We are a specialist Development Management consultancy with a long and established track record, submitting a significant amount of successful planning application per-annum across the UK for all manner of development.

We will ensure that a dedicated planning consultant oversees your planning application from inception through to determination. We pride ourselves in the production of well-considered, practical and commercially minded planning applications from small scale domestic extensions, through to new dwellings, commercial development and larger scale residential and mixed-use redevelopments.

We have a proven track record in securing planning consent across a range of areas including residential developments and promotions, urban regeneration, listed buildings and heritage schemes, rural uses and buildings, educational and commercial proposals, hotels and tourist accommodation.

Our aim is to build good working relationships with local planning authorities to maximise our clients chances of success and guiding through the often complex process.

We are able to provide Planning Statements, Planning Design and Access Statements, Sequential and Exception Tests, Safe Means of Escape Statements, Community Statements of Involvement and can assist will almost any additional requirements including Environmental Impact Assessments. We work closely with a proven set of preferred sub-consultants and can collate quotes and co-ordinate for reports and assessments to meet the development brief. this includes, but is not limited to:

• Sustainability Statements / Energy Assessments / SAP Calculations (in house via JSA Energy)

• Visual Impact Assessment, including diagrams and graphical material showing the development in context

• Landscape Statements, including details of site topography, boundary treatments, tree surveys and related information

• Daylight, sunlight, overshadowing and microclimate assessments

• Flood risk assessments

• Existing / Proposed Use Surveys

• Noise/Acoustic Assessments

• Transport Assessment/Traffic Assessment/Travel Plan

• Archaeological Assessment/Survey

• Contamination Assessment

• Financial Viability Assessment

• Construction Management Plans / Method Statements

• Environmental Impact Assessment

• Social and Economic Impact Assessment

• Waste Management Plan

• Waste Management/Recycling Proposal

• Arboricultural Impact Assessment, including a Tree Survey

• Ecological Survey / Bio-diversity Impact Assessments

• Infrastructure Impact Assessment

• Drainage & Water Quality Assessment

• Air Quality Assessment

• Structural Engineer Reports

JSA can provide robust written planning statements to support major development proposals or constrained sites where an Appeal may be necessary. Our team specialise in providing detailed statements which cover all relevant planning policy considerations and in order to provide a compelling case to support development proposals.

We also provide a Sequential and Exception Test service whereby a proven methodology is used to assess development proposals within flood risk areas pursuant of passing the request tests required by national policy. Our Sequential Test documents are very robust and have proven success. Most recently, this has included success at Appeal wherein our methodology was entirely supported by the Planning Inspectorate. We have success in both one off houses and larger scale developments.

We specialise in providing development appraisals whether our clients are private individuals looking to improve or replace their home in a constrained location (e.g. Green Belt or Flood Zone) or whether our client is a major land portfolio holder looking to make best use of a site. We have a proven track record in providing various forms of appraisal work including desk-based Planning History and Constraints Analysis for homeowners / house buyers, Desktop Planning Appraisals for smaller redevelopment sites and Full Detailed Planning Appraisals for large scale development sites.

We can tailor our services to meet the specific development brief and complexity of the site. This ensures that our clients understand the development parameters from the outset and ensuring the success of planning applications or realising the risk before an application is submitted.

Our professional planning consultants are able to provide in house pre-application advice and also assist in the preparation of formal requests for pre-application advice from the Local Planning Authority. We will also explain how various options for the planning strategy can be utilised to achieve successful outcome of planning applications.

We have proven success with rapport building with Planning Officers to assist in negotiating successful outcomes. For more complex proposals, we can produce a Pre-application Design Document, effectively a sales brochure for planning, which provides the Officer with clear justification for development proposals in order to maximise successful and positive feedback.

We specialise in helping our clients to achieve significant improvements to their properties. Often working in very constrained locations such as the Green Belt and Flood Zones, our staff specialise in permitted development legislation which can allow for significant gains in floorspace without the need for express planning permission, thereby effectively bypassing restrictive planning policies.

In combination with a planning strategy, we have helped many clients achieved much larger extended or replacement homes much greater than would typically be supported by planning policy alone.

Our planning team also specialise in permitted development rights for commercial and other types of development including changes of use from office to residential. We also have a proven record for securing the change of use of former agricultural buildings into new dwellings.

