When you work in an arena like ours you know that you are doing good work and helping people which is incredibly rewarding in itself.
However, every now and again something happens that makes you stop and think, how on earth did we manage that? That was my reaction recently when one of our projects came back with planning permission in just 22 days!
To put that in context, the planning process dictates that once an application has been validated, the target period for a decision is eight weeks. Public notices and statutory consultations have to be displayed for a minimum of 21 days . So technically, we got consent on the first possible day. It’s rare, almost unheard of, but it wasn’t luck.
It was the result of people doing things properly, and working together.
The 5 Ps of Planning
There’s a phrase I’ve always liked: “proper planning prevents poor performance.” Some people have 6 “P’s” but 5 is enough for us. It’s a bit of a tongue-twister, but it sums things up perfectly. When you put the ground work in early, it saves time, stress and misunderstanding later on.
Good planning applications start long before the application is submitted. It means making sure the drawings are clear, the documents are thoroughly prepared and watertight so the story is easy to follow. It’s about anticipating questions before they’re asked. That’s what makes planning officers engage with you, not push back.
In any area of life you can’t cut corners and expect a good result. Planning applications are no different so good preparation, good communication and a healthy dose of respect for the process are essential.
The Human Side of Planning
As soon as we know a project will need planning, we start building relationships. We make a point of writing personally to the head of the planning department, the head of the planning committee and the local councillor for the property itself. The message is simple: this is who we are, this is what we do and this is who it’s for.
We explain that our projects aren’t about luxury builds or property profit. They’re about creating homes for people who have been through life-changing injuries, homes that allow them to live safely, independently and with dignity.
Planning officers are human beings. They go into the job because they care about how communities are shaped and most look upon it as a vocation with legacy. Sometimes all it takes is reminding them that their decision can directly improve someone’s quality of life. Framing it that way changes the conversation completely.
Once you start treating people like people, not just “the planning department” they start responding the same way.
Relationships and Respect
We’ve built a lot of trust over the years simply by doing things the right way. That means being professional, transparent and collaborative. I was looking through some of our older projects recently and caught myself thinking, how did we ever get planning for that?
The answer’s simple, brilliant people doing brilliant work. Our property finding team, our architects, our admin team & the planners; all of them take pride in what they do. Giving them that extra little bit of purpose can make all the difference.
On one recent project, the planning officer was so invested that she went into the council archives and found old drawings from a previous adapted home in the same area, just to help us strengthen our case. That kind of thing doesn’t happen every day. It shows what’s possible when you take the time to engage properly and build relationships based on mutual respect.
But what happens when things don’t go smoothly?
Obviously we would like all of our applications sorted with zero problems and minimal time taken. Clearly, as we live in the real world, this is just not possible.
The process that has just been described certainly helps but we need to be live to objections, valid or not, so we are checking every application at least twice a week throughout the consultation process. This is a vital but arduous process given the amount of live applications we process at any given time.
This sometimes might mean that designs need to be tweaked or amended to ensure that that the application continues to progress or it might mean that we speak to neighbours to ensure that they are fully understanding what has been proposed.
Planning departments up and down the country have seen the numbers of officers dramatically reduced in recent years. It is apparent that a lot of the more “seasoned” and “experienced” ones have moved out of the business, leaving more junior and inexperienced members of staff to learn their trade and, more crucially, deal with an ever increasing back log.
Working with them closely and having a collaborative, rather than an adversarial, approach makes a huge difference so if something simple like an extension of time needs to be agreed for the application to be determined then this can sometimes be all that is needed.
So what is the secret?
I have thought long and hard about sharing this valuable information.
The truth is, there is no secret.
However, if I could give one piece of advice to anyone tackling planning, it would be this: embrace the process rather than fight it. Planning can seem bureaucratic and frustrating, and at times it really is, but it’s a system designed to balance everyone’s needs. If you work with it instead of against it, things move much more smoothly.
Get the planners involved early. Talk to them. Give them a reason to care. Treat them with the same professionalism and courtesy you’d want in return.
Communication and organisation are also essential and can provide early warnings that mean potential problems can be headed off before they become actual ones.
Essentially, planning is as much about people as it is about process and paperwork. When you remember that, and when you put effort into preparation and relationships, the system tends to work as it should.
That’s how you get positive decisions in 22 days and more importantly, how you get the right outcomes when the odds are stacked against you and it looks like a decision is going the wrong way for the people who need it the most.
A Final Thought
We have just covered some of the reasons why our success rate is totally unrivalled and almost unprecedented.
However, we also know that we are not the only ones facing challenges and it is important to help as many people as possible. So if ever anyone is having a few problems or wants to bounce some thoughts off a sympathetic ear then just get in touch.
Our architectural team are a friendly and incredibly knowledgeable bunch and we’re always happy to share what we’ve learned along the way.
Try us at hello@plg.uk or on 0333 577 0809.
