Issue 10

South West News

Development Group

Looking forward to 2015 after a successful first two years in Bristol On the second anniversary of GL Hearn’s relocation from Bath to central Bristol, Tony Clements, is approaching the end of a successful first year as Head of Office.

Tony Clements

Tony joined GL Hearn in January 2013 as Planning Director, coinciding with the office relocation, and has been leading the delivery of new business and implementation of the firm’s regional growth plans since taking overall charge of the Bristol office at the start of 2014. Reflecting on Tony’s first year as Head of the Bristol office, National Head of Development Group, Alastair Crowdy, commented: “Tony has made a real impact since joining GL Hearn. His experience of working on a range of high profile projects, mainly large-scale residential schemes, has been a great asset to the Bristol team and we look forward to supporting Tony as he guides the team in Bristol as they further establish GL Hearn’s presence in the South West.” Tony added: “I joined GL Hearn at an exciting time, with the opening of the new office in Bristol, and have enjoyed shaping and expanding the team in our new strategic regional location.” Tony has introduced a range of home builder clients to the Bristol office comprising Crest Nicholson; CALA Homes; Persimmon Homes and Linden Homes alongside major fund investors such as AXA/REIM. The Bristol team is currently working on promoting and delivering several major urban extension projects across the south and south west, which could collectively deliver around 10,000 homes. Contact: Tony Clements [email protected] Tony has 19 years’ experience as a professional planner and has spent the last 0117 203 3315 thirteen years in consultancy, developing particular expertise in promoting residential developments.

Development Group

2014 - Bristol office expands and develops Denis Barry was promoted to Associate Director in August 2014 after establishing himself as a central member of the Bristol Development Group following his move to GL Hearn in February 2013. Denis formerly worked at RPS alongside Tony Clements advising on a number of large residential and mixed-use projects. Denis has contributed strongly to diversifying the client base and manages a number of key projects and client relationships, advising and acting on behalf of Linden Homes, Miller Construction, Persimmon Homes and Bath Spa University. Sally Davis and Richard Clare have joined the Development Group as Senior Planners. Sally worked previously at PCL Planning and Colliers in Bristol prior to which she was a planning officer at Chiltern District Council; Richard worked previously as a senior planning officer at Stroud District Council, prior to which he worked at Swindon and North Somerset Councils. Clarissa Etienne has joined the admin team as an Administrative Assistant. Clarissa will play a key role in supporting the Development Group and Corporate teams, and will also support the marketing and business development of the Bristol office.

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GL Hearn South West News - Issue 10

Development Group

Inquiry Success at Trowbridge Acting on behalf of Gallagher Estates and Heron Land Development, GL Hearn Bristol has recently won an appeal for the development of 15 dwellings and associated works at Land South of Devizes Road, Hilperton. The outline planning application was refused by Wiltshire Council in May 2014 on the grounds it is located outside the settlement boundary of the village of Hilperton; the site was not considered Image courtesy of to be in a CSa Environmental Planning sustainable location; and that development would harm the character of the village, notably by encroaching on a locally sensitive gap between ‘Old Hilperton’ and the adjoining Paxcroft Mead neighbourhood. GL Hearn prepared evidence addressing the grounds for refusal and five year housing land supply, which was subsequently not contested by the Council at the Inquiry. Tony Clements

Following a two day inquiry held in October 2014, the appeal was allowed on 24th December 2014. The Inspector concluded that the scheme represented sustainable development in a sustainable location and that the need for housing Contact: Tony Clements outweighed any potential harm to the character of the area that may arise [email protected] as a result of the proposed development. GL Hearn argued successfully that 0117 203 3315 sustainable development of the type proposed should not be held back, or delayed while the development plan allocations process runs its course.

Development Group

Gallagher Retail Park, Sandwell, West Midlands GL Hearn, acting on behalf of Gallagher Developments and Junction Propco S.À.R.L, has secured outline planning permission for a new 929 sq m (10000 sq ft) retail warehouse at the Gallagher Retail Park, at Junction 9 M6, West Midlands.

Alban Henderson

The permission continues GL Hearn’s long and successful history of securing consents at the retail park, dating back to its initial development in the mid - 1980s. Contact: Alban Henderson [email protected] 0117 203 3313

The latest permission enables the development of a new unit between Phases 1 and 2 of the retail park for the sale of an unrestricted range of non-food goods, and follows a consent secured by GL Hearn in 2012 for the relaxation of conditions at Phase 2 of the retail park to remove goods trading restrictions.

