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Business News Wales
5 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Hugh James Planning Team Marks 'Transformational' Year of Growth
Top 100 UK Law Firm Hugh James is marking a 'significant milestone' in the evolution of its planning practice. Since the appointment of Alex Madden as Partner and head of planning and environmental in July 2024, the planning team has grown in both size and scope. The firm says it now has new clients, complex projects, and key hires under its belt. 'It's been an action-packed 12 months,' Alex said. 'We've supported the firm's commercial property team on standout deals like Rockwool's new manufacturing base at Peddimore and Pobl's land acquisition at Cardiff's Plas Dŵr. We've also facilitated critical conversations around housing delivery in Wales, including a roundtable with Lee Waters MS focused on unlocking social housing.' The team now includes Senior Associate, Hannah Mannion, who specialises in energy and renewables, and soon to be assistant solicitor Ben Bowen who will qualify in September 2025. The team's growth over the past year has significantly boosted their capacity to support the firm's national housebuilder client base across both contentious and non-contentious work, it said. The introduction of mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for certain developments, updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – including the new 'grey belt' classification – and proposed legislative reforms via the Planning and Infrastructure Bill all signal an increasing demand for commercial planning advice, said the firm. Further changes are in the pipeline, with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) publishing a working paper proposing reforms to site thresholds in the planning system to better support housing delivery across different types of sites and launching a consultation on proposed reforms to planning committees. Defra is also consulting on BNG implementation for NSIPs and minor, medium and brownfield developments. Alex believes these developments only underscore the importance of having a strong, agile legal team in place. 'Our expansion means we're not just meeting our clients' needs – we're anticipating them,' he said. 'We're now able to offer a cradle-to-grave service that ensures continuity, clarity and strategic input at every stage of a project. That's a win-win for clients new and old.' The team is advising on significant residential schemes in the South West. These include the landmark Selwood Garden Community comprising 1,700 homes, a major mixed-use development of around 400 units at Nailsea within the Green Belt, and a residential-led scheme at Trull delivering 125 new homes. Recent client wins include Wain Estates, Wain Homes, and Land Value Alliances. This strategic growth reflects Hugh James' wider vision for its planning and environmental team, and delivers on the ambitions set out when Alex was first appointed, the firm said. 'We knew that planning and environmental law was becoming a bigger priority for our clients,' said Alex. 'That's why we invested in building a market-leading team, and now we're delivering on that promise.'
Telegraph
23-04-2025
- General
- Telegraph
How the rich are exploiting ‘Grand Designs' planning exemption to build huge country homes
A 'Grand Designs' planning exemption is being used by the rich to build country homes. High-spec, modern houses are allowed in otherwise protected land if 'the design is of exceptional quality'. The national planning policy framework (NPPF) states that isolated homes in the countryside should be avoided, unless the building plan is 'truly outstanding' and helps raise standards of design in rural areas. This high threshold means it is only being taken advantage of by the wealthy, as they bid to build ultra-modern homes, often costing millions of pounds. Such homes have often appeared on Grand Designs, the Channel 4 programme, with some springing up in areas of outstanding natural beauty – which are usually subject to strict planning restrictions. One property, standing proud in the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty, is Headlands – near Prestbury, Cheltenham – which features a leaf-shaped zinc roof and a state-of-the-art interior. Completed in 2018, it meets the criteria for a design of exceptional quality. Swinhay House, near Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, is another property to meet the threshold under paragraph 84 of the NPPF. The 10-level, eight-bedroom country home contains a swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, bowling alley and squash court, as well as a fully enclosed glazed winter garden. A freedom of information request to all 327 local planning authorities in England showed there had been 219 applications under the framework. Of those, 138 were approved, 67 denied and 12 withdrawn. Richard Hawkes, the director and founder of Hawkes Architecture, has overseen 36 paragraph 84 projects – including Headlands. He created the company following an appearance on Grand Designs, but said the projects were often subject to complaints from 'nimbys more often than not'. 'Some members of the public don't like the idea but really there's a requirement for the homes to be isolated so it's not really going to affect them,' he said. 'It's all about continuing the tradition of the English country house, because it's quintessentially English to have these types of homes. 