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Guide to Getting Planning Permission Pushed Through
It’s been said that getting planning permission in Britain is about as easy as getting a license to distil your own vodka, but actually, it’s not that bad. Well, not quite.
It’s supposed to take between eight and 13 weeks to get a planning application through, but often takes much longer.
Planning is about context. It’s about trying to get buildings to fit where they are, so the more you research the local development framework - and it’s all available on local government websites - the better chance you have of getting your application approved, because you’re speaking their language.
Which is exactly what architect Suzanne Brewer did when it came to designing her very contemporary home in a conservation area.
“I probably met the planners on site three or four times and each time we were focusing on a topic and kind of honing down the design,” Suzanne says. “Overlooking was the key issue, so I decided to design the house so that it was oriented around a central courtyard, which meant all the rooms could overlook the internal space, rather than overlooking the adjacent gardens.”