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GL Hearn South West News - Issue 10

Development Group

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GL Hearn transforms Exeter Guildhall Shopping Centre GL Hearn, on behalf of Aviva Investors, has secured planning and listed building consent for the remodelling of the Guildhall Shopping Centre in Exeter. The centre was built in 1974 and is a major part of Exeter City Centre’s primary shopping area. It is fronted by the Grade II* listed Higher Market, dating from 1835, which was completed by Charles Fowler, who designed Covent Garden. The development will extend the trading floorspace within the Higher Market building, providing an attractive and active frontage to Queen Street, delivering a mix of restaurants and retail space at ground and first floor levels, adding significantly to the attractiveness of this area of the city centre. The development will also see the High Street frontage transformed to provide a larger and more welcoming entrance for shoppers; a new café at ground and first floor levels and residential apartments above. Due to its conservation area location, and status as a Grade II listed building, both planning permission and listed building consent were required for the High Street proposals.

The secured consents also cover further changes within the centre, including the change of use of existing retail space to Class A3, and the remodelling of the public realm surrounding the Grade II* listed Church of St Pancras. The relevant permissions were secured, with unanimous support from Exeter Council’s Planning Board, following detailed negotiation with council officers, a programme of public consultation, and consultation with English Heritage and other consultees. GL Hearn Planning Associate Director, Alban Henderson, with assistance from Senior Planner, Dan Washington, provided planning advice throughout the evolution of the scheme, working closely with both the architects (BDP) and Council officers, also leading negotiations with English Heritage. GL Hearn’s Strategic Communications team, led by Nick Jones, coordinated and executed the successful public engagement strategy. Amendments to the scheme, including a new roof terrace to the Higher Market, are expected to be approved by Exeter City Council before the end of the year. Alban Henderson

Work on the Higher Market is expected to begin in January 2015 and all the development completed prior to Contact: Alban Henderson Christmas 2015. [email protected] 0117 203 3313 Images courtesy of Aviva Investors and Preconstruct

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GL Hearn South West News - Issue 10

Development Group

GL Hearn secures residential permission for Gallagher Estates Working on behalf of Gallagher Estates, GL Hearn’s Bristol office has secured planning permission for the development of a greenfield site on the edge of Wythall, within Bromsgrove District. The development comprises up to 178 dwellings with associated access, public open space, landscaping and drainage works. The site is included within the emerging Bromsgrove Core Strategy as a development site, although the Core Strategy has yet to be adopted. We successfully negotiated that the site should be released for development now, on the basis that the Council cannot currently demonstrate a 5-year housing land supply. GL Hearn was responsible for co-ordination and submission of the planning application, along with organisation of preapplication public consultation. There was considerable local objection to the proposal, and a public exhibition held within Andy Shepley the village was attended by over 400 people Image courtesy of over a single Paul Drew Architects Contact: Andrew Shepley 6-hour period. [email protected] Despite this, 0117 203 3312 the Council’s Planning Committee resolved to grant planning permission subject to a S.106 Agreement, which has now been finalised.

Development Group

Environmental Planning Service GL Hearn’s Bristol-based Environmental Planning team continues to go from strength to strength, with a full order book for the first quarter of 2015. We provide strategic advice Michael Lee-Wright to the whole of the GL Hearn group, covering both compliance with European Directives and practical methodologies for delivery. We specialise in complex urban redevelopment schemes which often present a plethora of environmental challenges that require assessment and effective resolution. GL Hearn’s EIA team is experienced and well-versed in delivering practical and commercially astute solutions to environmental Contact: Michael Lee-Wright assessment and mitigation. Many of the projects we are involved with [email protected] currently are major high-density residential and mixed-use schemes 0117 203 3309 in London, although the team will also be delivery Environmental Statements on greenfield sites in Wiltshire, Devon and Essex during 2015.

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Development Group

Image courtesy of Thrive Architects

Planning application for up to 150 new homes in Tewkesbury GL Hearn provided project coordination and planning consultancy input to the preparation of an outline planning application for the proposed development of up to 150 dwellings at Ashchurch, Tewkesbury. The scheme is being promoted by Linden Homes (Western). The site comprises 12.7 hectares of greenfield land that is not allocated for development in adopted or emerging local planning policy. However, Tewkesbury Borough is heavily constrained by flood risk, Green Belt and other landscape designations. These constraints coupled with delays in adopting the Joint Core Strategy and the persistent undersupply of housing in the past means there is an urgent need to deliver additional housing in the borough. The development proposals had to overcome a range of constraints that included part of the site being located in Flood Zones 2 and 3, ecology, access and potential evidence of an Iron Age or Roman Settlement under some of the site. Upon resolving the above constraints, the application was submitted to Tewkesbury Borough Council at the start of October and the planning team is currently liaising with officers and stakeholders with a view to securing planning consent for the outline scheme.

