As a follow-up from the last posting.... Longman's sweet shop was the sponsor for Chertsey Town FC in the FA Vase final. And on Sunday they won in Wembley! Here they are, celebrating with their 'Longmans Traditional Sweet Shop' shirts.
​Well done Chertsey, and if you want some sweets and ice cream then head off to Longmans!

After a long battle with the planning department, we eventually obtained planning permission for a small development of residential and retail. The site is next to the railway station in Chertsey and there were issues of noise, vibration, design and scale. The development has recently been completed and the ground floor retail unit opened as Longmans Traditional Sweets - an old fashioned sweet and ice cream shop, which is very popular with the locals.
Client: Longman Developments

We were pleased to attend the opening party for a new development of houses near Bagshot, Surrey. We obtained planning permission for this brownfield redevelopment scheme in the Green Belt, where there were many issues to overcome in order to gain permission under delegated powers.

Another project from a few years ago that is now complete - this time the conversion of a listed building in Mayfair to a new retail unit on the ground floor. We were again involved in research into the history of the building and presenting the case for modifications to the historic fabric in order to provide a new retail unit. The shop is now open in the new space.
Client: Grosvenor Estates

A few years ago we helped with securing planning permission and listed building consent to convert a former mews house into an art gallery. The case involved research into the history of the property and explaining how the new use would benefit the area and the building itself. We were pleased to recently see the art gallery successfully operating from the building.
Client: Grosvenor Estates

We have obtained planning permission at Committee for extensive works to a terraced house within a conservation area, off the Kings Road, Chelsea. The scheme will see re-modelling of the house, raising of the rear closet wing, alterations to the roof and lowering of the ground floor. This comprehensive scheme involved discussions with the planning officers and preparation of extensive information to demonstrate no harm to the area or to neighbours.

​Client: private householder

Planning permission has been granted at appeal for a high-level rear extension to an apartment, close to Hampstead town centre, North London. There had been two pre-application submissions to the Council  both of which were negative. The formal planning application was then refused, with objections from the local Conservation Area Committee. However, along with the client and the architect, we thought there was a good case to be made at appeal. We submitted the appeal with strong evidence and it was allowed.

Client: private householder

Listed building consent has been granted for works to the interior of a large property near Chesham Place, London. The property had been altered at the end of the 20th Century and the new owner wanted to undertake further changes, and reverse some of the unsympathetic interventions. We were involved in a multi-disciplinary team and provided evidence relating to heritage matters to secure the necessary consent.
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Client: private householder

We recently had success for local residents in objecting to new housing in a village in Oxfordshire, where planning officers had recommended approval but we helped persuade the Planning Committee to refuse. In that project the developer appealed and the appeal was dismissed, on the grounds we had given.
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We have repeated the success for residents: again, an application had been recommended for approval, Councillors refused permission, and the subsequent appeal has been dismissed - and again for the reasons we set out.

This shows how presenting a careful argument based on thorough interpretation of planning policies can make the difference to whether permission is granted or not.

Client: residents' group

We are pleased to have secured planning permission for a very substantial new house, set within extensive landscaped grounds in Surrey's Green Belt. The case was a complex one that involved a series of previous planning permissions and refusals on the land, and issues of ecology and trees.
We presented a submission that demonstrated the new house would accord with the restrictive national and local policies that apply to such areas. The design of the house, by Studio Indigo, was of the highest quality, with new grounds for the house. The application progressed smoothly, and planning permission was granted under Delegated Powers by Planning Officers, which minimised the risk for the client and maximised the potential of the land.

Client: private client