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.

McLoughlin Planning is pleased to have secured planning permission for the conversion of a Poultry Barn to provide a large new family-sized home in the Forest of Dean.

The barn was previously used to house poultry, but this has become unviable due to changes in farming practices which have impacted the number of birds which could be housed, and the bread of birds reared, the farm owner needed to find an alternative use for the building.

Given the barns’ location, away from services and settlements, planning policy provides a very limited list of exemptions for what can be secured. However, it is structurally sound, has a large footprint, has good access to a public highway and has impressive countryside views; its regeneration into a dwelling was considered a sensible way to make efficient use of the property.

Referring to paragraph 80 of the NPPF, which allows for the re-use of disused or redundant buildings in the countryside, in conjunction with Class Q permitted development rights as a fallback position, we were able to successfully argue that the principle of converting the barn would be acceptable.

In addition to the principle of development, consideration needed to be given to the impact of the proposed conversion on the countryside. Working closely with the team at RRA Architects, a design was proposed which would set back window openings into the elevation to reduce visual impact and incorporate parking, bin, and cycle storage all internally to avoid any external domestic paraphernalia that may otherwise be perceived as harmful to the countryside.

Furthermore, working with Ros Wilder Ecology, additional planting, landscaping, and bat/bird boxes were proposed to enhance biodiversity net gain and reintroduce foraging flight paths for bats and local birds.

The Council worked proactively with us to include reasonable planning conditions to secure the environmental benefits of the scheme. We are really pleased to see the efficient re-use, great design and new home an unviable poultry barn can provide.

McLoughlin Planning secured planning permission for 3 new agricultural buildings, 2 silage pits and other improvements at Ferris Court Farm near Stroud.

Ferris Court Farm is a Red Tractor approved agricultural business dealing in a combination of arable crops and livestock. The farm currently accommodates 120 beef cattle, 20 rare breed pigs and 8 rare breed egg-laying hens. The planning permission allows the farm to increase its capacity of livestock and arable crops helping to safeguard the future of the farm which has been run by the Cullimore family for generations.

McLoughlin Planning had to negotiate skilfully with the Council as the site is located within the Cotswolds AONB and the development was in the vicinity of listed buildings and a nearby residential property. The Council agreed that the benefits of allowing to the farm to improve its facilities in the manner we proposed would not have any negative impact on the landscape or the nearby historic buildings, whilst also protecting the amenity of neighbouring residents.

McLoughlin Planning are delighted to obtain planning permission on behalf of our client to construct an outbuilding to the rear of their property to be used as a garden office. This is a development that is becoming ever more popular in the aftermath of the Covid-19 Pandemic which has seen working patterns change with a greater propensity for people to work from home.

The property in question is in the village of Upper Dowdeswell in the Cotswolds. The period building is within a Conservation Area where the design of extensions and outbuildings are more strictly controlled. The property is also next door to a Grade II* listed building which meant the design of the outbuilding could not harm the setting of the nearby designated heritage asset.

Despite these constraints, McLoughlin Planning achieved planning permission for a contemporary garden office constructed with vertical timber cladding, slimline aluminium windows and doors and an asymmetric sloping roof expertly made by Koto Design. The Local Planning Authority agreed that the modern design was a refreshing addition to a period building, and it blended in with its surroundings seamlessly.

Outbuildings are often seen by Local Planning Authorities as a good compromise for allowing additional floor space to be created at historic buildings without causing harm to their historic fabric, as is often the case with an extension.

The result of this development is a quiet working space away from the noise and disruption of a family home. If you are considering the construction of your own home office please feel free to contact us to discuss your project further.

McLoughlin Planning has been responsible for providing planning consultancy services to the airport across a number of issues.

Gloucestershire Airport is the country’s leading general aviation Airport with up to 80,000 flight movements per annum ranging and is an important part of the County’s economy. McLoughlin Planning has been responsible for providing planning consultancy services to the airport across a number of issues, including:

• Strategic Planning regarding the long-term potential of the airport’s landholdings, maximising its development potential for a wide variety of airport related and wider aviation industry related uses.
• Masterplanning of the Airport Property portfolio,
• Exercising Permitted Development Rights for new hangar and road infrastructure. This has culminated in a new hangar building, supported by the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership.
• Securing the use of hangar buildings for a new Airline Pilot Training Academy and accommodation block for students.

Contextually, the airport is situated between Cheltenham and Gloucester and sits in the green belt. Development in this area is sensitive by its very nature. We have worked extensively with the airport and its infrastructure advisory team and local members to build a strong support base for the various proposals to ensure that they are successful.

Mcloughlin Planning is working closely with the owning family to secure planning permission for the use of this Grade 2* Listed Building for events

Mcloughlin Planning is working closely with the owning family to secure planning permission for the use of this Grade 2* Listed Arts and Craft Building for weddings and other social events as part of a wider diversification project, to provide a valuable income stream to assist in the upkeep of this significant Arts and Crafts property which attracts visitors from all over the world.

