Green Belt
The government attaches great importance to Green Belts and their fundamental aim of Green to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open as well as their characteristics of ‘openness and permanence’. However, in ‘Very Special Circumstances’ (VSC) development is considered to be acceptable. As such it is essential for planning applications within the Green Belt to be assessed in detail and justified robustly. To do this, many Councils request this justification, either as part of the Planning Statement or as a separate Green Belt Assessment document.
Create have vast experience of obtaining planning success on both small and large sites within the Green Belt and have the technical knowledge for undertaking the assessments. We are also adept with providing advice of how to better optimise your site to obtain planning permission in the Green Belt.
Flood Risk for Planning & Sequential Tests
For sites that are situated in Flood Zones 2 and Flood Zones 3 and propose intensifying development it is a mandatory requirement for the Sequential Test to be undertaken as part of the planning application. This is not typically undertaken by Flood Risk Consultants as it involves an exercise which involves talking to multiple landowners. We assist clients by undertaking this in preparation to submitting the planning application.
It is essential that all developments within these flood zones ‘pass’ the sequential test to gain planning permission. We advise clients at the earliest opportunity the potential of achieving this threshold to help clients manage their aspirations.
Information About the Sequential Test
The Sequential Test is designed to promote sustainable development in England by encouraging an approach of preference. It is designed to prioritise development towards sites which have a lesser exposure to flood risk.
It does this via a systematic process to assess and prioritize potential development sites based on their sustainability credentials. A summary of this process is the following:
Identify potential site options
Compiling a list of suitable sites for development, considering brownfield sites and underutilized land.Assess site suitability, availability, and achievability
Evaluate each site based on factors such as environmental impact, accessibility, and viability.Prioritise sites based on sustainability
Rank sites according to their sustainability performance, giving preference to the most sustainable options.
Local planning authorities play a crucial role in ensuring the proper application of the Sequential Test. The requirements of the Sequential Test include the availability of any alternate sites. The sites must be considered as ‘Reasonably available’ as well as ‘deliverable’ and ‘developable’. For a site to be ‘deliverable’ the alternate site must be able to achieve the proposed development within five years, whilst for a site to be ‘developable’ the site must not be subject to any additional planning constraints or viability concerns which would limit development.
Create services has an in-depth knowledge with the latest planning policies and guidelines, ensuring your project remains compliant with the Sequential Test. We also provide personalised advice and support, tailored to your project’s unique circumstances and Sequential Test requirements.
Retail Assessments
For applying for planning permission for a retail development robust evidence and due diligence is typically needed. This can include undertaking a supporting assessment with justifications in line with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and applying a sequential approach to site selection as well as considering the potential impact on town centres.
We can assist by preparing a retail assessment to accompany your planning application and advise the scope and level of detail required. This can typically vary depending on the scale of the proposed development and its location. We will tailor your retail assessment to suit the needs of your proposal and the requirements of the local planning authority.