Kent housing development: Reserved Matters planning approval secured for 32 new homes in Swanley. Our Group provided the planning strategy, prepared the outline planning application, secured approval at appeal and provided guidance on design, access, drainage and landscaping. 

What does the application deliver?

We have recently secured Reserved Matters planning approval for a development in Swanley, Kent, comprising 8 houses and 24 apartments – a total of 32 new homes. The submission addressed the reserved matters of layout, access, scale, appearance, landscaping and drainage, following the earlier outline consent. 

What to do when the planning policy landscape changes between planning application submissions

We secured outline planning permission for the site at appeal, which unlocked its development potential. Following the appeal win, the planning context in Sevenoaks has shifted considerably.  For example: 

• The District Council does not have an up-to-date Local Plan, relying instead on policies dating back to 2011 and 2015. 

• Following the revised NPPF (December 2024), the housing requirement rose from around 704 to 1,149 dwellings annually – an increase of 63%. 

• The Housing Delivery Test result stands at 44%, which means that the presumption in favour of sustainable development is engaged. 

• The Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, falling well short of national policy expectations. 

• While the district is significantly constrained by Green Belt, this site sits outside this designation, reinforcing its suitability for residential use. 

This evolving policy position places greater emphasis on the careful interpretation and application of the NPPF, particularly the presumption in favour of sustainable development. 

How did we respond to planning policy shifts post-submission?

We worked closely with the Case Officer to refine the proposals, incorporating: 

• Updated site plans to reflect urban design advice; 

• A drainage assessment note meeting relevant requirements; 

• An improved landscape plan following arboricultural input. 

This collaborative process helped to ensure that the submission met policy requirements and was positively received. We are delighted that the full development potential of this site has been unlocked and that a quality housing scheme can now be realised.  

What Ongoing Project Management Do We Provide? 

Our involvement extends beyond securing permission. For projects of this nature, we provide: 

• Pre-application advice to identify risks and opportunities; 

• Ongoing engagement with council officers and consultees; 

• Collaboration, review and submission of revised plans and supporting reports; 

• Full project management through to implementation. 

This approach supports clients in navigating the technical, design and policy challenges that arise from appeal-led and complex sites. 

How we can help

At McLoughlin Planning, our simple objective is to get results for our clients by providing high-quality planning consultancy. Our team of chartered town planning consultants delivers strategic advice and planning solutions across southern England and Wales – from strategic land promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

Since joining forces with Plainview Planning in 2024, our Group combines expertise across 13 planning professionals and support staff. This collaboration allows us to provide ingenious, commercially-minded solutions to a wide range of town planning challenges.

• For larger, strategic or complex projects (such as land promotions, multi-phase developments, aviation schemes), please contact our McLoughlin Planning team.

• For householder projects, developments of 10 units or fewer, or smaller independent commercial projects, our specialist Plainview Planning team can help.

Contact us

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants best fit your needs and contact us through either our ‘Arrange a Call‘ tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below.  

We value your privacy and any information which you provide will not be shared outside of our company and will only be used in relation to your enquiry. 

As always, the content of this article was correct at the time of publication, but for the most up-to-date information on planning topics and policy queries, contact our team.    

Polly Mason – Associate Director

• T: 01242 895008
• E: polly.mason@mplanning.co.uk 

Project team

• LPA – Sevenoaks District Council  
• McLoughlin Planning and Plainview Planning (Planning Consultants)
• Urban and Rural Ltd (Architect)  
• Motion (Highways and Transport) 
• Simpson Consulting Engineers (Engineering)  
• Furse Landscape Architects Ltd (Landscape) 

• LPA – Sevenoaks District Council  

Image source: Urban and Rural 

Today marks the next step in preparing the West Oxfordshire Local Plan, with the publication of the Draft Preferred Policy Options Paper. It is on consultation until 8th August, and looking at it from a housing standpoint, the key points of the Plan are set out below. 

Settlement hierarchy in West Oxfordshire 

For those familiar with the current Local Plan, it’s very much business as usual, with the settlement hierarchy from the current Plan carried forward into the new Plan. In terms of strategy, the Plan proposes to align growth with existing and planned infrastructure and seeks to sustain the vitality of local communities (amongst other things). In terms of scale, the terminology used in the Plan is as follows: 

• Small scale – 1 to 10 dwellings 

• Medium scale – 10 to 300 dwellings 

• Strategic scale – 300 plus dwellings 

This is deployed as follows: 

• Principal Towns will remain the focus for growth, looking to accommodate small, medium and strategic scale development sites. 