We have expert consultants experienced in the submission and management of Certificate of Lawfulness applications for both proposed and existing development and uses, and applications submitted via the Prior Notification procedure.

We are able to assist with all types of appeal including (i) Written Representation; (ii) Informal Hearings; and (iii) Public Inquiry and offer our advice in regard to the best appeal options for the development proposal in question. We have a wealth of experience in dealing with the Appeals process including the preparation of Appeal Statements which set out the grounds for appeal and present evidence to support the case. Often this includes research into Case Law and Appeals Precedents. During the Appeal, we are also able to provide rebuttal statements. Our services extend to all manner of Appeals work including applications for the award of costs where Councils may have failed to follow due procedure or acted unreasonably.

Our team includes RTPI Chartered Town Planners and so we are able to directly appoint and liaise with specialist Planning Barristers who can provide a specific perspective on the legal issues surrounding the application or planning appeal, particularly for Public Inquiry.

We deal with a full range of Appeals including:

• Planning Appeals

• Enforcement Appeals

• Advertisement Appeals

• Listed Building and Conservation Area Appeals

• Householder Planning Appeals

• Lawful Development Certificate Appeals

• Tree Preservation Appeals

Our professional planners are able to assist with the promotion of sites through the Local Plan pursuant of future allocation by the Council. Whether a small windfall site promotion to the Councils SHLAA / HELAA or a major land holding promotion through the Local Plan procedure, we are well equipped to provide expert advice and maximise the chances of success.

Our current land promotion project works include various small windfall sites, medium sized land holdings and large strategic sites including a residential land promotion for over 850 dwellings in West Berkshire.

We are also able to co-ordinate political lobbying companies to assist with land promotions.

Strategic Land Promotion – West Berkshire Land Promotion

We are experienced in organising public consultation events to promote development proposals to communities and stakeholders in advance of planning applications. Working alongside our in house architects and urban designers, we are able to provide all of the illustrative presentational materials to support an event. We promote feedback at the event but also invite separate postal feedback and electronic communications. Through our website we are also able to invite feedback to ensure that we can reach as much of the local demographic as possible.

We can also provide written Statements of Community Involvement (SCI) to support planning applications.

Working alongside our in house architectural team, JSA has a proven track record in securing Listed Building consents and designing the built form in conservation areas to ensure the character and appearance of the historic building will be preserved and enhanced.

Often due to the complexity of the planning system, planning enforcement has become an important part of the planning process. Early dialogue with the relevant Planning Enforcement Team can lead to a lot of time, effort and importantly costs being saved. Our experienced planning consultants can assist with all manner of enforcement, whether in an emergency situation or an ongoing enforcement issue. We pride ourselves with achieving mutually acceptable outcomes which avoid the need for Appeal, however, sometimes this cannot be avoided, and our team can represent clients through guide them through the process.

From commencement on site through to completion

• Source and obtain quotations of all necessary specialists required for the project to allow the construction to be successfully completed

• Preparation of tender packages and documents

• Selection and recommendation of main contractors where required

• to ensure smooth running of the development throughout the construction period

Co-ordination and collation of meeting minutes for distribution to the construction team

obtaining infrastructure quotations and installations to ensure the smooth and on-time delivery of key services

for potential development sites to assess existing parameters and infrastructure constraints and advise on possible planning and construction limitations

on triggers for discharging the Section 106 planning conditions

• Management and preparation of Energy Strategy Reports

• Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) building efficiency calculations

• Energy Performance Certificates

• Code for Sustainable Homes Certification

Provision of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Advice:

• Early design stage input and assessment on building form/fabric to facilitate energy efficient and/or sustainable design

• Calculation of solution costs and payback

• Detailed design specification of renewable energy sources and solutions

• Advice on supplier and contractor renewable energy credentials and tender analysis

• Construction supervision and stage assessments to ensure compliance

• Advice on grants available to support installation costs

Energy Surveys and Enhancement Advice:

• Surveys of existing dwellings and advice on energy saving measures

• Advice on viable renewable energy sources and costs

• Advice on grants available to support installation costs

• Design Specification of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy sources.

• Procurement of installation and supervision of construction

Strategic advice on M&E services to align with renewable energy design:

• Design advice on M&E Services to provide optimal co-ordinated solutions

• Detailed design support of M&E Services

• Advice on Supplier and Contractor performance

• Tender analysis

• Construction Monitoring

• Handover and Completion representation