If you want to change the commerical use of a property you will certain have to make an application. If you wanted to develop a property by converting it for multiple occupancy, there is a good chance you will need to think about the implications of change of use.

We’ve outlined an introduction to changing the use of your property as well as some of the considerations you need to think about for securing the relevant permission.

Understanding property use classes

Properties are divided into classes, depending on their use. Guides to property use classes can be found on the internet, some links are included below.

These can help you find out the existing class of your property. Though, ultimately, it is local planning authorities who decide which class your property falls under.

• http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/changeofuse/

• http://www.p4l.co.uk/guidtocomuse.html

• http://www.planning-applications.co.uk/uconewclasses.htm

Changing the property class

Property change of use can mean it needs to be reclassified, which will need planning permission. You will need to secure the relevant permission from your local authority, before starting on any alteration projects. This is something that your architect will be able to help you with. 
It is advisable, prior to purchasing or renting a property, to find out if you will need planning permission to change the use. It is also worth enquiring how likely you are to secure the necessary permission. Also, bear in mind that planning permission may still be required for other work being done to the property.

Not all changes of use require permission

There are occasions where a change of use doesn’t need planning permission. If both the present and the proposed new use of the property fall within the same class, then permission is not usually needed. A bookshop, for example, could be turned into a clothes shop without planning permission. 
There are also instances where even changing the property use class doesn’t require permission, such as turning a restaurant into a shop. But, as planning permission is likely to be required for any significant property change of use, it is a good idea to secure guidance from your architect and local authorities before making any assumptions about planning requirements.

To find out more about property change of use and planning permission considerations, feel free to get in touch with us.

This blog aims to help you understand the role your architect plays and what is needed of you. Let’s start off by outlining the basic architectural terms:

- Tender: the process of inviting builders to bid for the construction of your project, leading to
- Contract: the document that defines the terms of how the contractor will carry out your project.

Guidance through the tender process

With special consideration of your project, your architect will advise you on the type and form of building contract you need. With your consent, your architect will then draw up the tender documents outlining the requirements of the project and distribute them to suitable contractors.

Your architect will respond to any questions and provide additional information that the general contractors who want to bid on the project may request. The contractor will then respond with their bid, usually quoting a total price and the estimated completion date. As a professional, your architecture will review the bids and seek clarification, as appropriate, in order to help you make the best decision. The process is made simple to you, as your architect will get paperwork in order and then advise you on the bids you’ve received, including by ranking them in order of suitability.

At this stage of the process, its your decision. Not all tenders end in you finding a suitable bidder. Before re-tendering the project, your architect can provide expert advise on how to adapt your requirements, and bring costs down. If the offers are within your price range and you also find the contractor to be the right partner for the job, you can accept their tender and move forward to the contract stage.

Guidance through the contract process

Your architect will make sure the contract process goes smoothly with minimal effort on your part. Once you’ve found a contractor, your architect will proceed to:

- Prepare building contract documentation
- Liaise with contractor over site set up, project programme and progress
- Administer the terms of the contract and prepare financial certificates

The tender and contract process is crucial to the success of your property development. Achieving clarity on deliverables, timings and costs is a significant milestone in a development.

Getting these elements right is sure to have a significant impact on the success of your project. If you want to discuss your project and get input on how to successfully reach the contract stage, contact Rickett now for a no-obligation conversation.

What does the feasibility study mean to me?

What does the planning process mean to me?

If you are developing or redeveloping a property you are are obliged to comply with legislation concerning planning as well as Building Regulations and health and safety. This applies to both commercial and residential projects.

Navigating the planning process is partly about understanding the legislation and process that needs to be adhered to. It is also concerned with knowing who will be involved and what their priorities are. On commercial projects it is often the case that there is a range of people who will be involved in decision making and the review of your project.

Guidance through the planning process

Your architect will navigate you through the planning application and consent process. In the initial stages this will involve creating your plans in the context of your requirements and the planning context for your development. The planning application will progress through various stages of detail with your architect undertaking initial discussions before submitting a formal planning application, depending on the nature of the scheme. It is possible that your application is granted with due process but, should a planning inquiry or appeal be required, your architect will be able to represent you through the process and act as an expert witness.

