having worked with them on several successful planning applications across South London.

The site had a complex history, with two refusals and a dismissed planning appeal before we were instructed. So, our first step was to analyse  the reasons for these previous failed attempts. By identifying the key areas that had caused these issues, we were able to build a strategy to address them and evidence that the development aligned with the Council’s expectations.

We entered the pre-application process to engage with council officers, reach agreement on certain matters, and reduce risks, enabling us to address any objections from the council while seeking to achieve our client’s objective of a large, flatted development on the site.

Despite initial good progress, council officers began raising new concerns after the planning application was submitted, revising their position and making collaboration increasingly challenging. When enough time had passed and it became clear that approval was now unlikely, we decided that a new approach was needed which led us to submit an appeal against non-determination.

It was the direction we took with this appeal that ultimately resulted in a successful outcome for our client. We prepared a detailed and robust planning appeal submission, selecting a hearing procedure because it allowed us to challenge the council’s additional concerns directly and required a Statement of Common Ground (SoCG). This statement, in turn, helped us to focus the appeal on three key areas: design, neighbour amenity, and parking.

For each, we prepared a detailed, evidence-backed response to demonstrate that the proposed scheme was fully in accordance with planning policies, proving the council’s concerns to be unfounded. This approach streamlined the process and the Planning Inspector changed the procedure to written representations ultimately approved the appeal without the need for a full hearing, enabling our client to move forward with their development.

• Overcame Previous Refusals: We addressed and overcame challenges from earlier applications.
• Hearing Appeal Procedure: We determined that a hearing would achieve a quicker, more focused resolution.
• Viability: We demonstrated that affordable housing was not required on this site.
• Minimal Pre-Commencement Conditions: Just two manageable conditions were attached to the planning approval.

Our success on this project resulted from our ability to thoroughly analyse the site’s planning application history, effectively engage with the process, and prepare a detailed appeal submission. By demonstrating that the scheme met all planning policies, we secured approval and delivered a resoundingly positive outcome for our client.

This was our client’s largest project to date, and we are pleased to have achieved the result they needed. By securing planning permission for this residential development, we reaffirmed their confidence in our work as their trusted planning consultants.