Planning permission secured for the conversion of an agricultural building in Moreton in Marsh to new purpose built equestrian facilities.

Cotswold Riding School approached McLoughlin Planning to help support their plans and aspirations to relocate their riding facilities to a new site near Moreton on Marsh, Cotswold. The riding school had secured a previous agricultural site with a derelict barn and wanted support to secure the conversion of the land and barn, as well as advice and support for the erection of a new purpose built stable and riding arena to allow the new business to move onto the site.

Chris Fleming worked with the riding school to support their aspirations and advise on an appropriate planning strategy. Following an initial site appraisal, Mcloughlin Planning helped with assembling the planning application with the project team, by preparing a supporting planning statement and submitting and managing the application with Cotswold District Council through to a decision.

The case was structured around being able to evidence the importance equestrian businesses have in supporting the rural economy and how stables are visually common and expected built forms in the countryside.

Officers agreed with the assessment and planning benefits provided by the proposed development and we are pleased that planning permission has now been granted. The new riding school will be a positive new addition to the Moreton on Marsh community.

Mcloughlin Planning has successfully secured planning permission for the conversion of an agricultural building in Sandhurst, Gloucestershire.

Our client had previously secured prior approval for the erection of an agricultural barn to support their existing wider farming operation.

Having secured this approval the owner included (as part of the build) an internal space to provide a shooting lodge.

As their prior approval had limited the use of the barn to solely agricultural use, we were asked what could be done about this? Having a strong working relationship with the Council we were able to agree steps forward and therefore prepare and submit a planning application.

Chris Fleming, one of our Associate Directors, has years of experience working with rural land and property owners across Gloucestershire and the South West. His experience and expertise offered useful insight into the best planning strategy to ensure a robust planning application.

Demonstrating that the shooting lodge offered opportunities for farm diversification and that the proposal would not result in any planning harm, Chris worked closely with the Case Officer and Head of Planning at Tewkesbury Borough Council to reached a positive outcome.

This project is a great example of the importance of understanding restrictions and opportunities from planning decisions and experience in understanding rural planning policies.

We are so pleased that our team were able to add value to our client’s project and that the Cotswolds has a handsome new shooting lodge in its midst.

We’re delighted to have secured planning approval for a new state-of-the-art medical centre to provide a new base for the existing St Paul’s Surgery, in St Paul’s Road, Smethwick.

The medical centre includes 10 consulting rooms, five treatment rooms, a Minor Ops suite, staff room, meeting room, central waiting space and administration rooms. Forty parking spaces are to be provided, including three disabled spaces and a drop off and deliveries bay.

Our comprehensive design and access statement commented that “St Paul’s Surgery currently occupies a two storey building that is outdated, under sized and no longer fit for purpose to accommodate the growing patient numbers in Smethwick and the surrounding area.

It is not practical to enhance or extend the existing building, and with limited space there is no ability to meet the increased demand for routine and urgent care.

In order to continue to provide services to all patients the practice must relocate and expand.

By relocating to the new site, patients will benefit from improved privacy and dignity arrangements; a fit for purpose building for the growing practice; patient centred care in a modern, purpose built environment, whilst accommodating the practice’s growing needs; improved disabled access; improvement in staff working conditions; increased car parking provision for both staff and patients; a wider range of enhanced primary care services; and provision of on-site pharmacy services integrated with the practice in terms of working process and delivery.

Services normally provided in a hospital or other local clinics could be provided at the new building freeing up facilities for more specialist procedures and improving healthcare capacity. We have included a Minor Ops suite to support some of these services.

A “pandemic wing” has been included in the surgery, with the option to isolate some rooms from the rest of the building, and with separate access for patients and staff.

There is an established need for St Paul’s surgery to expand. The existing premises are over capacity with no ability to extend.

Providing the surgery with a new, purpose built building, will allow them to not only improve routine clinical services but also offer a wide range of integrated services for patients and local community.

The layout of the building is designed to make it easy to navigate for both patients and staff, while creating a space that is enjoyable to work in and pleasant to visit. The central location of the site is ideal for a new medical centre, with established public transport links.”

McLoughlin Planning was part of a team, assisting in the securing of planning permission for a new medical centre for Stourport.

McLoughlin Planning was part of a team led by West Hart Partnership, assisting in the securing of planning permission for a new state-of-the-art medical centre for Stourport, on behalf of GB Partnerships.

The need for the new practice was driven by the merger of the town’s two doctor’s surgeries. Our services related to providing the planning policy justification for the new Medical Centre, balancing the loss of Public Open Space and the partial location of the site in Flood Zone 2 with the compelling need for a new medical centre in the town. Our work drew heavily on previous experience of reviewing public open provision for the town and government guidance requiring the provision of essential infrastructure.

Construction work began during July 2020 and when completed, will provide a medical centre capable of meeting the needs of 21,500 patients.