Many planning applications will only be approved by the local authority if they address issues such as land contamination, flood risk and ecology. These conditions are included in accordance with national guidance documents and are equally likely to affect a single residential development as they are large commercial schemes. Unfortunately, the situation is made more complex by different local councils applying the national guidance if different ways. The result is that it takes considerable knowledge and experience to navigate the system efficiently.

We at Renaissance have extensive experience in all environmental aspects of development, whether for discharging planning conditions or removing future liability. We can provide turn-key solutions for the following topics, often saving our clients considerable time and money:

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The Renaissance Approach

At Renaissance we have a depth of experience in assisting a wide variety of clients, including architects, developers, investors and individual property owners. As a result, we understand that the only sensible first step to satisfying planning conditions is through liaison with the regulator. A quick conversation with the person who specified the planning conditions will ensure that there are no false starts or unnecessary delays, will often minimise the work requirement and lead to substantial savings of time and money.

Once we have agreed what is required to discharge the planning conditions, we can ensure that we address both this and the client’s commercial aspirations as swiftly and inexpensively as possible. We consider excellent service and client support to be priorities in every project. We take the hassle out of environmental compliance for our clients, minimising their involvement whilst keeping them informed. We also ensure that our report are as succinct as possible and are written in plain English, so that non-environmental managers can understand and use their findings.

Contaminated Land

After we have understood the development ambitions of the client, our initial discussion with the contaminated land officer will determine the appropriate level of reporting. This could involve a simple desk top report (such as our Initial Risk Review of Risk Screen), a site visit and conceptual risk modelling (Phase I investigation) or soil and underground water sampling (Phase II investigation). The outcome of this initial stage of investigation will lead to a satisfactory conclusion or recommendations with likely costs for the required follow on work (such as removal of contamination).

The early involvement of Renaissance in a development project can lead to significant savings of time and money and can alert a purchaser to potential hazards prior to entering into financial commitment. For this purpose we offer two levels of acquisition due diligence report - the Development Risk Review, which covers contamination issues and the Development Risk Suite which covers contamination, flood, ground stability and utility hazards (Please see below). Both reports are modular and can be upgraded at a later date to satisfy planning conditions.

Please contact us to discuss your project and we will provide free guidance on the best way forward. The following links give some idea of the standard reports which may suit your needs, but we would stress that this is highly case specific and you should telephone or email for a quotation.

• Homebuyers Report (This may require a certificate from ourselves to validate the results to the satisfaction of the authority)
• Development Risk Review Report (A bespoke commercial report suitable for substantial or commercial sites in line for redevelopment)
• Development Risk Suite (A full risk suite for the developer with consultant written assessment and recomendations - including the most thorough data on contamination risk, flood hazard, ground stability, major utilities, TPOs, Rights of Way and archaeology)
• Phase I Report (Comprising a desktop report, a site visit and a conceptual site model, suitable for commercial sites with a commercial or industrial heritage).
• Phase II Report (Often required for Brownfield developments)

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Flood Risk

Current legislation for flood risk assessment for development is detailed in document PPS25. This suggests that the onus for providing proof of the appropriateness of a development lies with the applicant and that the applicant should provide this proof with the initial application. In practice, if time is not of the essence, it is not uncommon to file an application without an FRA (flood risk assessment) and await confirmation about the need of an assessment through planning conditions.

The preparation of a flood risk assessment is by no means a straightforward exercise and can usually only be attempted by experienced consultants such as Renaissance. This is primarily due to the diverse nature of different flood risks and the difficulties in understanding how these may impact on the proposed development type. Consultation with the Environment Agency and the local authority form a major part of any assessment. A firm quotation can only be provided after some initial regulatory liaison, so please get in touch to chat through your specific requirements before we quote.

To get a better idea of the documents which may be recommended please use the following links:

• Residential Flood Report (to demonstrate that no flood threat exists at a small location)
• Flood Risk Review (large properties or where a deeper understanding of various sources of flooding is required)
• Flood Risk Assessment (the document that is ultimately required for the application. This is highly property specific and can vary from a few pages of explanation to a detailed technical document with many calculations and external reference sources)

Ecology

Under certain circumstances, such as the removal of unoccupied buildings or the presence of overgrown grounds, there may be a request for ecological surveying at a development site. This most frequently involves a scoping survey, which would identify any habitats or species that need to be conserved and suggests ways in which this could be achieved. Occasionally a specialist survey will be specified at the outset, such as a bat or newt survey, but it is more common that these form part of the detailed conservation work identified in the scoping report.

A knowledgeable specialist will often be able to discharge planning conditions after completing only a scoping report, or will identify appropriate conservation measures that cause little disruption and cost to implement. It is therefore highly advisable to appoint a capable ecologist to discharge your project’s ecological planning conditions. Please get in touch to chat through your specific requirements and allow us to offer you guidance for your development.

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Ancilliary Services

There are numerous other concerns that can affect a development, many associated with the core activities of Renaissance and for which we can offer solutions. For instance, we can identify whether any trees on your property are subject to preservation orders, or give varying levels of certainty about the potential for ancient remains to disrupt the development. We have a high degree of understanding about asbestos in buildings, noise management and invasive weeds such as Japanese Knotweed, which allows us to appoint the right sub-contractors for individual developments. We can assemble plans of underground services from the various utility companies or appoint a specialist contractor to trace the course of such services at the property. More information about these services can be found under other services

We can also identify historic or existing public rights of way, such as footpaths, which could hinder development plans or cause problems in the future. You can view an example of a standard Rights of Way Report or contact us if you need a more bespoke service. Please contact us if you need assistance with any of these issues or would like some initial, free guidance about your specific project.