services

Hume Planning Consultancy provides independent town planning advice in a number of specialist areas in order to reduce risk and facilitate the delivery of development.

For sites with immediate planning prospects, this will first involve the realistic appraisal of the site’s development potential before the later submission and negotiation of planning applications.

On longer-term strategic projects, this will involve policy research to anticipate how future development pressures are likely to influence emerging spatial land use strategies and plan-making. In these instances, Hume Planning will undertake land promotion for longer periods through the Local Plan Review Process.

AREAS OF SPECIALIST INPUT:

  • Appraisal of the development potential of land opportunities

  • Planning strategy and promotion of land through the Local Plan

  • Coordination and negotiation of planning submissions, which for larger complex schemes will often involve an Environmental Statement (ES)

  • Project Management of the project team

  • The prosecution of planning appeals including hearings and inquiries

  • Public Exhibitions and community engagement.

The company believes it is vitally important that the positive benefits of development are highlighted given the normal level of resistance by opponents to change. However, this does not mean that any development proposal will be acceptable. It is critical that the scheme is of a high quality and responds to the constraints and opportunities of the particular site.

Hume Planning Consultancy will only commit to projects where there is a strong level of conviction of the merits of the proposal and where the balance between environmental, social, and economic considerations has been professionally examined.

Residential

Hume Planning specialises in the assessment of planning risk for clients and for most projects manages and coordinates a consultancy team to deliver housing where the identified need requires.

Our team is experienced in ‘driving’ projects forward at all times and presenting proposals to LPA officers and Members of the Planning Committee, whilst striving to achieve a negotiated solution, although the practice is also, where necessary, experienced in prosecuting appeals.

Strategic Land Promotion

Led by Alister Hume, the Hume Planning team has a record of delivery of strategic land allocations via the local plan system. The skill of strategic land promotion is to anticipate directions of growth and to promote the benefits of development at the early stages of the local plan review process.

The experience of the Hume Planning team provides clients with a better understanding of the level of risk before making long-term investment decisions.

The key skills that Hume Planning believes are essential to successful strategic land promotion include the following:

  • The site appraisal stage should identify the best opportunities in the first place.

  • The Hume Planning Team must have planning conviction about the merits of the site and that development impacts can be properly mitigated. Proposals must represent a truly sustainable option for growth.

  • Hume Planning has a range of specialist consultants that they work well with and can coordinate so that the resources of the clients/landowners are used effectively and are not wasted on unnecessary duplication.

  • The team has good relationships and a credible reputation with LPA officers across the South East which is built on a past track record of delivery.

  • The promotion of strategic land can take many years and therefore confidence and trust in the development team is essential. This is an aspect of the strategic promotion that Hume Planning particularly prides itself on. This is emphasised by the number of long-term clients of the practice.

Community Facilities

The practice has strong experience of working with local communities to deliver updated or new social infrastructure often as part of a planning delivery package.

These wider sustainability objectives are often reflected as part of the master planning visioning at the strategic land promotion stage as well as for immediate planning applications (where public funding is not available). This can often involve housing delivery driving much-needed community hub/enhanced sports provision or education facilities as part of an overall planning package.

Commercial

Hume Planning recognises the importance of the role of economic support alongside housing growth, and the need to drive regeneration and facilitate job creation and investment, which the National Planning Policy Framework strongly highlights.

Rural

Beyond defined urban areas proposals in rural locations, most applications require finer judgments of planning risk.

The main services that the practice provides for rural projects include:

  • Undertaking farm appraisals and preparing long, medium, and short-term strategies for landowners.

  • Promoting strategic land directly for landowners.

  • Redevelopment or conversion of existing buildings within existing farm holdings.