Sometimes planning applications are refused. Acorn can review the reasons why, for instance because the original application was under evidenced or could have been amended to make it acceptable, or because the Council’s reasons for refusal might be challenged. Acorn have a substantial track record of successful appeals, including achieving costs against Councils who have behaved unreasonably.

Breaching planning controls can be bad news, opening owners up to enforcement and ultimately court action in the worst cases. Property sales can also stall if surveys or searches reveal historic planning breaches. We can advise on retrospective consenting, appealing enforcement action, and proving that because the time for enforcement action has expired in law, that the breach is now lawful.

On complicated schemes, it is often a bad idea to launch straight in with a full planning application. Our approach is often to present a draft scheme to the Council, outlining our justification and asking for confirmation on the scope of supporting evidence required. This will tell our clients how great the risk of refusal could be, how much must be budgeted for expert studies etc, and allows us to price transparently for taking the project forward.

Using a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI) means you are assured that you are dealing with planning experts that have the requisite up to date skills and knowledge to maximise your chances of success. A consultant who is not MRTPI will not have the required professional indemnity insurance if you are unhappy with their work, nor the oversight and regulation of a professional institute. A none MRTPI consultant will not be able to progress a project if it gets very complex or contentious because only chartered town planners can directly instruct lawyers, for instance. Acorn staff are MRTPI chartered for 30 years on average, and we have the integrity to advise against progressing projects which in our professional opinion stand insufficient likelihood of success.

• Project management
• Masterplanning
• Discharge of planning conditions
• Expert Witness
• Due Diligence
• Rural Diversification
• Direct Access to the Planning Bar
• Flood Risk Sequential Testing
• Non contentious Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
• Non contentious Heritage Assessment and Listed Building consents