Planning Appeals

The 4D Planning team consists of experienced Chartered Town Planners who deal with all London Boroughs and national planning authorities in the UK. Our experience varies from small householder proposals for extensions, to large industrial and residential schemes. We achieve regular success throughout the planning permission appeals process and we can ensure you an expert and knowledgeable service throughout the process of how to appeal a planning decision.

We can help you through the appeal process, using our knowledge and expertise to get the planning decision overturned.  Our team is approachable and friendly, and your project is treated as if it were our own.

Have You Been Refused Planning Permission?

When a local authority refuses planning permission, or imposes certain conditions, you must be given a written explanation of their decision. If you are unhappy with the decision, you can make an appeal. You may also want to make an appeal if your local authority does not make a decision within the required timeframe. This is called non-determination.

Appeals are made to the Secretary of State and must be submitted within 3 months for domestic applications or in other cases within six months of the application decision letter. This means it is essential not to delay, or you may miss your chance to have the decision overturned.

Why 4D Planning?

Our team consists of Chartered Town Planners and a Planning Solicitor. We specialise in obtaining planning permission for our clients and we have the knowledge and experience to successfully appeal your refused application. If we feel that there is a slim chance to overturn the refusal, we will not take on your project and we will let you know why, however in most cases an argument can be made.

If you would like advice about the appeals process, or you would like a Chartered Planner to act on your behalf, please get in touch with us today for a no-commitment chat.

At 4D Planning we have considerable success with planning permission appeals, ranging from small household proposals to large commercial developments. We will use our knowledge and experience to construct a well-presented planning appeal that promotes your case.

Planning Inspectors have many cases to determine on a daily basis, and it is therefore vital that your appeal against planning decision case stands out. We construct well presented, well researched accurate and honest planning appeals which can help make the difference between success and failure.

Can we assist you?

For more extensive advice on planning permission appeals or enforcement notices or to get a quick competitive quote please call us on 0203 1500 183, complete our online enquiry form, or email us.

Planning Advice

4D Planning is a London Planning Consultancy firm. We offer our client assistance with all planning queries to assess whether a potential development is feasible. We draw on many years experience and extensive knowledge of local planning requirements, listed building consents and combine this with our architectural skills and knowledge to offer clients the very best of advice.

After establishing what is physically and legally possible for you to achieve with your extension or conversion, we take great pride in guiding you toward practical and imaginative solutions to obtain planning permission and to see the project through until the point when construction commences. This ensures that we are able to save our clients valuable time and effort; researching for different companies, and saving our clients a lot of money as we are very competitive, but more importantly we will ensure that the process is as smooth and quick as possible therefore reducing unnecessary costs to the client.

Do you need planning permission?

It is possible that you may not need planning permission. Permitted development rights exist to a large portion of London properties, therefore if in doubt, speak to us and we will advise you straight away. If planning permission or Prior Approval is required, we will advise you on the best route and method to achieve the desired outcome in the quickest and most cost-effective way possible.

How can 4D Planning help?

Firstly, we will conduct a desktop study to research the local site constraints and planning history. We will then look at your property using Google street view, aerial views and other mapping data to ensure that we fully understand the brief and what the client is hoping to achieve. We will then assess the local planning policies and planning guidance to determine what can or cannot be achieved. In most cases we will already know these guidelines, however planning is dynamic and it is important that we offer up-to-date information to our clients. We will then look at planning precedent and consider all relevant material considerations to assess whether a potential development is feasible. We will consult with the Council and other stakeholder if required to ensure that the best advice is given to our clients so that the client can make an informed decision how to proceed with a potential development.

Get in touch with us to discuss your development and to see how we can assist.

Planning Applications

4D Planning have years of experience obtaining planning permission for our clients. We prepare all sorts of planning applications, from small domestic extensions and conversions, to new build homes, conversion of office blocks to flats, change of use of commercial properties, shop fronts and advertisement consents for business signage, discharge of conditions for applications that were granted permission and listed building consent applications for works to listed buildings.

A typical application will require a full set of architectural drawings which 4D Planning can prepare. We will also produce the relevant Statement and planning documents and forms which accompany each application submission. We generally take 2 weeks to prepare a planning application and drawings and at times our turnaround it even quicker.

Following the submission of the application we will liaise with the planning officer to ensure that everything is covered and that we have the best chances possible to achieve a positive outcome. If required, 4D Planning will represent the client at committee to ensure that the Councillors hear a strong argument why the development should be approved. 4D Planning can proudly testify that we have never lost a case at committee.

4D Planning cannot guarantee that planning permission will be granted, as the Council don’t always make the right the decision, and that’s why we have the appeal route, but we can guarantee that we will give you the best chances possible to obtain planning permission.

Once planning permission has been granted, the CAD drawings are configured and adjusted to provide building regulations and detailed/technical drawings for building control approval and tender/ construction.

Our consultants at 4D Planning submit all applications online using the planning portal. This keeps our overheads low and our fees competitive.

4D Planning (also known as 4D Planning Consultants LTD.) is accredited by Planning Portal UK as a “Smarter Planning Champion”.

