Embarking on a large building project can be an intimidating prospect, especially if you have never done it before. The process can seem extremely complex and laborious, with so many hoops to jump through and new terms to learn that sometimes it can feel overwhelming. Obviously, your architect and/or project manager will have the expertise to guide you through the process, but we thought it would be helpful to do a series of blog posts that demystify the process, from conception to final checks, and what clients should expect. In this first post of the series, we will pull the curtain back on the pre-application.
Before we get started, it’s worth outlining briefly the whole process of developing a building, from start to finish - so that we can place the pre-application within it. Very broadly, it is as follows:
Concept and desig
Design approval
Construction
Checks/snagging
The pre-application process falls under the Concept and Feasibility Phase 1.
What is pre-application advice?
Development projects take a long time and they’re expensive, so adding another stage and more costs to the process might seem unnecessary. But at George James Associates, it is our view that this is a critical step for larger projects, or projects that are unusual in any way. It’s a way for the client to understand what the local authority will accept in principle, and an opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible without the commercial risk that is inherent in having to gather documentation for the full planning permission phase. High quality design is pointless if it doesn’t meet the stipulations of the local authority - that’s an inescapable fact - so taking ideas and concepts to the planning officer, with back-up documentation, is a great way to maximise a site’s potential from the very start.
The pre-application process also helps to manage the client’s expectations and take the guesswork uncertainty out of the planning process. With the pre-app process, it’s possible to have a project agreed in principle within six to eight weeks. It also avoids the cost of redesign following a rejected planning application. Finally and perhaps most importantly, it avoids antagonising the council with a planning application that they would never approve, and ultimately improves the chances of success via productive, mutually beneficial dialogue.
Why do a pre-application?
Development projects take a long time and they’re expensive, so adding another stage and more costs to the process might seem unnecessary. But at George James Associates, it is our view that this is a critical step for larger projects, or projects that are unusual in any way. It’s a way for the client to understand what the local authority will accept in principle, and an opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible without the commercial risk that is inherent in having to gather documentation for the full planning permission phase. High quality design is pointless if it doesn’t meet the stipulations of the local authority - that’s an inescapable fact - so taking ideas and concepts to the planning officer, with back-up documentation, is a great way to maximise a site’s potential from the very start.
The pre-application process also helps to manage the client’s expectations and take the guesswork uncertainty out of the planning process. With the pre-app process, it’s possible to have a project agreed in principle within six to eight weeks. It also avoids the cost of redesign following a rejected planning application. Finally and perhaps most importantly, it avoids antagonising the council with a planning application that they would never approve, and ultimately improves the chances of success via productive, mutually beneficial dialogue.
What is needed for the pre-app?
As a general rule, the more detail that goes into preparing for the pre-app, the better and more detailed the feedback is - and the greater the chance of an eventual planning application being approved. The basics are a written description of the proposal, with details about the scheme, its scale, usage and usage change (if applicable), and architectural planning drawings of whatever currently exists on the site and of the proposed building. It can also be beneficial to include additional documentation such as surveys and reports, and statements from experts such as structural engineers, heritage consultants and tree consultants supporting the proposal. The focus should be on making a great first impression, demonstrating professionalism and that careful thought has gone into the design process and understanding planning policies.
However, care should be taken to balance what is needed for the pre-application process versus what can and indeed should wait for the planning application. The experts needed to provide reports, statements and surveys all charge to provide these documents, so if you have too many the costs can quickly add up. An experienced architecture practice will have a good understanding of what will make a case stronger versus what will be surplus to requirements at this stage, and will be able to advise on the appropriate expertise required.
The Planning Performance Agreement
Large planning applications or complex projects, for example a block of flats or large-scale commercial project, are best dealt with through a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA). The PPA is a framework, agreed between the local authority and the client, which sets out how the planning application will be handle, the timeframes and the number of meetings needed. The great advantage to a PPA is that it puts boundaries around what could otherwise turn into an unwieldy process with no end in sight. The project is allocated a single planning officer for the entire process, allowing the client to work with the council and other stakeholders to set out the process, make suggestions, influence the final timetable and clear up ambiguities - thereby shortening the process as a whole. In essence, a PPA can provide certainty for all stakeholders and make the whole process smoother and less stressful.
Possible outcomes of the pre-application
There are three possible categories of outcomes for the pre-application process. The first is that the local authority is completely happy with the application as it stands and that the applicant should go ahead and apply with the information presented. This is, it has to be said, unusual! The second and most likely outcome is that the local authority likes the usage principle and agrees to the overall plan, subject to further design development, policy compliance and supporting documentation and reports. Feedback can also include revisions needed to the design. Examples might include the height of size of the building, or the impact it has on the surrounding area. These changes can be assessed either at a second pre-app or in the planning application itself to ensure that they meet the policy guidelines and demonstrate that the design has addressed all of the concerns raised at the pre-app. The third potential outcome to the pre-app is that the local authority has too many concerns about the project plan as it stands, and that a second pre-app or PPA will be needed in order to ensure that the project can continue.
The pre-app: for clarity and certainty
At its best, the pre-app process is a productive, creative dialogue between the applicant, their architect and the local planning department, that will lead to favourable outcomes from the planning application process and architecture that satisfies all stakeholders, as well as the community in which they stand. At George James Associates, we have decades of experience in successfully assembling and presenting a clear and convincing scheme of work with supporting expertise in pre-application meetings with the most demanding local authorities, including Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Our ultimate goal is always to facilitate a pre-app process that provides clarity and certainty and drives mutual respect and understanding, and we pride ourselves on delivering this, time after time, project after project.
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