Denis Barry

Contact: Denis Barry [email protected] 0117 203 3317

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GL Hearn South West News - Issue 10

Corporate

CRAR assists insurance audits From the 6 April 2014 distraint has been abolished and is replaced by the Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) process. The three key differences are: Bill Russell

• Only annual rent, interest and VAT payable will be recoverable • The Landlord must serve notice on the tenant • The rent must be unpaid for a minimum period of seven days Corporate Associate Director Bill Russell leads GL Hearn’s Tenant’s Insurance Audit service from Bristol and commented “This welcome change in legislation has been a great assistance to us in that insurance can no longer be the subject of distraint which was a frequent tactic by rogue Landlords seeking to impose excessive insurance demands. We can now withhold payment without fear of bailiffs appearing unannounced and this strengthens our position in seeking savings for tenants.”

Contact: Bill Russell [email protected] 0117 203 3326

GL Hearn acts for a number of national retailers and has secured significant savings on their behalf in insurance payments to Landlords. New clients to this service include Marks and Spencer, WH Smith and Whitbread.

Annual Planning Survey

Annual Planning Survey - GL Hearn/British Property Federation England’s major cities are taking almost half a year to determine major planning applications, with an average approval time of 25 weeks in London, the Greater Manchester and Greater Bristol areas, according to GL Hearn and the British Property Federation’s third Annual Planning Survey. Although timings for planning approvals have improved since the first survey in 2012, the average application still takes almost double the government’s target of 13 weeks for major developments. In fact, 71% of planning applicants surveyed were dissatisfied with the time taken to make these decisions. Almost two thirds (62%) of councils think that the current system has significant problems and needs major change - just under half (47%) of planning applicants agree. Whilst the system clearly needs further review and improvement, the research suggests that some of the recent reforms have helped. Within the South West region Bath and North East Somerset Council performed well relative to other local authorities, with major developments being approved within 20 weeks on average. Overall approval rates in Bristol and the surrounding local authorities stood at 83.9%, falling below comparable figures for Manchester (93%) and London (85%).

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Corporate Responsibility

GL Hearn embraces the great outdoors for Give & Gain Day For the fourth year in succession, teams of volunteers from GL Hearn in Manchester, Bristol and London donated their time to local good causes as part of Business in the Community’s Give and Gain Day, on Friday 16 May 2014. GL Hearn’s Bristol team gathered at St Werburgh’s City Farm, and built a sheep shelter from scratch under the guidance of the Farm Manager. Within the course of a sunny day in May, the team created a secure and weather-proof shelter that is now coming into its own in the colder winter months. GL Hearn also funded purchase of the materials used for the project. GL Hearn donated a total of 175 hours of time on 16 May to improving the green spaces in and around the cities where staff work. Commenting on the day, Head of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility, Anne-Marie Kesselman, said: “Business in the Community always provides inspiring ideas about how to give back to our local communities, all our volunteers gained something very special from the day.”

Continuing Professional Development

Annual RTPI Young Planners Conference Coinciding with the RTPI’s centenary year, this year’s RTPI Young Planners Conference took place in Bristol on the 24th and 25th October. GL Hearn was proud to sponsor and host a workshop on development viability at the Conference. Representatives of GL Hearn’s planning and development viability teams from Bristol and London presented the over-subscribed workshop and imparted some of their specialist knowledge and experience to conference delegates. Tony Clements confirmed: “While viability has always been a factor that planners have had to be mindful of in the past, it is now a fundamental consideration in all planning matters. As planners, we must be in position to understand the key principles of viability, including the core inputs and outputs, so we can offer our clients, employers and communities robust advice.”

The 15th Annual Bristol Planning Law and Policy Conference Dinner

Annual Conference

Image courtesy of Dave Pratt Photography

GL Hearn hosted a table at Bristol’s fifteenth Annual Planning Law dinner entertaining clients from Crest Nicholson, Gallagher Estates, Barratt Homes and Nicholas King Homes. Tony Clements was joined by fellow Planning Director Chris Pittock and Associate Directors Denis Barry and Andy Shepley. The event was a great success with the annual festivities pushing well on into the early hours.

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GL Hearn South West News - Issue 10

Combined intelligence at GL Hearn Planning Director Contact: Tony Clements [email protected]

Environmental Planning Director Contact:

Glasgow

Michael Lee-Wright [email protected]

Edinburgh Newcastle

Business Rates Director Contact:

Belfast Sunderland

Hugh Bower [email protected]

Corporate Director Contact:

Dublin

Manchester Liverpool

Bob Nurse [email protected]

Nottingham

Corporate Associate Director Contact:

Birmingham

Bill Russell [email protected]

Cardiff

Exeter

Cheltenham Bristol Bath

Southampton

London

For further information on ‘South West News’ or on any general matter please contact Katherine Miner on 0117 203 3300 or your usual GL Hearn contact.

Bristol Office Queen Square House 18-21 Queen Square Bristol BS1 4NH T: +44 (0)117 203 3300 E: [email protected]

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