Local and Countrywide Experience

EPP has considerable experience in dealing with major development proposals both locally and throughout the UK.
Our consultants have very good working relationships at both officer and political levels within a number of local authorities in the North West and elsewhere in the country. Our recent and current projects include the following:

Tytherington Business Park, Macclesfield

We were instructed by the landowner/developer to obtain outline planning permission for a hotel and business park on 7ha of allocated employment land. The successful application involved an extensive public consultation exercise and preparation of support documentation to justify an exception being made for the hotel on the site allocated for employment purposes. Further involvement was necessary in respect of the complex Section 106 Agreement.

Langley Works, Langley, Macclesfield

This is a major development site in the Green Belt south of Macclesfield. It is the subject of a now out of date development brief that envisaged employment development across the entire site. An extensive public consultation exercise was organised to promote the concept of primarily residential development of the site. We published the details of the scheme on a website and gave the public opportunity to comment via the internet. This exercise helped to stage the preparation of the outline application currently being considered by the LPA.

Former Irlams Transport Depot, Chelford

We obtained planning permission for the redevelopment of the depot for residential development, contrary to the local plan designation for employment purposes. As with the Langley site we published details of the scheme on our web site to enable members of the public to access the details and submit their comments.

Havannah Mill, Congleton

We have recently won permission on appeal for the re-development of this former industrial site that is located in the open countryside on the edge of Congleton with a mixed residential and care scheme. The conclusions of the Inspector were that whilst the development should be viewed as contrary to policy we had been able to demonstrate the significant material considerations necessary to outweigh policy and secure the re-development of the site. Reserved matters have now been approved and a full revised layout has now been submitted on behalf of Rowland Homes who are progressing development of the site.

St Peters/Ford House, Prestbury

We have recently obtained consent for extensions to this Grade I listed church with Prestbury’s CA and are working towards securing the funding for the project through enabling residential development on a nearby site which is owned by the church and would also provide much needed community facilities.

Wincham Urban Village, Nr Northwich

This project relates to a major urban extension of mixed development including housing, commercial, leisure and employment space on the outskirts of Northwich. The practice has been retained by a consortium of developers for a number of years to promote this site both strategically and more recently through the preparation of masterplan documents to form a planning application.

We also promote major development schemes throughout the UK, for example:

Braintree, Essex

We have been involved in a long term asset management and expansion project relating to an existing retail and leisure park. This has involved advice and applications for a range of development including additional retail and leisure space as well as proposals for new hotel accommodation. We have worked in a client team as planning advisors together with architects, highway engineers, commercial agents and legal advisors preparing strategy documents, planning and retail statements. Our advice on the phased approach to development of this site has resulted in a significant improvement of site value for the client.

Swindon, Wiltshire

We succeeded in winning planning appeals for Wainhomes over the last 3 years for land accommodating over 650 houses and a 5 hectare business park on greenfield urban extensions to Wootton Bassett, Swindon and Trowbridge. These cases this required a critical assessment of the Council’s housing land supply to demonstrate that the sites were required now before the LDF process was finalised.

St Austell, Cornwall

We are planning advisors for an application for an urban extension to St Austell for 1,300 houses, up to 9000m² of employment space; retail; leisure; 60 bed care home; primary school; strategic landscaping and public open space and a community transport hub. This was recently subject to an appeal against non-determination where EPP provided the expert planning witness. The decision is awaited.

Harrogate and Hambleton Boroughs, North Yorkshire

Our role has involved promoting a number of sites for housing through the emerging Local Development Framework. We have secured the allocation of sites for residential development and successfully promoted the earlier release of sites through the strategic process. We have also been successful pursuing appeals for leisure and tourism development in the boroughs.

North Lincolnshire

We are currently advising on Lincolnshire Lakes, a major urban extension to Scunthorpe identified in the Submitted Core Strategy. The proposal comprises 10,000 new homes together with 100,000 sq of commercial floorspace and retail and community facilities.