Community Infrastrucutre Levy and Local Economic Assessment

31st March 2010

Two important new requirements and opportunities come into effect this week. Either side of easter LEAs and CIL will be enacted.

Local Economic AssessmentsFrom April 2010 LEAs are a requirement of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, and are explained by PPS4 Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth, as intended to: ‘provide and maintain a robust evidence base to understand both existing business needs and likely changes in the market’. Local authorities should take the requirement as a very positive opportunity, and prepare LEAs with economic development officers and the spatial planning leaders working to mutual advantage.

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Celebrating 20 Years of Baker Associates

21st March 2010

This year marks 20 years of Baker Associates, so to celebrate the occasion we invited some local friends and colleagues along to our office for drinks and nibbles. It was a great opportunity for us to celebrate a successful 20 years and think about what the future holds. Thank you to everyone who made it such an enjoyable evening.

Consent for Fitness Academy

in Weston-super-Mare, 17th February 2010

A new leisure facility in Weston-s-Mare has recently opened, following the grant of a planning application for change of use. The site was previously occupied by a series of retailers and benefited from an open A1 retail consent. Given the long term value of the retail use, the landowner was keen to retain the opportunity to return to the established use if the Weston Fitness Academy were to cease, or move on to bigger or better premises. Therefore, only a temporary change of use for the facility was achieved, allowing a reversion to the established use after 5 years.

Hopefully the revision to the previous use won’t be necessary and the Fitness Academy will make the site it... More

Urban Design

17th February 2010

Urban design plays a central role in our planning and regeneration work. Our approach is based on the principle of creating places and spaces that make it easier for people to live sustainable and healthy lifestyles. We seek to deliver places that are well connected, promote social contact, minimise the impact on the natural environment, and where people feel good, and want to spend time. At the same time we recognise that such places have to be economically viable and deliverable.

Our Urban Design work covers a wide range and variety of projects from strategic frameworks and concepts to more detailed site layouts and masterplanning work. We work for both public and private s... More

Making changes to planning permissions

17th February 2010

Baker Associates must have been one of the first to use changes in planning legislation in order to amend a planning permission. In October legislation was introduced which enabled the submission of applications for Non Material Amendments to planning permissions. Baker Associates utilised this new procedure to submit changes to an extant planning consent on behalf of clients. The very minor changes were required in order for the client to be able to sell the site to a Housing Association. Without the new provisions a fresh application would have been required resulting in significant delay and maybe even the failure of the sale. As it was, the authority agreed to the change and the sale of ... More




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