• Service Centres—The focus will be on proportionate growth appropriate to the size of the settlement, with a focus on small—and medium-scale development. 

• Villages – a focus on smaller levels of growth, looking for small and medium-sized sites which are of a more limited scale than Service Centre locations. 

• Small Villages and Hamlets – development is limited to those that require a rural location. 

This approach to settlement expansion is complemented by focusing growth along “key strategic corridors”, which in West Oxfordshire terms means the A40 and the A44 (Chipping Norton and Woodstock). 

Housing need – 16,000 homes for West Oxfordshire 

The new Standard Method calculation saw a dramatic increase in the District’s housing requirement, rising to 905 dpa, equating to 14,480 homes over the Plan Period. It is welcome that the Plan aims to meet this in full. In addition, the Plan looks to add an additional 10% buffer, taking the planned supply to 16,000 homes. There may be a need for further upward expansion to take account of Oxford City’s unmet needs following the recent failure of the Local Plan. In terms of supply composition, the following should be noted: 

• 11,700 to come forward from allocations (5,200 from the 2031 Plan and 6,500 new allocations from the 2041 Plan) 

• 1950 from windfall allowance (150 pa 2028 to 2041). 

Where are the new site allocations? 

The Reg 18 consultation does not contain any new site allocations, which is conspicuous by its absence. Instead, it is a demonstration of the Council’s emerging thinking on the overall direction of travel. The Plan makes clear that there will be another focused consultation on potential development sites towards the end of 2025. 

West Oxfordshire’s Local Plan update – what this means for developers and landowners

The plan clearly shows considerable stability in the development strategy approach and settlement hierarchy, which is to be welcomed. Given the lack of site-specific allocations and a high housing target, which will rise subject to understanding Oxford’s unmet needs, there is a clear opportunity to promote sites for development. We have extensive experience in the District and would be happy to discuss any future options with you. In the meantime, you can find out more about our relevant experience here.  

How we can help

If you have a site which you think might have development potential in the West Oxfordshire area, then feel free to come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward and to find our more about how we can best assist. 

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director 

T: 01242895008 

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk 

About us

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy. 

Our reputation for integrity, innovation and intelligence means we are a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from our loyal clients and trusted industry colleagues. Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects. 

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community. Find out more about us here. 

Back in January, I wrote a piece about the Stroud Local Plan Review and the difficulty it was experiencing with the Inspectors’ letter recommending that the Plan be withdrawn. This was through the prism of the 90s romcom Jerry Maguire and the immortal phrase “show me the money”. Naturally, the Inspectors’ letter posing such a question prompted a response from the Council asking for the Examination to continue.

This week, the Inspectors’ response to the Council’s protestations that the Examination should continue was published. Needless to say, Inspectors Victoria Lucas and Yvonne Wright channelled their inner Margaret Thatcher (circa 1980) and decided that they were not for turning. In short, the Plan cannot be found sound.

Whilst there is much in the letter that is specific to those with an interest in all things Stroud related, there are a few salient points which have wider appeal.

Why was the Stroud Local Plan Review asked to be withdrawn?

Taking a wider view, the key reason for the failure of the Plan was its reliance on infrastructure funding for the essential upgrades to J12 and J14, or in Stroud’s case, the lack of such funding. The Inspectors’ approach to this matter is not simply requiring the money to be in place for the Plan to be found sound. Rather, there has to be evidence to demonstrate a “reasonable prospect” of the monies being available at the right time for the critical infrastructure required. Clearly, a black hole between £230 and £340 million will be problematic.

This sharply focuses on the relationship between allocations and infrastructure and the need to have a very clear handle on the infrastructure costs for projects and when they will be required in the Plan period. The larger the allocation, the greater the infrastructure requirements, especially when motorway junctions are involved.

The Local Plan Review went, to use gambling parlance, “all in” on a handfull of large strategic sites, rather than a more dispersed strategy, where the impact on highway infrastructure would be less. Indeed, Stroud’s neighbours in South Gloucestershire are well aware of this and members and officers have made it clear that its emerging Local Plan (which will go to Examination this year) has learnt from the mistakes Stroud has made and propose something more ‘deliverable’ with a greater focus on smaller allocations which don’t necessarily trigger massive infrastructure costs.

