Latest news about our work, and industry insights

LB Ealing have now approved the Outline Planning Application for the Margarine Works in Southall. This was one of the top 20 largest housing permissions in the UK in 2019. The Council resolved to grant permission in February but the S106 has now been signed and the decision notice issued. Further details here: http://entranltd.com/news/the-margarine-works-regeneration-project-approved

We were delighted to hear that Rother DC granted planning permission last night for 63 new homes in Rye, East Sussex. Entran have worked with Clague Architects and Iceni Projects for a considerable time on this project so it is gratifying that planning permission has been secured. A new access close to a level crossing required Entran to reach agreement with ESCC and Network Rail. Residential parking demand was also an area of protracted discussion and, ultimately, agreement. 

Last night North Herts DC granted planning permission for 86 new homes on land at Odyssey Health Club near Stevenage. Entran provided Transportation and Environmental consultancy services in support of the successful application. Ealier proposals on this site had been refused due to the access arrangements, but Entran designed a new compact roundabout (and pair of bus stops) that met with the approval of both highway and planning authorities.

On 1st October 2019 the MHCLG published the National Design Guide. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-design-guide. Firstly, let us say we think it is an excellent document providing a much needed shared point of reference for all of those promoting development in areas that do not have a Design Guide of their own. Its stated aim is to promote an integrated design process, but will it work?

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Far too often we read highway authority comments suggesting that 'any increase in traffic would have an unacceptable impact on highway safety'. Really? Surely one additional vehicle per decade would be acceptable, whereas one additional vehicle per minute may not. In which case, there must be a threshold above which the increase becomes unacceptable. We recently provided evidence for a successful planning appeal in Bath [APP/F0114/W/19/3222626] where the highway authority took exactly this stance. We tried to explore where this threshold might lie but they stuck to their 'any increase' argument. The Inspector, however, considered NPPF paras 108 and 109 and concluded that whereas there would indeed be a small increase in traffic, there was no evidence that that increase would be so significant as to create additional harm to highway safety. This was precisely the point we had been making throughout the planning determination period. It was a minor application but this principle can apply to any similar objection where the highway authority apply a simplistic 'any increase' argument.

We were pleased to hear that LB Hounslow granted planning permission this week for 25 new affordable flats at 141-149 Staines Road, Hounslow. The Keith Horn Architects' scheme will be car-free with the exception of four accessible spaces in the existing basement for the four accessible units, accessed by a new lift.