The house, designed and built by the renowned architect Detmar Blow and run by his grandson, of the same name, has been a central feature in cultural circles for a number of decades. As part of taking the house forward into this century, the house is licenced for weddings and an architecturally unique Palace Yurt is proposed to be erected on the site throughout the summer to allow weddings and other social events to take place.

McLoughlin Planning, working with the family’s other advisors has led a small team of experts dealing with the various issues associated with complex listed buildings cases to put forward a strong case for the development. This has included working with English Heritage.

Ian Coley shooting school (based in Cheltenham) approached McLoughlin Planning for help securing planning permission for the club house and to extend their shooting ground.

Ian Coley shooting school approached McLoughlin Planning for help securing planning permission for the modernisation of the club house and to extending their shooting ground. The successful shooting school based in Andoversford, Gloucestershire and run by Ian Coley MBE, former Olympic shooting team coach, wanted to expand the shooting area.

Ian Coley Shooting attracts visitors from around the country and has been rated as one of the best shooting grounds in the UK. Reflecting its position, there was a need to upgrade and expand the existing club house to provide an enhanced visitor experience and bigger gun shop. In successfully securing planning permission, we were able to draw on the support for rural enterprise set out in the NPPF, as well as policies in the Cotswold Local Plan.

As part of the wider proposals, McLoughlin Planning has also successfully secured planning permission for the extension of the shooting ground, working with Lepus Consulting on the various complex ecological issues associated the management of protected woodland and clay pigeon shooting.

INVISTA Brockworth has been part of the Brockworth since the late 1950s starting as British Nylon Spinners, then ICI followed by DuPont. As an internationally recognised centre for nylon fabric production, McLoughlin Planning has been instrumental in helping the company move forward with reducing its energy consumption by securing Certificates of Lawful Development for various plant installations across the factory.

Installing plant and equipment benefits from Permitted Development Rights and as part of the company’s drive to promote energy efficiency at the plant, it has installed combined heat and power plants and the latest condenser technology. In both cases, McLoughlin Planning has prepared, submitted and managed the Certificate of Lawful Development process to ensure that INVISTA has the necessary consents in place to ensure that the plant benefits from permission as quickly as possible.

This project demonstrates a number of services successfully provided by McLoughlin Planning.

We were originally asked by the landowners to advise on the development potential of the site for housing development. Whilst allocated in a draft Plan for 75 homes, we could see a compelling planning case for increasing the size of the development to 150 homes, by doubling the site area and providing a form of development which was better integrated into the settlement, than had originally been proposed.

The site was subsequently acquired by Welbeck Strategic Land and we assembled a technical team to pursue a planning application on their behalf, citing housing land supply issues and the emerging allocation as the basis for the proposal. In addition, we also worked closely with the Parish Council to explain our proposals and provide reassurance that Welbeck’s proposals would be realised by the ultimate developer of the site.

The application process was complex, involving an Appeal and a subsequent application addressing technical concerns in the Appeal Decision. The second application was approved at Planning Committee, where we were required to answer a number of technical questions posed by members.

The site was subsequently sold to Bovis Homes, who have since developed the site

Working through viability issues and negotiation on section 106 contributions to secure outline permission for 125 new homes.

We are delighted to have secured outline planning permission for 125 extra homes on the edge of Faringdon, Vale of White Horse District by appeal last week on behalf of our long-standing clients, Welbeck Strategic Land.

The Appeal decision has generated comment in the Planning press, primarily due to the viability issue. However, there are other areas of note for our clients to consider for their own development interests.

The Appeal site formed part of an allocation in the Local Plan for “around 200’” dwellings. 200 dwellings had already been provided on the northern half of the allocation. From the very outset, we secured the support of the Case Officer that the use of the term “around” did not preclude additional dwellings coming forward.

This principle was very important in the determination of the application. It highlights that there may be opportunities within allocations to increase levels of development, depending on the terminology used on the number of dwellings.

Prior to the Appeal process, the application was subject to 18 months of detailed, careful negotiation with the Case Officer and her advisers on viability matters. With an agreement secured on viability, the Application was presented to Planning Committee with a recommendation that planning permission should be granted.

Despite the Case Officer’s best efforts the Planning Committee disagreed with her recommendation and refused the application for, in their mind, failure to deliver a sufficient section 106 package of contributions.

The appeal decision is interesting in that the Inspector decided that not all of the Councils’ leisure contributions should be upheld, despite them being agreed at the time of the Planning Committee.

This shows the value of negotiation and evidencing the value of contributions and we are pleased that the Inspector could see the reasonableness of the situation.

We are very happy to secure the Appeal and be part of a great team led by Dankolinsky QC, working alongside Will Seamer of Montagu Evans, John Baird of Osborne Clarke and Anthony Hooper of Wakemans.