East Renfrewshire Council has granted Briar Homes planning permission for a development of 39 private homes near Lyoncross Farm.

This exclusive, boutique style development will create a new community and extend the popular town of Barrhead. Under the proposals 39 homes will be built on Aurs Road neighbouring Dams to Darnley Country Park, 30 will be four-bedroom and nine will be five-bedroom detached homes.

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A national planning and development consultancy has called for the Labour government’s review of national planning policy guidance to provide clarity to local planning authorities (LPAs) on how they can develop tailored local policies to support investment and growth at developed sites within the Green Belt.

Following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ recent announcement regarding Green Belt development, Lichfields highlights the potential economic and social benefits of planning reform. In new research published today, it refers to the inherent challenges posed by current national Green Belt policy guidance that could stifle, or at least delay, investment and undermine the ability for existing businesses to improve their facilities, remain competitive and continue delivering a range of important services.

The ‘Major Developed Sites in the Green Belt – The Land That Policy Forgot?’ report reveals that a portion of the Green Belt, which includes approximately 12.6% of England’s land area, is developed for a range of uses including leisure and tourism with theme parks and other major attractions, education, medical institutions, business parks, transport infrastructure etc. Lichfields explains that pre-2012 national policy used to recognise many of these locations as Major Developed Sites (MDS) and provided clearer guidance on how LPAs should assess development proposals, but this was removed by the 2012 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This established more subjective, generalised guidance, stripping out the detail around how an LPA could approach the identification, definition and guidance of development at such sites in local plans, potentially limiting the ability of these sites to evolve and contribute to local economies and services.

Ian York, a Planning Director at Lichfields and co-author of the report, said: “Our research shows that the majority of LPAs are adopting generalised policies that repeat national guidance. We must move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and adopt local, bespoke policies that recognise the unique characteristics of these sites. The report urges LPAs to engage with landowners and operators to create detailed policies that clearly define development parameters, ensuring these sites can thrive without compromising Green Belt integrity.”

The research shows that of the 180 LPAs with Green Belt land, only a third have adopted criteria-based, bespoke policies, while two-thirds default to generic NPPF guidelines. This local policy context means less certainty for owners and operators to plan for the future of their sites where there is a continuous need, in the case of theme parks and leisure attractions for example, to renew and refresh attractions and overnight accommodation to ensure they remain attractive to visitors and competitive.

Furthermore, there’s a regional disparity in the policy approach, with the North West of England having the highest reliance on generic NPPF-based Green Belt policies and the South East of England leading in bespoke policies.

York added: “National Government has a very important part to play. With the new Labour government’s commitment to update the NPPF within its first 100 days, there is a crucial opportunity to reintroduce policy guidance akin to the previous MDS framework. This will provide much-needed clarity and support for LPAs and developers alike.”

Lichfields urges policymakers to consider these recommendations seriously. Tailored local policies are essential to unlocking the full potential of developed Green Belt sites, enabling them to significantly contribute to local economies, enhance community services, and support sustainable growth across the UK.

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Hampshire-based Bargate Homes has secured planning permission from Havant Borough Council for 41 homes in the grounds of Southleigh Park, a former stately home and parkland in Havant.

The development will have three key character areas, with a variety of building types, consisting of Georgian villas and cottage-style homes, alongside the historic core. Resident and visitor parking spaces will be provided in accordance with local policy, with a range of driveways, on-plot garages, car barns, on-street bays and parking courts. The new homes will range in size from one to four-bedrooms, all with EV charging points as standard.

The company had already won planning permission to convert the original Grade II-listed house, and associated listed buildings, into 20 new homes. The approved final scheme offers 61 homes in total, consisting of 41 new-build homes and 20 conversion homes.

The proposals will see the retention of the majority of the existing trees on-site, alongside significant tree planting, to allow residents and the wider community to enjoy a traditional parkland setting.

Much of the site will comprise publicly accessible open space, including a formal lawn area immediately in front of Southleigh Park House, and informal walking routes beneath the canopies of retained mature trees, particularly those along the site’s boundaries.

For more information on Bargate Homes visit bargatehomes.co.uk.

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AJC Group has won an appeal against New Forest District Council, which rejected its plans for 37 homes on Dibden Purlieu on the edge of the New Forest.

The Dorset-based firm has received planning permission from the Planning Inspectorate to develop 25 family homes on the same 0.9-hectare (2.2 acre) site on Noads Way.