Heritage & Conservation

Many of London’s finest properties are listed and protected by the Council and Historic England to ensure that the history and architectural merit of the property is safeguarded for future generations. Entire areas are also designated as Conservation Areas by the local Council. Planning permission is usually always required in Conservation Areas with the exception of single storey extensions and other smaller developments. Listed building consent is always required for alterations to a listed building and sometimes planning permission is also required.

4D Planning have many years of experience refurbishing damaged listed buildings, flat and homes, hotels and commercial buildings and restoring them to their original glory. This is done carefully and with attention to detail while also taking into account the clients needs, such as to keep the costs down. If you have a listed building or a property which is not listed, but is located in a Conservation Area, 4D Planning will be able to advise and to assist with obtaining the relevant consents while also producing the architectural drawings, 3D visualisations and specialist planning documents such as a Heritage Statement to accompany the application. One of our consultants is a specialist Heritage and Conservation consultant and has many years of experience working for one of London’s Planning Departments. 

If you are considering work to your property and the property is listed, it is against the law to carry out works without first obtaining the Council’s approval. 4D Planning can assist you with liaising with the Heritage and Conservation Officers and to ensure that the desired outcome is achieved without too many compromises.

Architectural Drawings

4D Planning is an architectural firm. We produce architectural drawings in CAD (2D and 3D computer generated) to ensure accuracy and speed. All our drawings are suitable for planning applications and are drafted by our qualified architectural technicians in partnership with our planning consultants. This unique partnership under one roof ensures that the architectural drawings provide creative solutions not just in terms of space and design, but also in terms of navigating through the complicated planning system.

Our planning drawings are used to ensure that planning permission is granted. Our building regulations drawings are used to obtain approval from Building Control for the proposed works. We also produce a Tender Pack with technical drawings for the builders. These are suitable for the builders to work from where required.

Our architectural services are very competitive compared to a standard architecture firm. Firstly, we have a quick turnaround of 1-2 weeks per project (on average) therefore we are able to take on a lot more work and keep our costs competitive. Secondly, we don’t print anything off. All our drawings are produced on the computer using Autocad and other software and we send our clients the drawings in PDF format via email. The client avoids the cost of printing, packaging and postage.

Get in touch with us today for a quick transparent and competitive quote.

Building Regulations

We assist our clients with ensuring that all works carried out fully comply with the latest building regulations. Our architectural drawings include all the required information and we liaise with Building Control to ensure that the works are signed off correctly. This is a statutory requirement and the “certificate of completion of works” will be required if the client is hoping to sell the property or get a mortgage. Some home insurance companies will not insure without the Building Control Certificate; therefore it is important to ensure that all works are carried out correctly. 4D Planning will advise the client on the requirements and how to design the layouts and materials to fully comply with the building regulations (also know as “building regs”).

Transport Assessments

The National Planning Policy Framework states that all developments that generate significant amounts of movement should be supported by a Transport Statement or Transport Assessment and submitted with a planning application for the development. It will then be used to determine whether the transport impact of the development is acceptable.

4D Planning have an in-house Chartered Transport Planner and we provide our clients will full Transport Planning services. This typically includes: parking surveys, Transport Assessments, Travel Plans, Traffic Surveys, Delivery and Servicing Management Plans, Car Park Management Plans, Data Analysis and Construction Management Plans/ Construction Logistics Plans.

A Transport Assessment is a comprehensive and systematic process that sets out transport issues relating to a proposed development. It identifies what measures will be taken to deal with the anticipated transport impacts of the scheme and to improve accessibility and safety for all modes of travel, particularly for alternatives to the car such as walking, cycling and public transport.

In some cases, the transport issues arising out of a development proposal may not require a full Transport Assessment to inform the process adequately and identify suitable mitigation. In these instances, it has become common practice to produce a simplified report in the form of a Transport Statement. There will also be situations where the transport issues relating to a development proposal are limited, and no formal assessment is necessary.

Transport Assessments should consider the impact of the development on all transport modes, set out proposals to minimise the impact of the development on the transport network and promote measures to encourage sustainable transport. Therefore, it is a usual requirement that a Transport Assessment is accompanied by a Travel Plan that will be implemented as part of the development proposals upon implementation of the proposed development and sets out measures to encourage sustainable transport.

Our Transport Planner will liaise and consult with the relevant authorities to ensure that the Transport assessment process includes sustainable travel measures as required. This is an iterative process that often requires a number of revisions to the development proposals and sustainable travel measures before it can be agreed that the transport impact of the development has been reduced to a minimum. At this point the residual transport impact is assessed and mitigation measures are designed as necessary. The assessment concludes with a summary of its findings and recommendations outlining the developments compliance with National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF 2012) and Local Plans.

Do you require assistance with your Transport Assessment or Planning Development? 

Get in touch with our Chartered Transport Planner for a consultation.

3D Visualisations

4D Planning have in-house architectural designers who specialise in creating award-wining 3D computer generated models and visualisations (CGI’s) to support planning applications, sales and marketing tasks and other visual exhibitions. The sole purpose of the visualisations is to help the viewer understand the space created and the uniqueness of the design. This tool is used by many architects to help their clients understand the design, but also as a method to illustrate the proposed development to the local authority.

Over the past 8 year, 4D Planning have provided this service on behalf of many architecture firms, private clients and developers for a very competitive fee. Get in touch with us to discuss our fees and how we can assist you.