Firstplan assisted Lloyds Banking Group and Nationwide Building Society with their head headquarters relocations to 33 Old Broad Street and 1 Threadneedle Street in the heart of the City of London. Firstplan advised on the planning strategy for the comprehensive renovations of the office buildings, which included significant external and internal refurbishment resulting in the reconfiguration of the existing buildings and the creation of modern, flexible, functional and useable head office space, which in the case of Lloyds Banking Group will accommodate circa 5,000 staff.
Firstplan played a central role by advising on all planning issues, preparing all requisite planning applications, leading negotiations with Council officers and co-ordinating specialist consultant teams through to project completion.
Firstplan provided advice and support to Bracknell Forest Council as they prepared to take their new Local Plan through Examination stage. Specifically, we provided the Council with a ‘Retail Advice Note’, identifying changes in the retail sector which had taken place since the publication of the Council’s local plan retail and town centres evidence base, ranging from changes in planning legislation such as the introduction of Use Class E, to changes in shopping patterns and consumer spending as a result of Covid-19. We also provided commentary on the current levels of vacancy in the authority’s main town centres, to ensure evidence on town centre performance was up to date for the Local Plan Examination.
Following on from this, Firstplan were subsequently instructed to undertake a ‘critical friend’ review of the submission Local Plan’s policies on retail and town centres, identifying any potential challenges in respect of ‘soundness’ and consistency with the NPPF. This resulted in a number of changes being put forward to the policies by the Council at Main Modifications stage. Firstplan also provided support to the Council at the Examination hearings on retail and town centre matters.
Separately, we were also instructed to provide retail planning advice to the Council on a proposed residential development with a commercial element in the north of the Borough. This provided advice on retail impact and sequential matters, with a particular focus on identifying the potential extent of the retail catchment for the proposed commercial floorspace.
Firstplan continue to work with a number of other planning authorities across the Country, preparing local plan evidence base studies and providing specialist advice on retail planning matters.
Firstplan secured planning permission for a new commercial district centre in the Derriford area of Plymouth, which will deliver a mixed use, foodstore-led scheme in the heart of an area which is the focus for significant investment and regeneration activity for the Council.
The scheme will comprise of two large foodstores, together with a supporting range of other commercial facilities including a gym and drive-thru coffee shop. The scheme also delivers critical new infrastructure to help unlock the wider surrounding area for development, including the provision of a new access road and gateway landscaping to help define the area as the start of a new public realm route known as the ‘Seaton Arc’.
Firstplan’s involvement in this project was wide-ranging, commencing with the undertaking of initial pre-application discussions with the authority, to preparing and submitting the planning application, negotiation of planning conditions, liaison with the local planning authority throughout the determination process and providing advice on developer contributions. Firstplan also led on taking the project through Design Review Panel and liaising with officers to help explain the commercial challenges of delivering the scheme.
In addition, Firstplan prepared the retail and town centre policy analysis in support of the application. Although the development of a new district centre had policy support in the development plan, the plan also required demonstration that the development of a new district centre at this location would not impact the existing network of centres in the Plymouth area. Through the preparation of a robust retail impact and sequential assessment, developed through extensive scoping with the authority’s appointed specialist consultant, we were able to provide clear demonstration to the authority that any potential impacts would be fully acceptable, and that there were no alternative, sequential sites which could accommodate the development proposals
Images credit: Farrell & Clark Architects
Firstplan were instructed to advise on planning matters in relation to the redevelopment of 201-207 Kensington High Street for 19 Class C3 residential units, a new Class E gym in the basement, improvements to the ground floor retail frontage, internal reconfiguration and the retention and refreshment of the historical façade. The Art Deco style building was originally constructed in the 1920s for Woolworths as their flagship store, lying in the centre of Kensington High Street and a Conservation Area.
Firstplan’s role as planning consultant included providing planning, strategy and heritage advice, leading pre-application discussions, preparing and submitting a number of planning applications to facilitate the redevelopment, managing teams of consultants, and negotiating with officers through to the grant of permission.