AJC Group revised its plans, with input from stakeholders and planning officers, to meet the needs outlined in the Hythe and Dibden Neighbourhood Plan and contribute towards the NFDC housing land supply targets.

These will be a mixture of two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom houses. The homes will feature traditional detailing including red brick porches, tiled roofs, bay windows and exposed barge rafters.

The development will have 56 car parking spaces, with at least two for each property, and secure bike storage. All homes will have private amenity space and the development will include two areas of open space and opportunities for biodiversity net gain.

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SevenHomes has submitted a detailed planning application for the development of 147 homes on unused land at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College in Nuneaton. This submission is coupled with a proposal for the college to construct a new 3G Sports Pitch.

The housing project, designed to harmonise with the existing college structures and the local environment, is set to be completed in two phases.

The planned homes will offer a range of options, including one-bedroom apartments and maisonettes, as well as two, three, and four-bedroom houses, catering to a variety of family sizes and budgets. More than 25% of the homes, totalling 38 units, will be designated as affordable.

This submission builds on an outline planning permission granted in 2020 and, if full planning permission is granted, construction will begin in early 2025.

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Hayfield has finalized a £35 million deal to develop 50 eco-estate homes in Gotherington, Gloucestershire, while obtaining reserved matters planning permission for this 6.27-hectare project.

The development will offer a variety of two-, three- and five-bedroom homes and bungalows, all EPC A-rated for energy efficiency. Each home will be equipped with solar PV panels, air source heat pumps, energy-efficient underfloor heating, enhanced insulation, water-saving features and an electric vehicle charging point.

These homes will be designed to match the area’s existing property mix and laid out to make the most of the southern views from the site.

Adopting a tenure-blind strategy, Hayfield will allocate 20 of these homes for affordable housing, while the remainder will be sold on the open market.

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Bill Bidder, a Partner and Head of IBB Solicitor’s Real Estate Practice explains how to implement planning permission.

A planning permission has a time limit, so you must begin development within a fixed period from the date of the permission: in effect, ‘use it or lose it’.

What counts as ‘beginning development’?
Under Section 56 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (“Planning Act”), a development is “taken to have begun on the earliest date on which any material operation comprised in the development begins to be carried out”.

What constitutes a ‘material operation’ is detailed further in the Planning Act at Section 56(4) – this is widely drafted and includes any construction or demolition works, digging trenches for foundations, laying underground mains or pipes, any operation in the course of laying out or constructing a road, and any material change of use in the land.

So I can just dig some trenches?
If your planning permission is about to expire, you would not be able to simply go onto the site, carry out some minor works and claim that you had begun development. In order for implementation under Section 56 of the Planning Act to be valid, you must also have satisfied all of the pre-commencement conditions in the planning permission.

You should keep a written record of the satisfaction of these conditions – any purchaser or funder would want confirmation that the planning permission was carried out lawfully, within the time limits and having satisfied all the relevant conditions.

Does this also trigger planning obligations?
If there is a Section 106 Agreement, then this is likely to have a different definition of what counts as ‘commencing development’, as this is usually a trigger for planning obligations (such as payment of financial contributions). There is also likely to be an obligation to inform the local planning authority before you start works on site.

What counts as ‘commencement’ under a planning agreement is not laid down by statute but will be subject to negotiation and the requirements of the local planning authority. It will usually refer to the Planning Act but exclude preliminary operations such as demolition, site clearance and construction access.

What about CIL?
The Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 have the same definition as the Planning Act as to what counts as beginning a development (where the planning permission is new and not a renewal).

Before starting a development subject to CIL you must submit a Commencement Notice (which must be in the prescribed form) to the relevant local authority. Under Regulation 67 this must be submitted no later than the day before you begin development. If you do not serve a Commencement Notice or do not serve one in time, then:
• the local authority will decide the date on which it deems development to have started;
• you will be required to pay a surcharge for invalid commencement of up to £2,500; and
• most importantly, you will lose any CIL exemptions.

The latter could prove to be expensive – there have been a number of recent cases where self-builders have lost their CIL exemptions due to a failure to serve a valid Commencement Notice in the prescribed form, despite informing the local authority of the intent to start building.

Tick all the boxes
In summary, make sure that you:
• know the deadline for implementing the planning permission;
• comply with all the pre-commencement conditions before doing anything on site;
• notify the local authority in accordance with any planning agreement; and
• if CIL is payable, serve a Commencement Notice in time and in the proper form.

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