news

Working with Browne Jacobson, we have provided expert witness services to the Excellence in Education Trust in their appeal against an enforcement notice against the Oakington Manor Primary School. The large primary school sells up to 350 car parking spaces in the school grounds for events at Wembley, which the London Borough of Brent wished to stop.  The school rely on the funds the parking generates and decided to fight the case.

A Public Inquiry determined the use had been continuous for more than 10 years, since the new stadium opened in 2007, and was therefore exempt from enforcement.  The High Court quashed that decision because the Inspector failed to consider whether there had been a material change of use because of intensification when Tottenham Hotspur FC played their home games at Wembley, from 2016 to 2018.  So a second Public Inquiry was held, and has just finished, to consider that matter and also whether the car parking should be allowed anyway even if the 10 years couldn’t be proved.

As well as the fascinating legal arguments, it was great to see the regeneration going on around the stadium.  The Inquiry took place in the Brent Civic Centre, a beautiful building by Hopkins Architects.

 

Working with Marchini Curran Associates, and Abode Senior Living, we are pleased to report planning approval has been granted for a high quality retirement living scheme at Caldecott Square in Rugby.  We provided flood risk and drainage, and transport planning advice to support the application.  Located in the centre of Rugby, with a site wrapped around an existing listed building, the biggest challenges were access by delivery, refuse, and emergency services vehicles, and the determination of a suitable level of car parking.

Following on from our post on 4 February 2019 we are delighted to announce that Carbide Properties have completed their development at Sketchley Brook, Hinckley.  The scheme, totaling 18,900 sqft of retail and trade counter space has been 100% pre-let to tenants: Co-op, Johnson Cleaners, Toolstation, Greggs, Salvation Armey and Consol Tanning Salon; creating circa 50 jobs.  It followed our support at the planning and construction stage with a Transport Assessment, Travel Plan, Delivery Management Plan, and Section 184 Agreement for the access works.  It’s great to see the schemes that we work on come to life.

We are delighted to announce Carbide Properties have completed their industrial development in Handcross.  It follows our support at the planning stage with a Travel Plan and Statement Statement, and subsequent detailed design of civil engineering works.

Tungsten Park, Handcross, is an industrial warehouse project at the former Wyevale Garden Centre site on London Road, seven miles South of Crawley on the A23 between London and Brighton.  The project consists of two single storey warehouse units totalling 83,000sqft.  Unit 1 is a standalone 43,000sqft unit to be occupied by Pets Corner. Units 2 and 3 are speculative units totalling 40,000sqft  separated by a dividing wall.  Both units were constructed to a BREEAM 2018 ‘Very Good’ rating.

ADC Infrastructure produced a Transport Assessment to support the development of Wilford View Care Home on Brookthorpe Way in Silverdale, Nottingham. Construction is now complete and the building features 83 bedrooms, en-suite wet rooms, communal lounge areas, a café, a cinema room, hairdressing salon and a sun-terrace for residents.

 

On Monday 9th December we braved the brickbats from residents of Stanton under Bardon to present to them Cuvette/Mountpark’s proposal for a third development at Bardon – Bardon 3.  The development follows on from Bardon 1 on Beveridge Lane, now occupied by Amazon, and Bardon 2 on Victoria Road, where the first unit is currently being built for occupation by VF Corporation. Bardon 3 will provide a further 1.2 million sqft of B2/B8 space.  A planning application will be submitted shortly. Michael Sparks Associates masterplan below.

 

Last night Bedford Council resolved to grant consent to Rosconn Strategic Land’s outline application for 200 dwellings at (the aptly named) Graze Hill.  Our Transport Assessment included a design of a new roundabout on Bedford Road, as shown on Define’s masterplan.  We also produced a 3D design of the access road dropping down some challenging levels, to demonstrate it was deliverable.