CGI credit: 201-207 Ken Ltd
Firstplan provided expert planning consultancy services to support Barclays Bank in restoring, modernising, and revitalising branches across the UK. Leading pre-application discussions with Council officers, Firstplan prepared planning and heritage statements, advised project architects, and managed applications for planning and listed building consent. Our strategic approach ensured that the refurbishments met Barclays’ evolving operational needs while complying with local policies and respecting these listed buildings’ historic and architectural significance. By coordinating the project team and negotiating successfully with Council officers, Firstplan secured the necessary approvals to achieve Barclays’ objectives efficiently and effectively.
Firstplan secured planning permission at appeal for a redevelopment of 300-306 West Green Road for the construction of a five-storey (plus basement) building, comprising of a commercial unit on the ground floor and basement, and nineteen residential units above.
This provided a significant increase in the quantity and quality of the commercial and residential floorspace at the site, including a net increase of fifteen additional dwellings and a doubling of the size of commercial unit. The development was designed to be a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the retail parade, which included preparation of an indicative future masterplan for the area.
The scheme will be a ‘Build to Rent’ development and provision has been made for two ‘intermediate’ affordable units, to be let out at ‘London Living Rent’ levels, which is a form of discounted market rent. This allowed our Client to retain sole ownership and management of the building, whilst still contributing towards the Council’s affordable housing supply. The scheme further included a communal children’s play area at first floor level.
Firstplan’s involvement was from scheme inception through to the grant of permission, including management of pre-application discussions, the planning application (securing a recommendation for approval by officers) and the written representations planning appeal.
Firstplan were instructed by Rutland County Council to provide retail policy advice in respect of their emerging Rutland Local Plan review. Following recent changes in national planning policy and the introduction of Use Class E and new permitted development rights, a full consideration of the continued robustness of the Council’s established policy approach towards its two main town centres of Oakham and Uppingham was required.
Firstplan provided a detailed, evidence-based report which updated recommendations on the physical extent of defined shopping frontages and primary shopping areas in the two town centres, and undertook detailed consideration of the robustness of all of the draft Local Plan’s retail and town centre policies, suggesting alternative wording where appropriate to reflect changes in planning policy and legislation.
Our advice also set out other measures which the Council can consider in order to support the vitality and viability of their town centres over the course of the new Local Plan period in response to changes in shopping patterns arising as a consequence of the pandemic. Our report formed part of the Local Plan Examination evidence base.
Firstplan obtained planning permission under delegated powers to comprehensively extend and upgrade Westminster House, a prominent gateway office building situated adjacent to Richmond Station (a locally listed Building of Townscape Merit) within the Central Richmond Conservation Area and the Key Office Area. The permission allows for the creation of two new storeys of Class C3 residential accommodation (7no. units), the excavation of the basement to create a new Class E gym, improvements to the existing office space, a coherent ground floor retail frontage, and an upgraded façade.
Firstplan’s role as planning consultant included leading pre-application discussions, preparing and submitting the application, managing the team of consultants and negotiating with officers through to the grant of planning permission.
CGI credit to CGL Architects.
Following the collapse of retailer BHS, this large four-storey former department store located in the heart of Bromley town centre lay vacant. Firstplan demonstrated that there was no longer a demand for stores of this size, as a result of the changing retail market. A strategy was devised to reduce the size of the unit to make it more attractive to prospective retail tenants and to convert and extend the upper floors of the unit to provide 51 new residential apartments.
Robust justification was provided for the loss of existing retail and office floorspace and it was demonstrated that it is not financially viable to provide affordable housing as part of the scheme. As a purpose built 1970s department floor with extremely deep floor plates, conversion of the building to residential use presented significant design challenges, particularly in terms of ensuring adequate daylight and sunlight and outlook. The permitted scheme provides a new, viable use for this out-dated, multi-floor former department store.
Sally Miles has provided planning advice to IKEA regarding their property portfolio including revisions to format, extensions and site acquisitions. She has managed teams to successfully secure planning permission for a number of their most recent large format stores, including Belfast, Reading, Exeter and Greenwich.