The planning application and consent process

The process involves the following basis stages, though not all applications will go through all of these stages.

• Advise you on your responsibilities under the Party Wall Act

• Carry out preliminary discussions with key bodies: Planning authority, Highways authority, Drainage authority, Fire authority, Environmental health, Environment agency and Service Providers
• Prepare detailed planning application drawings for your approval
• Prepare computer model and 3D rendered images of scheme

• Prepare and deposit: detailed planning application, conservation area application, listed building application, advertisement display application, public footpath diversion application

• Negotiate requirements of section 106 agreement where appropriate
• Advise on planning appeal routes
• Act as expert witness in planning inquiry

If you’d like more information or our perspective on how the planning process might affect your scheme, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Whilst it was good to see the issue get some coverage in the national media, we have some grave reservations about the direction and conclusions of her report. Perhaps the worst thing was that, having read the report, we are simply uninspired by the recommendations.

Yes, the high street is under threat

For some time now, the traditional British high street has been in decline due to the competition of out of town shopping facilities, internet and mobile shopping and, more recently, the general economic malaise. It’s laudable to try and do something about this as it’s desirable to maintain diversity in our towns.

However, we have to recognise that what has happened is structural economic change in the retail sector. Mary Portas’ headline recommendations amount to encouraging shop owners to become active in their Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), some loosening of planning use classes, to make it easier for people to set up market stalls and to hold an annual National Market Day.

The Future of the High Street  - just papering over the cracks

Greater community involvement, forced investment from developers, tweaking of the planning system to attract potential new occupiers, encouraging market traders. All these recommendations are merely papering over the cracks of planning policy created by the tenure and inaccessibility of our high streets.

What we do agree about is that the retail element of the high street should be a contributory factor to the survival of a value community resource. However, the key to the renaissance of the British high street is surely infrastructure, public transport and accepting that the role of the car to supply footfall to our town centres. If the high street had the tools to really compete with out of town retail parks then they would begin thriving again as a shopping destination.

The return to the high street has already begun

Some larger retailers are already expanding back into town centres. Old pubs and cinemas – 2,000-4000 ft² units – are becoming retail units. If the supermarket chains recognise the role of the high street and are managing their businesses accordingly, why don’t the rest of us?

The high street as event retail

We should manage the high street as an event, vibrant and surprising and pulsing with every aspect of business and leisure activity. We don’t see this as meaning that we turn our high streets in street markets. That seems to miss the point entirely. We need to support professional retailers. Seasonal local farmers market are well and good but the reality check is that a provincial town in Northamptonshire in January is not a Moroccan souk.

Infrastructure, planning and redevelopment – the real future of the high street

We should certainly restrict out of town retail development. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is already clear on its aim to promote sustainable development. High streets will be sustainable if they can generate sufficient interest and value.

If high streets – and town centres – work for shoppers, they will thrive. High streets can be supported if the planning system looked more favourably on the redevelopment of existing town centres and high streets to accommodate the new supermarket model, mixed use and franchised spaces, ample parking and access. Yes, this would mean some creative thinking and design but it will stimulate demand and inward investment from some of the most successful retail names.

Your architect can assist with the brief

People often as us how to brief an architect. Most architects are happy to collaborate on the brief and it’s one of the key architect services. Typically, your architect will be responsible for the final draft of the brief. However, creating the initial brief will help you clarify your thinking and also mean that you have gathered some of the initial information your architect will require.

The brief is an important opportunity to describe and define the requirements and functions that the project needs to deliver. It is also a crucial means of setting out the way you want the project to operate, how it needs to be managed and whether you want to adhere to any fundamental principles – sustainability, for example. Below are some tips and guidance on what you will need to tell them. The success of your project will be significantly affected by the clarity of your brief.

Clarity on the key requirements

This is your chance to document your wish-list for the project and to be unambiguous about what you want and/or need and what your vision is. How do you want to be able to live or work after the project is complete? Do you have any fundamental requirements with respect to environmental impact? Do you have a style or design theme that you want to adopt? It might also be a good time to look at portfolios of architectural projects for inspiration.

What are the main functions of the finished project?