Top tips for bringing a development site forward in Stroud District

So, what does this mean going forward? Well, nothing has changed from my earlier article. Stroud does not have a 5-year housing land supply and is nowhere near being in a position to solve the problem from a Plan-making standpoint. It further underlines a huge opportunity for all involved with housing sites to look seriously at sites that can come forward and be delivered within five years. In looking at sites to come forward, I cannot continue to stress enough that it’s a question of doing the basics right, ensuring the site is in a sensible location, deliverable, and devoid of genuine constraints. Remember, a lack of a five-year supply does not give succour to those sites that are fundamentally flawed.

Thoughts on the impact of a failed Local Plan

Finally, it is important to remember that the failure of a Plan is serious.  We work in a plan-led system where Councils decide where growth can go. The Stroud case (and its not unique) shows that those decisions are not always the right decisions. But at the heart of any Local Plan is providing homes for people to live in, and in closing, I’ll draw on some of the words of the Leader of the Council in her Blog, dated 5 August 2024.

“The current shortage of homes is pushing up prices to unaffordable levels (average house prices in Stroud district are more than ten times higher than average earnings) and the lack of social housing means that we have 4,000 people on our housing waiting list.”

Local families often contact me to explain their circumstances and it’s heartbreaking that only the highest priority cases can secure the housing that they so badly need.”

This article aims to highlight one of the reasons why the Plan failed and what can be learnt from it. It also highlights who suffers when a Plan fails. In this failure, understanding what opportunities are created and how the house-building industry as a whole can help is just as critical.

A copy of the letter is found here.

How Can We Help?

If you have a site which you think might have development potential in the Stroud District, then feel free to come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward and to find our more about how we can best assist you.

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director

T: 01242895008

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

About us

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy.

Our reputation for integrity, innovation and intelligence means we are a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from our loyal clients and trusted industry colleagues. Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community. Find out more about us here.

Image Source: Stroud District Local Plan Review 2025 – this image is of the proposed development strategy that is part of the Pre-submission Draft Plan
(Regulation 19 Consultation) May 2021

McLoughlin Planning is delighted to confirm that we have successfully appealed a refusal of planning permission for alterations and extensions to a dwelling in the desirable Moor Park Estate, Hertfordshire.  

The scheme sought a myriad of works, including the demolition of an existing garage, workshop and front canopy; and the construction of a two-storey side and rear extension.  The key planning issue was the effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the existing building and the area, including the Moor Park Conservation Area.  

Preparing a suitable strategy following the refusal of planning permission  

We were approached to assist following a refusal of planning permission for the scheme. Three Rivers District Council were content with the more minor elements of the design but felt that the proposed extensions would negatively impact the Conservation Area.  

Following a review of the planning submission as a whole, along with the relevant plan policies and pertinent precedents, we advised our client to appeal the planning decision.  A significant part of our reasoning behind this was that we felt that the Council’s concerns were based solely on a prescriptive interpretation of their Conservation Area (CA) Appraisal, which aimed to maintain spaces between detached properties. The Inspector agreed with our interpretation, identifying that:  

“The CA Appraisal explains these design standards are to maintain the open character of the estate and avoid the overdevelopment of plots. As I have found that the proposed development would achieve this, it is not necessary to forensically examine whether the proposal would exactly meet the design standards listed in the CA Appraisal.”  

This is an important reminder that policies and guidance should not be taken so literally.  In this case, the CA Appraisal insisted that a 2.5m space to the side of the property should remain.  

Even though the residual space proposed was less than this, the extensions were subservient to the main dwelling, designed to a high standard for the CA and they still maintained a space to allow visibility between plots. These points were, in the Inspector’s view, more important to the preservation of the CA than insisting on the prescriptive distances in the CA Appraisal.   

What happens after a planning application is refused?

If you have had your application for planning permission refused or have been informed by your local Council that a refusal is imminent – it may not necessarily mean the end of the line for your development aspirations.  If you have received a planning refusal, then in the first instance, review the decision notice and officer’s report.  These will give you the reasons for refusal and any perceived planning issues which may need to be resolved.  A planning consultant can advise on the severity of these reasons, and whether they can be navigated or mitigated.   

Once you understand why the application has been refused, you can then choose the appropriate planning strategy, be that a planning appeal, or a revised scheme and resubmission.  Alternatively, your application may still be live, but you are aware that a refusal is pending, in which case negotiation with the case officer and relevant stakeholders will be key.  

