Development Management Frontloading - The reality of the New World

Yesterday brought the first post 01 Aug phone call about a new major development in Wales.   We've been working flat out to get those we can sorted before the deadline.

By "major" we mean a warehouse buidling extension of some 1200m2 on his 1.5ha site.

Ive this afternoon let the client know pre-application consultation requirements.

Lets run through the supporting info briefly:

1.  Existing and proposed site, elevation and floorplans. (at least 6 drawings). Planning forms

2. Flood Consequences Assessment. site in Zone C1.

3. Known Great Crested Newts in locality. Phase 1 Eco, potentially Phase 2.

4. Design and Access Statement.

5. Planning Statement. 

6. Building will be close to Adjacent trees and boundary hedgerow.  Arboricultural report.

Ive advised him to take advantage of the statutory, pre-application service the Council offers initially ( £600 stat fee).  

He now must also consult in advance of making any planning application these Community and Specialist consultees:

1. Cheshire West Council (site abuts Cheshire Boundary)

2. The Welsh Ministers- The site is 1.5 ha and lies within 5KM of a scheduled ancient monument. 

3. The Community Council.

4. County Councillors X 3.

5.The Highway Authority.

6 National Resources Wales and

7.  4 no adjacent occupiers and 

A site notice is to be displayed for 28 days advising where the documents can be viewed in that period. We've yet to identify a community building (which might be open!!) where the application documents can be displayed publicly.  

Lets assume this fairly modest warehouse extension wont justify  www.modestfactoryextension.co.uk.  So he probably has to provide hard copies of it all, those 8.  I expect public sector consultees will accept emails or CD,  

I'm now going to work some times (and therefore fee indication) on these requirements.      

And then at the end of this, collate a Planning Application Consultation Report to submit alongside the application. 

The silence on the end of the line was deafening.  He only wants to store some additional furniture.  

At this very modest scale of "major" development I'm not yet sure that Welsh Government grasps the "risk" doing all this in advance creates for a business.   Time will tell.  It will also tell if he  commits.