Guest Blogger Linda Wright, PlanitWright, shares her views on the latest Planning Reforms:


Re-negotiation of Section 106 agreements

‘Steps to kick-start stalled development’ Concern was expressed that too much development is on hold because of economically unrealistic agreements negotiated between councils and developers at the height of the housing boom. This results in no development, no regeneration and no community benefits at all when agreements are no longer economically viable.

Government launched consultation that will allow developers to ask councils to renegotiate Section 106 obligations if they were agreed prior to April 2010. The consultation closes on 8 October.

The aim is to see as many stalled sites as possible unlocked to deliver much needed new homes.

‘Common sense’ to create more homes and boost the high street       

New planning rights will allow more flats to be created above shops without the need for planning permission. Two flats will be allowed to be created in office or storage space under new permitted development rights coming into force on 1 October 2012.

Also proposed are measures to simplify the planning system further by allowing temporary re-use of some buildings without needing planning permission, streamlining the paper work needed for planning applications and speeding up planning appeal decisions.

Package of reforms to speed up the system

A set of reforms to speed up the planning system, to "cut through the bureaucracy" holding back economic growth will include:

- Applications to be decided by the Planning Inspectorate, if the local authority has a track record of consistently poor performance in the speed or quality of its decisions.

- The Planning Inspectorate has been instructed with immediate effect to divert resources to prioritise all major economic and housing related appeals

- Measures that allow developers the chance to seek additional time to get their sites up and running before planning permission expires – extended for an additional year

Permitted development rights eased for three-year period

Plans have been unveiled to relax planning rules for a three-year period to allow home owners and businesses to build larger extensions to their properties without the need for planning permission. Government is consulting on changes to "increase permitted development rights for extensions to homes and business premises in non-protected areas for a three-year period".

For a limited period, people will be able to build larger extensions on houses – by "roughly" six metres rather than the current three metres without the need for planning permission, provided the extension does not extend beyond half the garden.


Linda Wright MBA DipTP MRTPI
Town Planning Consultancy & Development Services

M: 07765 250150
E:  [email protected]
W: www.planitwright.co.uk

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Jubilee Hall, Knutsford. 

Ewen Miller MD CalderPeelFGP, Colin Fox MD Randfield Associates and Roger Burton MD nvirohaus

Chaired by Lisa Raynes MD Raynes Architecture talk about buying, selling and growing an architectural practice.

With an undisclosed amount of years in practice they will share their experience:

• the highs and lows of recruiting
• the biggest mistakes
• the best investments
• the Advantages and disadvantages of partnerships
• setting up an office of an established brand
• going it alone.

We'll start with a 6 minute talk by each and then we will open the floor for questions.

'When I started on my own Brian Randfield offered me two days a week and the use of the office space. He said “These two days means you can afford bread, you get some work for the Jam.” That was 1986 and there is not much “jam” about. You have to want to do it and you need back up. 80 hour a week and little thanks but the buzz of that finished job that the client loves makes it all worth while.'  Colin Fox MD Randfield Associates

Ewen Miller is managing director of CalderpeelFGP architectural practice in in Altrincham. He has steered the practice through three mergers, the last (Fallows Gowen Partnership) in September of this year, an administration process which took the business from 70 to 25 staff, the opening of new offices in Poole, Deeside and Surrey, the shutting of two offices in Poole and Deeside, two successful PFI equity bids,  three unsuccessful PFI equity bids, the creation of a construction company and the establishment of a small development firm. All this over the last three years during which time Ewen has also just completed two years as president of the Manchester Society of Architects.

Roger Burton is an architect and urban designer with over three decades experience directing large and small practices.  He has recently established a new business, nvirohaus, to focus low carbon design and sustainability.  He is the current Chair of Practice for RIBA North West.

The event will take place on 2nd October at 6.30pm Jubilee Hall, Knutsford. A light buffet will be available first.

The event is open to architects and is free to attend for SPG members £5 for non-members. Please RSVP or confirm your attendance.

Just how awesome have the Paralympics been. You can feel the nation changing its attitudes and celebrating disbility. Channel 4s fantastic in depth coverage has made us experts on classifications of disability. 

I love it, there seems to be a whole new level of public understanding, joining in celebrating the achievement of these super human athletes in spite of all their challanges. It makes you stand taller. 

Never mind a legacy of sports, the paralympics will leave us with a legacy of understanding, compassion, patience. All of a sudden there seem to be more people in wheelchairs, more people with visual impairments, more small people, as we become aware and willing to meet their gaze.

As a sister of a brother with learning disabilities. The change is not just tolerated, it's celebrated, it's awesome.

As a family, we saw Friday's athletics event, comprising small people throwing javelins with unbelievable skill and strength, the final of the blind and visually impaired female long jump, heats for the male blind and visually impaired 100m, female wheelchair discus throwing, a wheelchair 400m and a running race. The stadium was completely full. No one cared about the disability, we only cared about whether the athletes were British or not! 

The 'is it ok' feature on Adam Hills 'the last leg' has broken loads of taboos on disability.

Seb Coe said were never going to see disability in the same way. 

Even Jimmy Carr said we've had a summer off cynicism because we delivered.

Helping my daughter with her homework on Ludwig Guttmann founder of the Paralympics and now watching the BBC biopic 'the Best of Men' raised my awareness further.

And that's why I feel so hopeful, if people of Manchester are a little but more tolerant, a little bit more understanding, a little bit more willing to help, we won't be ashamed of people with disability, we will see them as equals, and give them them the dignity they deserve. Therefore my brother David's future and the future of Outreach (where I'm a trustee) the organisation that supports him, will be a little bit easier. 

So if you're inspired and want to help, as I did, or want to ramp up your busniess's social agenda, there's loads of ways to get involved.

You can volunteer, fundraise or get involved in our 'changing rooms' refurbishment programme. Call me on 07989 744 336 or the Outreach office on 0161 740 3456 to find out more.

Here's a video clip of my trip to the Paralympics and the Olympic Park

Following on from our sponsored walk, Akilah Akinola, the chief executive of Outreach and I, were invited on to BBC Radio Manchester to talk about the work Outreach does. You can listen here ...