'But in the early noughties, it shifted to a more contemporary interpretation of this rather than the classic country estate.' He said Grand Designs had become a 'flag bearer' for the policy, in what was now an 'almost symbiotic relationship' with the programme. Figures show South Norfolk council leads the way with 17 applications received. The requirements are rigorous, to ensure 'the highest standards of architecture' are used and the plans 'significantly enhance its immediate setting, and be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area'. Mr Hawkes said: 'These homes shouldn't need to hide – or apologise for being there – because they are outstanding and exceptional. 'It's a policy that was created by the Government to be achieved. It was designed to be a hurdle that could be jumped, but also one that was set high enough that the homes have to be a statement of intent.' The subterranean Bigbury Hollow, near the Bigbury Camp Iron Age hill fort in Kent, was another to meet all the requirements and feature on the Channel 4 show. The former landowner had previously had an application refused because the site represented an important 'gap' between two existing dwellings. However, this property was permitted under the exemption, as host Kevin McCloud described it as looking 'like a concrete submarine that has breached the surface of a wildflower meadow and come up for air'. Rob Hughes, the director of planning consultants Hughes Planning, who has worked with Hawkes Architecture on paragraph 84 homes, said: 'It's not something you can do half-heartedly. You have to have a lot of money to do it, but equally it's not billionaire territory – it's really a mix of clients we get.'
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
How the super-rich are using 'Grand Designs' planning loophole to build multi-million-pound ultra-modern mansions in areas of outstanding natural beauty
A little-known 'Grand Designs' planning exemption is helping the super-rich build high-spec modern mansions in the British countryside. Paragraph 84 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is an exemption clause allowing for the construction of new homes in rural areas - provided the design is of 'exceptional quality'. The clause was formerly used to build classic country estates - but experts say there is now a growing trend of the super-affluent using the clause to build ultra-modern multi-million pound homes, often appearing on the Channel 4 programme Grand Designs. Homes are springing up in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty usually fraught with strict restrictions imposed by planning departments. One such home, standing proud in the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is the Headlands - near Prestbury, Cheltenham - with a leaf-shaped zinc roof and a state of the art interior. Completed in 2018, it is said to be one of the most impressive homes in the UK - meeting the criteria for a design of exceptional quality. Another Para 84 home is the futuristic Swinhay House, near Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, which featured on the final episode of series three of the BBC hit Sherlock. Its sweeping structure and dramatic central look-out tower made it the perfect home for the powerful businessman and notorious blackmailer Charles Augustus Magnussen. Experts say there is now a growing trend of the super-affluent using the clause to build ultra-modern multi-million pound homes like The Lakehouse in East Sussex Richard Hawkes, the director and founder of Hawkes Architecture, the country's leading Para 84 specialists, has overseen 36 Para 84 projects - including the Headlands - the highest number of any company. He created Hawkes Architecture following an appearance on Grand Designs discussing his own eco-friendly, exceptional home he built in Kent, under PPS 7, the forerunner to the Paragraph 84 exemption. Richard said: 'The policy is 28 years old. It was all about continuing the tradition of the English country house, because it's quintessentially English to have these types of home.' 'But in the early noughties it shifted to a more contemporary interpretation of this rather than the classic country estate. 'Since then, the wording has changed several times and they are now called 'Paragraph 84' homes.' He added: 'Grand Designs has become a bit of a flag bearer for the policy - it's almost a symbiotic relationship with the programme.' Richard is proud of Hawkes' record on Para 84 homes - of the 16 the company has designed, all of the owners continue to live in their homes. But, while the end result of the dream countryside home is enticing, the process of building an isolated dwelling in rural England comes with a rigorous planning process. Paragraph 84 (e) of the NPPF states that these homes must be 'truly outstanding, reflecting the highest standards in architecture', as well as 'raise standards of design more generally in rural areas'. A Para 84 home also has to 'significantly enhance its immediate setting, and be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area.' The planning process typically costs a minimum of £100,000, and the whole project upwards of millions based on factors such as the size of the house and the type of architecture. Richard added: 'Any paragraph 84 has to be, by definition, high quality and meet the defining criteria. These homes shouldn't need to hide - or apologise for being there - because they are outstanding and exceptional. 