Firstplan negotiated planning permission for a mixed use development comprising 20 residential units, new office space, children’s activity centre, yoga studio, cafe and associated parking at Radford Way Business Park.
The site is allocated and safeguarded for employment generating B Class uses. Firstplan provided the planning and strategy advice that was critical in overcoming the policy constraints to successfully secure the release of this designated employment site for alternative residential and leisure uses.
The instruction also included leading the project team through the pre-application and application process, preparing a robust planning statement, submitting a well-managed application and leading negotiations with Basildon Council.
Firstplan advise The Collective on a range of planning matters for their Co-Living developments across London. The schemes deliver some 200-300 rooms for Co-Living/hotel accommodation, co-working employment space, café/restaurants, leisure facilities and community spaces.
Firstplan play a crucial role to facilitate The Collective’s expansion in the UK and are responsible for leading negotiations with the Council to enable works on site to commence.
Instructions also involve the co-ordination of specialist consultant teams, preparing robust planning statements, submission of applications and managing S106 obligations.
Firstplan obtained planning permission under delegated powers to comprehensively extend and upgrade Westminster House, a prominent gateway office building situated adjacent to Richmond Station (a locally listed Building of Townscape Merit) within the Central Richmond Conservation Area and the Key Office Area. The permission allows for the creation of two new storeys of Class C3 residential accommodation (7no. units), the excavation of the basement to create a new Class E gym, improvements to the existing office space, a coherent ground floor retail frontage, and an upgraded façade.
Firstplan’s role as planning consultant included leading pre-application discussions, preparing and submitting the application, managing the team of consultants and negotiating with officers through to the grant of planning permission.
CGI credit to CGL Architects.
Firstplan worked on behalf a landowner within South Staffordshire District Council’s authority area to secure a housing allocation for a previously developed brownfield site within the Green Belt.
Firstplan secured the allocation of a minimum of 60 dwellings to be provided on the site and the alteration of the boundary of the Green Belt to exclude 2.8ha of land from the Green Belt. The project involved detailed and lengthy negotiations with the District Council and third party stakeholders, including; the promotion of the site through the call for sites stage, representations during the various public consultation stages and presentation at the examination in public.
Following the collapse of retailer BHS, this large four-storey former department store located in the heart of Bromley town centre lay vacant. Firstplan demonstrated that there was no longer a demand for stores of this size, as a result of the changing retail market. A strategy was devised to reduce the size of the unit to make it more attractive to prospective retail tenants and to convert and extend the upper floors of the unit to provide 51 new residential apartments.
Robust justification was provided for the loss of existing retail and office floorspace and it was demonstrated that it is not financially viable to provide affordable housing as part of the scheme. As a purpose built 1970s department floor with extremely deep floor plates, conversion of the building to residential use presented significant design challenges, particularly in terms of ensuring adequate daylight and sunlight and outlook. The permitted scheme provides a new, viable use for this out-dated, multi-floor former department store.
Firstplan secured planning permission for the erection of student accommodation comprising 432 bedrooms at Rhodaus Town, Canterbury. The recently constructed development, now known as Petros Court, lies behind Canterbury and Christ Church University’s library and student services building, Augustine House.
Firstplan worked closely with the Council’s planning department to develop a masterplan for the site which identified an opportunity to create a ‘higher educational hub’ with student accommodation seen as an appropriate extension to this hub. The scale, density and architectural form of the development were key considerations as was archaeology and the impact of a high number of students living in this accommodation on the amenity of the local area.
The scheme is designed by Dawe+Partners Architects.
Firstplan obtained consent for a mixed-use development on this prominent site in Southwark, incorporating the refurbishment and extension of an existing building and an infill redevelopment to create new office space and a penthouse flat. The design process required careful and extensive consideration due to the building’s sensitive location within a Conservation Area, immediately adjacent to a Grade II listed building, and opposite a late-night music and food and drink venue.
Firstplan worked closely with the project architects developing the design, and led a pre-application advice process with the Council which helped facilitate a first-time success at full planning application stage. We negotiated closely with the Council regarding the layout and design of the proposals, and secured permission for this marquee building.
Firstplan acted on behalf of the developer across a number of applications for this site, first helping to secure the principle of an infill development to the rear of the site, and subsequently securing permission for a mixed-use residential and retail / office scheme. This involved extensive negotiation and crafting a case to successfully secure permission for a residential-led scheme on a designated priority employment site. Finally, we secured consent for a full-width roof addition across both old and new buildings on the site, adding an additional 2 flats to the proposals. The Council objected to the principle of this additional storey on heritage and design grounds, but Firstplan constructed a compelling Statement of Case and were successful in winning this additional storey at appeal, helping to unlock the full potential of this site for our client.
459 Park Avenue, Bushey was originally built as offices but has been converted into flats under a prior approval (office to residential) and subsequent planning applications for upward extensions to the building. With works to convert the building to residential use already underway, Firstplan were appointed to optimise the development potential of the building by securing planning permission for additional floors in the airspace above the existing building to accommodate further units.
Firstplan advised on planning strategy and, through a phased approach, successfully secured permission for three new floors to provide a total of 23 extra flats.
Designed by Bellis Architects, the additional storeys are recessed behind private balconies with generous glazing to create a light weight appearance which complements the existing building and delivers high quality living space. Firstplan advised on all planning aspects of the scheme and led detailed negotiations with Council officers, including S106 negotiations and presentation at planning committee on the Client’s behalf.
Firstplan negotiated with Lewisham Council to secure planning permission for the demolition of a two storey dwelling house to allow redevelopment for the erection of a five storey block of flats (4×2 bed and 1×3 bed).
Firstplan led pre-application discussions with Council officers and provided planning and strategy advice to the client and project architect to overcome officer’s concerns regarding height, massing, design and parking provision. A detailed Planning Statement and Pre-application Statement were prepared to support the successful planning application.