Which route to take and the requirements of each is something our planning consultants specialise in.  Feel free to contact the team at McLoughlin Planning to discuss your project and find out how we can best assist.   

How we can help

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high-quality planning consultancy.   

Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.   

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community.   

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants best fit your needs and contact us through either our ‘Arrange a Call‘ tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below. 

Joe Seymour – Associate Director  

E:  joe.seymour@mplanning.co.uk  

T: 01242 895 121  

Image source: Seabrook Architects  

For those of a certain age, Mystic Meg will always be remembered for her attempts at predicting the future, often with limited success—especially when it came to the numbers for the National Lottery draw.

Funding for Local Plan creation – the caveats

With the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the introduction of the new Standard Method, and Angela Rayner’s initiative to boost construction in the UK, it seems the Government has decided to revive the art of future prediction, almost as if dusting off Meg’s crystal ball. The objective is to encourage Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to create their Local Plans in a timely manner. LPAs can receive up to £100,000 each to assist in preparing these Plans.

However, this funding comes with specific conditions, three of which are particularly noteworthy:

1. They must be at the Regulation 18 stage of the plan-making process as of February 14, 2025.
2. They need to anticipate submitting their plan in the current system by December 2026.
3. They must commit to submitting an updated Local Plan timetable (Local Development Scheme or LDS) to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) by March 6, 2025, and provide regular updates on their progress against the established milestones.

So, why are these conditions significant? An LDS is an essential document as it lays out the timeline for producing a Local Plan. We support the Government’s initiative to establish these timelines and hold LPAs accountable for timely plan preparation. This focus includes understanding what can be achieved in the next 22 months.

The impact of the new Standard Method housing figure on Gloucestershire LPAs

Take, for example, all the LPAs in Gloucestershire. Following the demise of the Stroud Local Plan in early February, there is (currently) no LPA with a Plan at Regulation 19 or Examination. Therefore, all the Local Plans for the County will be prepared with the new Standard Method housing figure in mind. Another common feature is that none of the LPAs concerned have a 5-year housing land supply.

What this means for landowners and developers across Gloucestershire

This situation creates significant potential for sites to be pursued as planning applications without the need for development plan promotion. However, this largely depends on the size of the site and the associated planning issues. Nevertheless, 22 months provides ample time for the preparation, submission, and determination of applications, along with the potential for an appeal, if necessary, before an LPA reaches the Regulation 19 stage.

Understanding the relationship between the LDS and housing land supply is crucial when evaluating a site’s potential and determining the best course of action within the planning system. This knowledge is vital not just for promoters and developers, but also for landowners and their advisers, including agents and solicitors.

How we can help

At McLoughlin Planning Ltd, we have observed a significant uptick in requests for advice on these matters. While a crystal ball might offer some insights, having a formal Local Development Scheme is far more valuable. Ignoring the opportunities available is not a feasible option, and I strongly encourage you to discuss what the next 22 months might hold with my team—without needing to consult a crystal ball.

Contact us to discuss your project in more detail.

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director

T: 01242895008

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

About us

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy.

Our reputation for integrity, innovation and intelligence means we are a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from our loyal clients and trusted industry colleagues. Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community. Find out more about us here.

McLoughlin Planning has secured planning approval for 13x affordable homes with associated works on land to the north of Down Ampney, near Cirencester at Planning Committee.  The proposed development will deliver much-needed housing on an allocated parcel of land within the Cotswold District Council Local Plan and inside a defined settlement boundary.  The approved scheme is a high-quality, considered and sensitively designed residential development which strives to set a “new standard” for the delivery of affordable housing.  These homes will be among the most energy efficient to be built in the district in recent years, in accordance with the Government and Council’s climate action ambitions.  

Responding positively to local housing need with a future-proof development

The proposed development will provide 100% affordable housing in an area where there is high demand. The housing mix directly responds to an identified need for the provision of smaller family homes in the area and, as a result, a mix of 2x and 3x bedroom homes will be developed.  

The project team worked rigorously through technical analysis and feedback from community engagement exercises, to ensure that the final scheme successfully responded to existing site constraints and opportunities. In addition, the development seeks to set a “new standard” for the delivery of affordable housing, with a fabric-first approach to ensure the project meets its target of being highly sustainable.  

