Initial Consultation – Setting Your Project Up for Success

Your project begins with understanding your vision. After your enquiry, a senior team member will contact you - or your representative - to gather the information needed to assess your site.

Planning applications can be complex and costly, often requiring technical reports and detailed plans. Engaging an experienced planning consultant early helps reduce risks and improve the chance of success.

We usually recommend starting with a Planning Appraisal, offering practical advice on your site’s development potential. Two appraisal levels are available to suit your project, and an on-site survey may be included to guide your strategy.

In some cases, a face-to-face meeting - either on site or at our office - can help identify opportunities and flag Planning Permission or Building Regulations considerations early.

Whichever approach works best, we’ll provide a clear fee proposal outlining the next steps.

Assessing Options & Next Steps
Once we have a clear understanding of your project and the site, we assess the available options to help you move forward with confidence. This may include preparing a planning application, submitting a pre-application enquiry to the Local Planning Authority, or recommending further site investigations to address any issues identified during our appraisal.

Our team works closely with you to evaluate each route, considering factors such as feasibility, risk, cost, and timescales. By exploring all options early, we ensure your project strategy is both practical and ambitious, providing a clear roadmap for success and reducing the likelihood of unexpected obstacles later in the process.

Feasibility Studies – Turning Ideas into Practical Solutions
Once we have a clear understanding of your project and site, we move into the Feasibility Stage. Here, we take your project brief and explore practical, tailored solutions that balance ambition with realism.

During this stage, we also identify any additional information or investigations required to address potential challenges early, helping to minimise risk and avoid delays further down the line. By thoroughly testing ideas at this stage, we ensure the chosen approach is both achievable and aligned with your objectives, giving you confidence as your project progresses.

Your Project Journey, Simplified
From first consultation to feasible solutions, our structured approach transforms complex planning and design challenges into opportunities. Every step is designed to give you clarity, confidence, and the best possible outcome for your development.

We handle planning applications, architectural plans, and coordinate all technical documentation, ensuring smooth communication with your Local Planning Authority (LPA) throughout the application and decision-making process.

Our Services Include:

• Scaled Drawings: Site plans, block plans, and building designs.

• Technical Reports: Coordinating everything from flood risk to heritage assessments

• Planning Statements and Design & Access Statements: Expertly prepared to support your application.

Already have an architect? We collaborate seamlessly with your team, integrating their plans into the application process for a fully coordinated service.

Planning Application Timelines: What to Expect
Most smaller development sites and householder planning applications - like home extensions - are decided within 8 weeks of validation, with the same target for minor commercial projects or changes of use.

Major developments, such as 10+ homes, buildings over 1,000m², or sites larger than 1 hectare, get 13 weeks. If your council needs more time, they’ll usually ask for an extension agreement; otherwise, you can appeal for non-determination.

Once a decision is made, you have 6 months to appeal a refusal and just 6 weeks for a judicial review. Delays can happen due to consultations, amendments, or complex cases, but we’ll guide you to keep things on track.

Next Steps
Ready to move forward? Contact Fytche-Taylor Planning for a tailored quote and expert guidance on your project’s planning potential.

Need advice beyond your own project?

Our expert town planners can provide guidance to residents, neighbours, or local businesses regarding nearby developments. If you need help in making a detailed, planning-focussed consultation response to ensure the planning authority hear your voice, our expert team will carefully craft a response tailored to your specific concerns or point of view. Get in touch to discuss your needs.

Planning Appeals and Continued Support:

The journey to obtaining Planning Permission can be challenging. If you've faced a refusal or require expert representation for an upcoming Planning Appeal, Fytche-Taylor Planning is here to assist. Contact us for an initial consultation where we can explore your options, whether to appeal or resubmit with amendments.

At Fytche-Taylor Planning, we tailor services to your needs, offering standalone planning support or full-service planning and architectural design assistance.