The core services offered by the practice include:

Site identification
With its extensive planning and development knowledge, Stansgate Planning is able to undertake studies of defined areas with a view to identifying short, medium and long-term development opportunities. Work undertaken in the past has included County and District studies for major housebuilding companies, commercial and retail organisations and leisure operators.

Planning and development advice to landowners and organisations

Development potential and feasibility studies
The practice is able to provide an independent and objective assessment of the development potential of land having regard to planning and other constraints. It can advise on the feasibility of accommodating various types of development, the appropriateness of different uses and the best means and strategy of achieving planning permission.

Planning applications
Members of the practice have considerable experience and expertise in preparing and submitting planning applications, particularly where complex planning issues are involved. Over the years the practice has dealt with a wide variety of residential, commercial, industrial and leisure projects. For larger and more complex projects, the practice is used to taking the lead role and co-ordinating the input of other team members and the involvement of other specialist consultants.

Masterplanning
The practice offers specialised planning advice on design matters and masterplanning. We can provide expert advice on conceptual proposals and Design and Access Statements through to more detailed Development Briefs.

Planning appeals and other inquiries
The practice has dealt with a large number of planning appeals by way of written representations, hearings and public inquiries. Members of the practice have direct professional access to the Bar and regularly instruct barristers in the main London and provincial planning chambers. The practice has also advised and presented evidence at related inquiries and tribunals, for example, those involving compulsory purchase and highway schemes.

Enforcement and other matters of planning law and practice
The practice can help with problems relating to enforcement proceedings, and matters such as lawful development certificates, blight and purchase notices. The team regularly gives advice on appropriate courses of action following receipt of enforcement notices, breach of condition notices and adverse planning decisions, and act in matters relating to these.

Environmental assessments
Many major planning applications have to be accompanied by an Environmental Statement. Stansgate Planning can prepare such statements, co-ordinating as necessary the input from other experts including ground and soil engineers, ecologists, environmental and noise consultants, and highways consultants. Examples include the preparation of statements in connection with major residential development, solar farms, landfill sites, waste transfer stations, recycling plants and intensive agricultural enterprises.

Retail assessments and economic appraisals
The practice has experience in carrying out and co-ordinating the preparation of retail impact assessments and economic appraisals and has been involved in a number of projects and studies for public and private clients.

Local development frameworks and other planning policy documents
The practice has considerable experience in the formulation of development plans and their importance in the determination of planning applications and appeals. The practice can promote and guide proposals through the plan-making process and seek to influence the drafting of policies.

Examples of work include lodging representations on behalf of developers, landowners and other interested parties, to consultation and deposit draft local development framework and local plan documents and supplementary planning guidance, and presenting evidence on these matters at public inquiries into the plans.

Planning and development briefs
The practice also prepares planning and development briefs for sites and has undertaken such work in connection with land allocated for residential, commercial and industrial purposes in local plans, and as part of major planning applications.

Monitoring
The practice can provide a specialist service to institutions, companies and other land-owners, whereby Government legislation and policy changes, together with Local Development Framework and local plan documents, are monitored for their effects on particular properties.

Planning related research
Research activities have included assessment of housing needs, housing and area improvement policy, a review of council policies on residential care and nursing homes, and assessment of demand for leisure and tourist facilities.

Areas of Expertise