The scheme will also provide the following benefits: 

• A new public open space to the south of the site, providing a mix of green spaces and a children’s play area; 

• A wildflower community meadow to provide a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG); 

• Additional tree planting to the front of the proposed properties and across the public realm. 

Bringing a redundant site back into use through responsive housing development

Furthermore, the site itself was once used for garaging and car parking but is now overgrown and fenced off from public use.  These proposals will enable the sustainable use of a redundant site, in a location that is within the development boundary.    

This policy compliant scheme in a sustainable location will deliver on the Local Plan’s development allocation and provide much-needed new affordable housing in Down Ampney. The aspiration is to set a new standard of build quality for affordable housing, with the development seeking to provide holistic renewable energy solutions to support low energy costs. This visionary development builds on a collaboration agreement between Bromford and Cotswold District Council to facilitate the development of sustainable, affordable homes in the area. 

It was great to work with  Bromford Housing Association on this project, with excellent architectural vision from Ridge and Partners Architects and landscape and ecological input from EDP.  We thank Cotswold District Council, its elected members, and consultees for their thoughtful response to this considered, needed, and well-designed affordable housing scheme which has community at its heart.   

How we can help

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy.  

Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.  

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community.  

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to contact us through either our “Arrange a Call” tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below. 

Chris Moore – Director 

E: chris.moore@mplanning.co.uk 

T: 01242 895008 

Project Team

• Bromford Housing Association  

• Ridge and Partners (Architecture and Drainage) 

• EDP (Ecology and Arboriculture)  

Image Source: Ridge and Partners (2024)  

It was an absolute pleasure to be part of this proposal in Brockworth for a three-storey, 66-bed care home facility, along with associated ancillary works. Planning was approved in February of this year.  

The planning balance – increase in built form outside the settlement boundary VS identified need for housing

The site comprised a single dwelling in ample grounds, surrounded by playing fields and residential gardens with established border treatments.  

Key planning considerations included:  

• The site’s location outside the settlement boundary; 

• The introduction of a larger built form compared to the buildings currently on site; 

• Access; 

• Design and layout; 

• Landscaping and trees;  

• BNG; 

• Archaeology;  

• Energy Strategy. 

Although outside the settlement boundary for Brockworth, the development site benefitted from being adjacent to a strategic allocation, outlined in the Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Joint Core Strategy 2011-2031.  Furthermore, at the time of submission, the Council could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply. The proposal would therefore help to address the identified need for registered care beds in the locality, and the quantum proposed would make a useful addition to the Council’s housing supply figures. 

Regarding the increase in built form compared to the existing, whilst this undoubtedly represented a key planning issue, it was successfully evidenced that the scheme could be delivered without unacceptable wider landscape and visual impacts, particularly given the significant additional residential development taking place adjacent to the site. As a result, we successfully justified that the minor visual harm created by the new built form would be comprehensively outweighed by the substantial benefits that would result from the development. 

The importance of communication and collaboration during the planning application process

Given this, a positive pre-application response was received, which acknowledged that the principle of development was acceptable, along with the proposed quantum of development which initially sought an 82-bed care home with associated amenity space, parking provision and a revised access point.   

On this basis, working effectively across a multi-disciplinary project team, a full planning application was submitted. However, statutory consultee responses received during the determination period raised several concerns.  We liaised effectively with the case officer and wider project team, presenting a series of solutions and mitigation measures to assuage concerns and present a scheme which responded positively to statutory responses and ensured a suitable quantum of care provision, adhering to the vision of our client.   

These included:  

• Reduction in the size of the proposed Care Home to 66 beds; 

• Revised and reduced building layout  set further back into the site; 

• Revised parking area to provide a higher proportion of spaces per unit; 

• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Assessment which demonstrated that a 24.88% BNG would be achieved, far in excess of policy requirements; 

• Landscape Strategy Plan showing how the BNG will be achieved; 

• Archaeological Evaluation Report and Trial Trenching results; 

• Updated Sustainability and Energy Statement confirming that up to 90% of all the care home’s energy requirements woudl come from renewable energy sources; 

• Waste Minimisation Statement to ensure the development is carried out in an as environmentally friendly way as possible. 

The application was decided at Planning Committee, and we are delighted that following our involvement, all concerns raised by the statutory consultees were successfully resolved and that planning was approved in a timely manner.    

How we can help

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy. 

Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects. 

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community. 

