Peyto Law has been instructed by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to provide legal advice and assistance during the preparation and publication of its Spatial Development Strategy (SDS).
The Combined Authority’s lead officer for spatial planning recently told the Planning Advisory Service heads of planning conference that the SDS for the city region would be prepared within two years, beginning with a scoping and visioning consultation this summer.
As part of the agreed arrangements, the SDS could make strategic allocations, but will not de-designate land such as Green Belt.
A social impact evaluation will also be carried out as part of preparing the strategy.
The Local Plan examination hearings for Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) got underway this morning (12 February 2019) at the Council Offices in Epping.
Louise Humphreys has been instructed by EFDC to provide legal advice and assistance to the Council during the examination process, working alongside Mark Beard of 6 Pump Court.
The first part of the hearings will focus on legal compliance; the plan’s context, vision & objectives and sustainable development; place-shaping & general masterplan approach; and the quantitative requirements for development.
The second part of the hearings, which will commence on 25 February 2019, will focus on the spatial strategy and distribution of development before a short break until mid March.
The hearings are being webcast and you can follow them here. Alternatively you can find out more about the examination process at the examination website.
Louise Humphreys has continued to act for Chiltern District Council (CDC) in the criminal proceedings relating to the failure by Lombard Hotels Ltd and Asrar Ahmed to comply with an enforcement notice. Details of the prosecution and the facts can be found here
Asrar Ahmed was sentenced today (18 January 2019) at Aylesbury Crown Court by the Honourable Recorder for Aylesbury and ordered to pay a fine of £21,170 (including victim surcharge). In addition a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) was made in the sum of £17,000. Mr Ahmed was also ordered to pay CDC’s costs in bringing the proceedings in the sum of £23,293.04.
No separate penalty was given against Lombard Hotels Limited of whom Mr Ahmed was the sole Director and Company Secretary.
It is understood that the breach of planning control has now been resolved and that the site operatives are operating in accordance with their planning permission.
Planning permission has today (7 December 2018) been granted by the London Borough of Hackney for a regeneration scheme at Shoreditch Park. The hybrid application sought permission for a new leisure centre, new secondary school, commercial floorspace and up to 481 residential units (including 81 affordable units) in 6 separate blocks ranging from 4 to 25 storeys in height on the site of the existing Britannia Leisure Centre, Shoreditch Park and surrounding land.
Louise Humphreys was instructed by the London Borough of Hackney in its capacity as landowner and applicant, working with the Project Team, on all aspects of the planning application and s106 obligation to deliver this ambitious regeneration project.
It is hoped that construction will start on the leisure centre and school in early 2019 and complete in 2021.
New Secondary SchoolNew Leisure CentreNew Residential Tower
Planning permission has today (13 July 2018) been granted by Hart District Council (HDC) for the redevelopment of the former Pyestock MoD land (to be known as Hartland Village) for up to 1,500 dwellings, a local retail centre, a local community centre, a primary school, drainage works, SANG mitigation, landscaping, open space, the creation of ecological habitats and highway work.
Louise Humphreys was instructed by HDC in relation to the s106 obligation which accompanied the application. The obligation secured the provision of the SANG mitigation land, the provision of affordable housing, highway works, travel plan, the provision of a primary school and the payment of approximately 15 million pounds of financial contributions.
Louise was also instructed by HDC in relation to the s106 obligation for the associated planning application to change the use of land at Kennels Lane to provide 27.9 hectares of SANG land.
Louise Humphreys acted for Chiltern District Council (CDC) in the prosecution of Mr Asrar Ahmed and Lombard Hotels Limited for failing to comply with an enforcement notice with both defendants being convicted at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court today (17 May 2018).
The case concerned premises known as Bubbles car wash, trading as Deep Mill Vans, on the A413 London Road in Little Kingshill.
In November 2014, CDC found that the number of vehicles being displayed, stored and sold on the site (which was located in the Green Belt and in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) was far greater than permitted under the terms of the original planning permission. An enforcement notice was issued required the owners to comply with the condition limiting the number of vehicles on site and requiring them to be displayed in the permitted areas.
At the same time the owners submitted an application seeking to remove the relevant planning condition. This application was refused by CDC and that refusal upheld on appeal to the Secretary of State because of the impact on the Green Belt, AONB and on highway safety grounds.
Following the coming into force of the enforcement notice, CDC carried out numerous site visits and discovered that the number of vehicles on site still exceeded the permitted maximum and vehicles were being displayed outside of the permitted areas.
Prosecution proceedings were therefore brought against Lombard Hotels Ltd as the owner of the site and Asrar Ahmed as the sole Director of the company.
Following a trial at the Magistrates’ Court, both Defendants were found guilty of six offences each of failing to comply with the enforcement notice.
The case has now been sent to Aylesbury Crown Court for sentence and for the making of a confiscation order under POCA.
Land at Deep Mill Service Station – Bubbles Car Wash