What were your reasons for initiating the project? What activities does it need to accommodate? How do you need to change your living or working arrangements?

What is your design style?

Does the development need to be consistent with an existing building? Do you want a contemporary, sleek design that makes a statement or do you want the project to blend in with existing landscape or features? Do you want to prioritise environment impact and/or sustainability over other considerations?

Who will be making the decisions?

It’s important that everyone knows who and how decisions will be made about the different elements of the project – Design? Costs? Day-to-day? Who will be project managing?

What is your timeframe?

Your architect will be able to advise you fully regarding feasibility, but what timescale are you looking to achieve. Are there key dates that are driving this?

What is the budget?

It is important to provide a clear guide as what budget you have available so that the project and planning is appropriate and to avoid planning something that you cannot afford to complete.

What happens next?

During your initial meetings, your architect will listen to your aspirations and requirements and ask questions to help them get a better understanding of you and your project. They will then write a brief and that document will eventually form the basis of the contract that you agree.

If you’re ready to engage an architect to discuss your brief or would like some advice on putting your brief together, you can contact Anthony Rickett Architects and we’ll be pleased to help.

How to design house plans – what’s important

At the early stages of the project, the vision and experience of an architect will really help you understand what it is you actually want to achieve. Choosing an architect to perform this role is going to be a key task but getting some expert help as you start planning the project will really pay off.

Planning the development of your property is about more than just the plans that you’ll need to get planning permission and sign-off from the local authority. You may need a range of services that an architect provide. It could be that the really important thing is creating value in the property for re-sale. Alternatively, it could be about designing a living space that works perfectly for you and your family. Either way, an architect will establish the key requirements and, if they’re good, question you on what you want and need – and why.

Why hire an architect

Architects will help you through the planning process and ensure your development is in line with building regulations. However, planning is an increasingly complex area and with many seemingly minor issues now requiring attention and discussion. Having someone on your team who knows what to expect and how to deal with this is very likely to save you time.

An architect will also make sure that you think about the practicalities – is there enough light, space, warmth, storage, flexibility, room to grow? If you’re keen on maximising the sustainability and energy efficiency of your home, an architect with experience in that area should help make the right choices in terms of design and materials, whilst integrating them into the overall scheme.

Choosing an architect – finding the right partner

Often it can come down to finding an architect that you feel comfortable with. Understanding how to design house plans is an important element, but finding someone who you can work with through the course of your development is just as important.

With that in mind it often pays to meet with a few architects at the very beginning of your project. Review their previous schemes and ask to talk to their clients. Talking to a local practitioner through the RIBA Architect In The House scheme might be a great way to start.

If you’re thinking about a development project, contact Anthony Rickett Architects to discuss your requirements in more detail.

[image credit: allaboutyou.com]

You must have excellent AutoCAD skills and be able to work accurately and autonomously to demanding deadlines.

Interested? Send your CV to dan@rickett.co.uk or call 01327 361268 for more details.

Why would this effect be any greater or more damaging than the current system of allocation of development land?

In any event some corroborating evidence from such establishments as Knight Frank or Savills would be more convincing than the ruminations of an organisation populated by professionals, who at their own admission have little interest in the movements of the housing markets. At least that is what they say when trying to negotiate terms of Section 106 agreements with them!

The NPPF cannot be viewed in isolation as a tool for determining future development. Its success or failure depends on local authorities, community interest groups, parish and town councils and other stakeholders using the framework to develop their own development plans.

Quite a way to go yet then.

For heaven’s sake. Even in its most vague and woolly form, the presumption in favour of sustainable development would hardly promote the development of flood plains.

The Environment Agency will remain a formidable consultee in the planning process. It has significant flood modelling information at its fingertips, supplemented by each regional authority’s preparation of detailed strategic flood risk assessments.

Residential development remains the least favoured development in any flood risk area. Any planning application must be supplemented with a site specific flood risk assessment which, if the site is deemed to be outside the low risk flood zone 1, requires a sequential approach.

Perhaps the Telegraph should read Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25), which sets out the Government’s spatial planning policy on development and flood risk, before deferring to the insurance industry for comments on the impact of NPPF.