Planning and Development Solicitors

At Rollits we can provide legal assistance and representation through the entire planning procedure, starting with the primary council negotiations, obtaining permission, and addressing any objections.

Different local authorities tend to have slightly varied application processes. Usually, you’ll need to complete a planning application form, and send this to the relevant LPA, as well as documentation to support your application.

There are different types of planning consent, including consent for conservation areas, full planning, or householder planning consent.

Our planning permission solicitors at Rollits can guide you through the procedure, as well as offering support with:

• Site appraisals and development
• Support with third-party objections
• Helping you to present your case at committees
• Guidance on conservation areas and listed buildings

Development appraisals involve properties and their development options, whether these are vacant lots, abandoned sites, or other suitable land sites. The idea is to assess site value, and to understand their growth and development potential, weighing these against any developmental risks.

Areas covered in a development appraisal include reviewing the condition of the property, the site, and the state of the market. If you’re undergoing a development appraisal for your project, we can offer guidance, particularly where an appraisal has highlighted issues that may compromise success.

If you’ve been denied planning permission for a project, our solicitors can support you to submit a planning appeal.

We can support you to access your right of appeal under many circumstances, including:

• Your planning application has been denied
• You’ve been granted planning permission; however, the local planning authority will only grant permission under certain conditions
• You believe that the reason for refusal does not align with the local authority’s development or policy rules
• The application has not been determined by the local authority within the set timeframe (generally 8 weeks)

A public inquiry refers to the examination of a planning application, conducted by a planning inspector.

Public inquiries serve to give members of the public the chance to voice their opinions on local policies or applications. For example, objecting or supporting a project. If your planning and development project is subject to public inquiry, our specialist planning law solicitors can assist you to defend your case.

A planning agreement refers to a document that outlines planning obligations, these agreements are usually between planning authorities and landowners. Planning agreements may take the form of ‘Section 106 Agreements’ or ‘Unilateral Undertakings’, these obligations can cover different areas, including:

• Limitations of the use of or development of land
• Requirements to conduct certain activities or operations on the land
• Subjected to certain financial contributions

When approaching a new development project, builders and or developers must ensure that they have clear infrastructure agreements in place. Such agreements are used to provide services for the project site, for instance, electricity and gas. The agreement may also cover any roads that will need to be adopted as part of the project.

For advice on infrastructure agreements, and all other planning law matters, please get in touch.

As part of the planning and development process, you’ll need to negotiate with local planning authorities, gaining permission for your project to go ahead, and establishing the specifics and terms.

Our specialist team at Rollits have supported developers on both small projects and large. We can help clients to enter into negotiations, progressing through the necessary steps to project success.

We have a breath of experience in negotiations and will always ensure all of your concerns are addressed promptly, ensuring that you know where you stand.

Development plan representations provide developers and landowners the chance to make sure that local planning policies match their goals.

Our planning solicitors can provide you with an first-rate service, ensuring that your best interests are addressed in terms of the development planning process. We’ll ensure that you are well prepared for the procedures, offering detailed answers to your questions at every stage.

According to property development and planning laws, projects may be subjected to planning enforcement where they are viewed to have breached planning control.

A breach of planning control means that a development has taken place without the planning permission required. Either this, or that the development has failed to comply with one or more planning permission conditions.

If your project has been subjected to planning enforcement action, for whatever reason, our planning law solicitors can offer specialist planning law advice. We can represent you and guide you towards the most favourable outcome possible.

Compulsory purchase refers to a legal process whereby certain authorities can acquire land without first gaining the landowner’s consent. Compulsory purchase is used to assist public interest projects related to infrastructure, regeneration, or development. Such projects are executed to facilitate environmental, social, and economic improvements.

Our solicitors can provide compulsory purchase legal advice to both acquiring authorities and to landowners.