'It's really difficult to put into words what makes a good site because it's so complex - there are numerous surveys and reports that need to be filed. 'But ultimately, Paragraph 84 is a policy that was created by the government to be achieved. It was designed to be a hurdle that could be jumped, but also one that was set high enough that the homes have to be a statement of intent.' One dwelling which met all the requirements is the subterranean Bigbury Hollow, near the Bigbury Camp Ironage hillfort in Kent. This property includes two large terraced courtyards flooded with daylight, which fall between the rest of the home found in the underground wings to the side. It was reported to cost in the region of £1.5million and on September 14, 2022, Bigbury Hollow featured in the 23rd series of Grand Designs in an episode titled 'Canterbury 2022'. Host Kevin McCloud described the property as 'like a concrete submarine which has breached the surface of a wildflower meadow and come up for air'. Another is the Lake House, which resides within 40 acres of the High Weald National Landscape in East Sussex, adjacent to a former fishing lake and the derelict 'Cuckoo' railway line. The design represents three dramatic 'carriages' nestled within the trees, building on the historic connection to the train tracks. Rob Hughes, director of planning consultants Hughes Planning, has worked with Hawkes Architecture on Para 84 homes and echoes the importance of the right plot of land for a project. He said: 'Not every site will be able to accommodate a Para 84 home so it's important that people seek out professional advice, someone with the right expertise, as it really is a niche. 'We pull together planning consultants, architects, landscape architects, ecologists who advise on biodiversity, arboricultural consultants, flood and draining experts, engineers - depending on the complexity of the build - sustainability consultants and more. 'It's not something you can do half-heartedly, you have to have a lot of money to do it, but equally it's not billionaire territory - it's really a mix of clients we get.' Rob believes there are some common pitfalls with applications. He said: 'You usually find the reasons schemes don't get through are because of three main issues. 'First, it does not significantly enhance the area, second, it is not within the defining characteristics of the area, and finally it's simply not outstanding enough.' Both Richard and Rob think there is a bit of a misunderstanding of the planning framework by local residents. Richard said: 'We get some communities who are very supportive and the parish councils saying it's forward-thinking, but more often than not there is nimbyism to the proposals. 'But if we've done our job properly we should have covered all those planning aspects related to the sensitivities of the area. Rob added: 'Some members of the public don't like the idea but really there's a requirement for the homes to be isolated so it's not really going to affect them.'
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Up to 270 new homes approved after appeal
A plan for up to 270 new homes has been approved on appeal after a council turned them down. Gladman Developments applied to build the homes on land east of Halterworth Lane in Romsey, Hampshire, last year but had its bid rejected by Test Valley Borough Council. The developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and its bid was approved on Thursday. Planning inspector Zoe Raygen said although the development will lead to some "adverse impacts", they will "not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits" of the new housing. She also found it was unable to show that it has a five-year housing land supply, which meant the inspector could use a "tilted balance" in favour of development. Authorities should be able to show they have a deliverable supply of new homes for at least five years under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The council's current supply is 2.7 years. The application also includes land for the potential future expansion of Halterworth Primary School, also in Halterworth Lane. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Test Valley Borough Council
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Up to 270 new homes approved for Romsey after developer's appeal
A plan for up to 270 new homes has been approved on appeal after a council turned them Developments applied to build the homes on land east of Halterworth Lane in Romsey, Hampshire, last year but had its bid rejected by Test Valley Borough developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and its bid was approved on inspector Zoe Raygen said although the development will lead to some "adverse impacts", they will "not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits" of the new housing. She also found it was unable to show that it has a five-year housing land supply, which meant the inspector could use a "tilted balance" in favour of should be able to show they have a deliverable supply of new homes for at least five years under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).The council's current supply is 2.7 application also includes land for the potential future expansion of Halterworth Primary School, also in Halterworth Lane. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