If you have a development project which would benefit from expert planning consultancy input, then feel free to contact us through either our “Arrange a Call” tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below. 

Joe Seymour – Associate Director 

E:  joe.seymour@mplanning.co.uk 

T: 01242 895 121 

Project team:  

• Supporting plans by RDT 

• Landscape and Visual Appraisal by David Archer Associates 

• Design and Access Statement by RDT 

• Transport Statement by RGP 

• Heritage Statement by Orion 

• Arboriculture Impact Assessment by David Archer Associates 

• Ecological Report by Ecology Solutions 

• Housing Needs Assessment by HPC 

• Acoustics by Sharpes Redmore 

• FRA & Drainage by PJA 

Image source: LNT Construction 

After a 12-month hiatus, the Inspectors’ thoughts on the Stroud Local Plan have been published, and it’s a devastating blow for the Council.

The Inspectors have recommended that the Plan be withdrawn because of fundamental issues relating to the funding and subsequent delivery of infrastructure to serve key strategic sites in the plan.

The Plan’s failure is a huge blow to the Council and the Officers who drafted it. No Plan is perfect, and I had a number of concerns about the strategy and allocations in the Plan and made those clear at the EiP. Looking at it from a personal level, I do have sympathy with those involved.

So, what does this mean for housebuilding?

Like many Gloucestershire LPAs, Stroud has seen an increase in its housing target through the Standard Method. Under the old figure, its annual target was 620 dpa, and this has been revised upwards to 820 dpa. This is a challenge, especially given that, at the Council’s own admission, it can only demonstrate a 3.24-year housing land supply against the lower figure. Given the failure of the plan, the Council no longer has a plan in place to resolve this undersupply.

This raises the inevitable question of “speculative development” coming forward, and it’s a simple, obvious fact that sites will be coming forward to meet its housing land supply requirements. While some will deride this, it has to be remembered that these sites will provide homes for all, including much-needed affordable housing. They will also create jobs and support local services and facilities. Housebuilding is a good thing.

Is there an opportunity for the SME Housebuilding Sector?

Now is the time to look seriously at smaller sites that can come forward and be delivered within five years. In looking at sites to come forward, I cannot stress enough that it’s a question of doing the basics right, making sure that the site is in a sensible location, deliverable, and devoid of genuine constraints. A lack of a five-year supply does not give succour those sites that are fundamentally flawed.

Stroud (possibly with a sense of hubris) proposed a plan that was heavily reliant on large strategic allocations to deliver housing in the District to the detriment of the SME sector. These allocations relied on upgrading Junctions 12 and 14 of the M5. Technical work proved they could be delivered. However, when asked by the Inspectors to “show me the money”, showing that there was funding for their delivery,  there was no money (I’ll leave you to think of other analogies about this involving post-it notes and magical trees). The lesson here is that if you are going to go big, make sure you have the funding in place. The money required was at least £200 million.

A full copy of the Stroud District Local Plan Review Letter is available here.

How Can We Help?

We are already starting to consider options, so come and talk to us about what you are looking to bring forward.

Nathan McLoughlin – Managing Director

T: 01242895008

E: nathan.mcloughlin@mplanning.co.uk

Image Source: Stroud District Local Plan Review 2025

About us

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy.

Our reputation for integrity, innovation and intelligence means we are a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from our loyal clients and trusted industry colleagues. Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community. Find out more about us here.

McLoughlin Planning has successfully secured Technical Details Consent (TDC) to construct 2 x 4-bed dwellings in the village of Driffield, a non-principal settlement near Cirencester. This is following the successful grant of Permission in Principle (PiP) at Cotswold District Council’s Planning Committee.

What is Permission in Principle (PiP)?

Permission in Principle is a planning consent route which was introduced in 2018.  It is an alternative way of obtaining planning permission for housing-led development and it separates the consideration of matters of principle for proposed development (location, uses and amount of development), from the technical detail of the of the development (everything else, including planning conditions, s.106 and BNG).

The PiP stage acts like a watered-down outline planning application, and it can prove a useful tool if you want to get a clearer idea of whether development on site may be acceptable in principle, without the need for submitting costly reports from the outset.

The Technical Details Consent is more akin to a full planning application and as such, requires the submission of detailed reports, including full details of layout, scale, landscaping, appearance, and access.

