Double whammy – Permission in Principle success for up to 11 dwellings across 2 sites in Bexley

Plainview Planning recently secured Permission in Principle (PiP) for the erection of 2-4 dwellings, and 5-7 dwellings, on 2 separate disused garage plots in the London Borough of Bexley.

Our client had purchased the sites at auction and wanted to swiftly understand if there was development potential, and if so then how many units would be feasible. In this instance, given the location and historic use of the sites and our experience with the LPA, we proposed that Permission in Principle applications might be the most strategic route forwards.

Permission in Principle – an overview

Introduced in 2018, the PiP consent route is an alternative way of obtaining planning permission for housing-led development. There are 2 stages for PiP applications.  Stage 1 is the permission in principle stage and the scope is limited to location, land use and amount of development.  The second stage is for technical details consent and is more like a full planning application.

Whilst a Stage 1 PiP is not a guarantee of planning consent overall, advantages are that they are a speedier and more cost effective means of ascertaining the principle of development on site, than traditional full or outline planning applications, as you aren’t required to provide technical reports upfront.

Furthermore, Stage 1 PiP applications normally only take 5 weeks to decide, counting from the day after the local authority has received a valid application, and some clients see them as a useful alternative to getting pre-application advice from the council, as they give you a useful steer on whether the principle of development is possible.  Clients can then make an informed decision on whether to pursue the Stage 2 Technical Details Consent (TDC) and the associated costs of getting plans and other reports (e.g. Flood Risk/Contamination/Ecology/Transport) completed.

We supported our client during the application process on both sites, preparing the associated planning statements and, given the historic garage uses, advised our client to submit extra supporting information such as parking surveys, to anticipate any concerns during the determination period.  Both applications were decided at Planning Committee where we spoke in support and were delighted with the positive outcome. Having successfully gained PiP at both sites, we are now working with our client on preparing the Stage 2 TDC applications.

How a planning consultant can help

If you are interested in finding out more about PiP applications or are looking at auction sites and want a risk and opportunity review before making an offer, contact our team via enquiries@plainview.co.uk or call us on 01242 501003  to see how we can best assist you, providing the site address and a brief overview of your project. We value your privacy and any information which you provide will not be shared outside of our company and will only be used in relation to your enquiry.

Content correct at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date advice or to discuss your project, please contact our team directly.

Image resource:

Urban and Rural 2020