What are The Building Regulations?
Once you have achieved planning permission, you will need to apply for Building Regulation
approval.
The Building Regulations are a way of setting standards for safe construction and
occupation. They are regulated by a set of Approved Documents which cover a range of
issues such as fire, ventilation, energy, structure etc.
A construction project must demonstrate how it complies with the Building Regulations and
it does this through an application and approval process.
My proposed project is in the Green Belt and a Conservation Area, can you help?
Yes, we have experience in working with many challenging Planning Matters such as these.
We can advise you whether a Planning Appraisal would be beneficial to review the locality,
the relevant planning policies and general attitudes at the Local Planning Department so
that we can give you a view of how to move forward.
What information needed by MKA for a Planning Appraisal should I provide?
To prepare a Planning Appraisal, we will need a number of things from you so that we can
better understand your site, this can include:
- Full Address
- An Ordinance Survey Plan (if you have one – we can provide this as part of the
service)
- Indications of what you’d like to achieve if possible
What is a Planning Appraisal?
If your property is a listed building or in a conservation area for instance, you may benefit
from a Planning Appraisal to better understand how Planning Policies effect you or the
attitudes of your Local Planning Department.
A Planning Appraisal is a review of a site or property in the context of Planning Policy. It
looks at Local and National Planning Policy, prevailing attitudes, local trends and local
decision making. The Appraisal is a report that sets out the technical planning context of a
site or building and gives you a technical planning view of what may or may not be possible
in planning terms. It allows you to get a sense of this without you having to commit to
design fees first.
Generally, a Planning Appraisal is a “Desk Topdesk-top exercise” and so a site visit isn’t
necessary, but one can be arranged if needs-benecessary.
What is the likelihood of obtaining Planning Permission?
We have many years of experience and have strong relationships with local authorities, so
that we can confidently say whether we think the application has a good chance of success.
However, the planning system is a judgement-based system and so there is still a risk in all
planning applications of refusal.
We pride ourselves on our honest approach and if we believe changes need to be made to
your design ideas to ensure you gain Planning Approval, we will advise you on the best route
to take.
How long does it take to get planning permission?
Central Government sets statutory deadlines for planning determination:- Applications
being decided under “delegated powers” (that is where the decision is considered and
issued directly from the Planning Department) should take 8 weeks but where an
application is to be decided using a Planning Committee then the deadline is 13 weeks. In
reality, the planning system is be-set by delays and these deadlines are often missed. Good
relationships and diplomatic negotiations are an essential part of the process.
As part of our service, we will track your application and contact the local authority on your
behalf if required.
A Pre-Application enquiry takes place before you submit your formal Planning Application.
They are used mainly when projects are in contentious areas such as Green Belt Land or an
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty but are generally helpful and encouraged by Planning
Departments for all projects unless itsit’s clear that the proposals are very low risk in
planning terms.
A Pre-App enquiry is an opportunity to discuss your project with your Local Authority to
determine whether they will grant permission or whether they can offer advice as to how to
alter the design to improve the chances of obtaining Planning Approval.
If you are unsure whether to apply for a Pre-App, we can advise on this.
What can I get Planning Permission for?
This will depend on a number of factors, such as where your site is located, the local
restrictions, height and scale of your development and much more. : <br>
• Is it within Green Belt?
• Is it a listed property?
• Is it in a Conservation Area?
• Is it in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)? <br>
We can advise you on what can be achieved once these factors have been identified.
What can I do about my existing property or site?
We can arrange to visit your property for initial discussions in terms of your brief or the
outline possibilities of the site. Where alterations are desired, we can discuss viability and
possible outcomes.
How long will it take to draw up my designs?
This is dependent on the scale and/or complexity of your project.
We will keep you updated at every stage, so that you feel part of the design process with
our collaborative approach.
How much will my project cost?
Typically, architects are not trained to provide expert cost advice, where detailed cost
advice is needed, we advise our clients to engage with a Quantity Surveyor for a full and
detailed cost forecast of your project.
There is no ‘off the shelf price,’ each project is unique and for this reason, each fee proposal
is drawn up specifically to your brief. Our fees are typically based on assessment of the tasks
needed and the time they may take.