Technical Details Consent (TDC) and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

The most notable aspect of this TDC approval is that off-site Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) credits needed to be sourced from a third-party organisation. This is because the site was not large enough to achieve the statutory 10% BNG uplift within the site boundary. Once a quote for off-site BNG credits was obtained, this was enough for the Council to grant planning permission, subject to an informative stating that development cannot commence until a BNG Plan has been submitted to and approved by the Council.

This will now be commonplace for small-scale housebuilders and developers as the sites they typically develop will not be large enough to construct dwelling(s) and have sufficient residual space to achieve a 10% BNG uplift on site. Therefore, sourcing off-site BNG credits is now becoming an essential part of obtaining planning permission.

How we can help

Are you looking to obtain planning permission for small-scale residential development? Do you need to source off-site BNG credits for your development? If so, then please contact us through either our “Arrange a Call” tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below.

Joe Seymour – Associate Director

E:  joe.seymour@mplanning.co.uk

T: 01242 895 121

Project team

• K-Ten Consulting (Drainage)
• All Ecology (Ecology)
• Wotton Tree Consultancy (Arboriculture)
• Core Geotechnics Ltd (Geology)
• Andrew P Jones (Development Consultants)

Image Source: Andrew P Jones Associates

About us

We are McLoughlin Planning, and our team has a simple objective: to get results for our clients by providing high quality planning consultancy.

Our reputation for integrity, innovation and intelligence means we are a growing business, thriving on personal recommendations from our loyal clients and trusted industry colleagues. Our team of chartered town planning consultants deal with a host of interesting planning projects from across southern England and Wales – from strategic promotions and commercial premises to private developments and rural projects.

We are a friendly and approachable team who care passionately about the built environment, always striving to get the best outcome for our clients and the community.

Please view our full ‘About Us’ page to view which of our planning consultants would best fit your needs.

We are delighted that following our involvement, planning permission has been secured for the erection of six new apartments in the heart of Cinderford.

Identifying the development potential of brownfield land   

It was an interesting site, located within the development boundary of Cinderford and previously associated with commercial uses.  But it was also an irregular shape, bounded by commercial and residential units, and had a recent planning refusal for a similar scheme on site.

It seemed to be heading in a similar direction again as, prior to our involvement in the project, the applicant had received negative feedback from the planning officer on the latest application.  Fearing a planning refusal and not sure how to most effectively respond to the comments received, we were approached and asked by the applicant to review the case officer’s commentary to date, provide guidance on how best to amend the scheme and to prepare supporting evidence/mitigation measures to help navigate the proposals to a positive outcome.

Key planning considerations for residential development on a brownfield site

 Given the complexities of the space, key planning considerations included:

• technical requirements (such as parking, and internal room standards);
• residential amenity considerations;
• contamination;
• siting;
• relationship of the development with neighbouring commercial uses;
• how the design would respond to local vernacular; and
• ecological requirements.

We provided the project team with a critical analysis of both the planning policy requirements and the feedback from the officer and weighed this against the proposed development. Our input helped to ensure that the redesign met the technical requirements set out in both local and national policy documents.

Clever design solutions and a strategic planning approach can unlock the development potential of a challenging plot

It was great to be working on the scheme with Edge Design Workshop.  Their considered revisions to the scheme included: removal of a disused MEB building to unlock more of the site; clever design of the housing units to ensure space standards and amenity space requirements were amply met; suitable parking provision for both existing and future residents; design amends to remove the risk of overlooking.

Alongside our advice to the architect, the applicant also commissioned us to write a planning statement, clearly highlighting the previous concerns from the case officer and how these have been addressed in the revised proposal.

The Council remained co-operative throughout the process and ensured a fair assessment of the Site and the revisions undertaken. The result was a positive conclusion, unlocking a valuable brownfield site for the delivery of much needed new homes in Cinderford.

We are so pleased with the outcome, and that through our careful analysis of planning policy and context, effective engagement with the project team and the presentation of a clear and considered planning strategy – this dilapidated site will now be regenerated to the benefit of the local area and will bring new, stylish apartments to a central and sustainable location.

How we can help

If you have a brownfield site, are wondering about its development potential and would like a member of our team to review your case and explore whether there is a way forward to secure planning approval for your project, then please contact us through either our “Arrange a Call” tab on our contact page or via the email and telephone number provided below:

Chris Moore – Director

T: 01242895008

E: chris.moore@mplanning.co.uk

Image source: Edge Design Workshop (2024)