DLP Consulting Group A celebration of 25 years 1991-2016
CONTENTS 1 Starting DLP 2 The DLP Group 3 be1 and Matrix 4 Changing the way we work 5 Evolution of the industry 6 Integrating services across the DLP Group 7 Expanding the DLP Group 8 & 9 DLP Offices & Staff 10 The time frame of one service - Hare Street Road Buntingford, East Hertfordshire 11 The time frame of one service - Identifying a Strategy, or, Not All Lost Causes are Lost 12 DLP Projects 13 Noteworthy Schemes 14 Millbrook Proving Ground 15 Factory 2050 and The Advanced Manufacturing and Research Campus 16 & 17 DLP’s journey 18 Stotfold Steam Museum & Siltbuster Ltd Secures Permission, Monmouth 19 Bidwell West, Bedfordshire 21 Communications 22 Working Media 23 DLP in the community 24 & 25 Giving Back 26 A note from our clients 27 Snapshot of our clients 28 25 years – A retrospective view 29 So where is DLP now and what of the future? 30 - 33 DLP in pictures
Starting DLP In June 1991 the property industry was in the midst of a very deep recession. Off the back of a suggestion made by my then employer, Chris Kilroy, MD of Old Road Securities PLC (ORS), I established with him, a planning and development consultancy. On the day it started, DLP (or ORP as it was then called), was given three instructions in the morning by ORS, and in the afternoon a long time business partner of Chris Kilroy, Clifton Ibbett, then Chairman of Bedfordia, gave me a further three instructions, and so was born DLP. In 1992, and after a successful first year’s trading, which saw the number of instructions multiply significantly, the first steps towards the expansion of DLP were taken and I was joined by Neil Osborn, who had at that point left planning consultants Chapman Warren. In November 1996, we became independent, moving our Bedford Office and also opening a second office in Wokingham, Berkshire, following the acquisition of Berkshire based Jim Baileys Associates. Over the ensuing years the Practice has grown and diversified and is now a ‘consultancy group’ offering services across a range of professional disciplines in a number of related technical areas (town
FOREWORD
planning, master-planning, architecture/ design, transportation, highway/drainage engineering and heritage). As our experience and reputation has grown so has our reach, and DLP now operates from nine office locations across the UK and works with both private and public sector clients.
In this, our 25th year, I look back with great pride in what we have achieved and for whom we have acted. Nor could we have done it without the combined experience of the Group’s dedicated staff who provide the professionalism, expertise and commitment to respond to our clients’ needs
The Practice has ‘polled’ as one of the leading independent planning practices in the UK for a number of years, and this is testament to the successes we have achieved for our clients. However, what has remained unchanged is the approach we adopt to the projects we are instructed upon, no matter their size or complexity. We continue to invest in providing tailored services to all of our clients and without their support, over many years in some cases, we would not be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the DLP Group.
Thank you to everyone who has helped make the DLP Group what it is and long may it continue!
Simon James Managing Director 1
THE DLP GROUP - The DLP Consulting Group comprises of a series of separate professional Companies covering a range of technical disciplines.
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consulting group
R
Transport Planning
planning
dynamic development solutions
CRP
community resource planning
TM
The ‘core’ of the Group is the planning consultancy, DLP Planning Ltd (DLP). DLP provides services across the whole spectrum of planning consultancy.
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Development Engineering
be1 Architects Ltd provide master planning, urban design and architectural design services.
Matrix Transport and Infrastructure Consultants Ltd (Matrix TP) provide transportation planning, highways and drainage assessment and design, and infrastructure design services.
Community Resource Planning (CRP) is a dedicated community planning and resource management consultancy and works with a variety of local community organisations and groups.
Heritage Asset Planning Ltd (HAP) provides advice on all aspects of planning for the historic environment.
be1 AND MATRIX
be1 Architects Ltd be1 Architects Ltd was created from DLP (Inskips) Design, the design arm of the DLP Group. Based in a recently refurbished design studio on the Priory Business Park, Bedford, and in Leicester’s Creative Industries Quarter, the Practice is led by Matt Herbert, assisted by Ny Moughal and Damian Williams (Leicester). be1 specialise in the design and delivery of master-planning, architectural and urban design projects, and has dealt with a broad range of schemes from strategic scale urban extensions, major business park development and individual developments, through to small scale projects, such as bespoke house design as well as interior design for householders and businesses. Much of it’s recent work has been in the house building sector, but it is also becoming recognised for specialist areas ranging from ‘design coding exercises’ through to school design. In 2015, be1 acquired studio office space at Clerkenwell Green, London as a satellite to the Bedford design studio.
Matrix Transport and Infrastructure Consultants Ltd (Matrix TP) The transportation planning discipline commenced in 1999 as a ‘specialism’ within the Planning team. Originally based in offices in Bristol City Centre, the team, in 2000, moved to Thornbury, to the North of Bristol. Here it expanded and in 2005 an office opened in Cardiff, and in 2006, out of the restructuring of DLP, a separate company was formed: DLP Transportation Ltd. In 2012, as part of a further review of its operation the company was rebranded as Matrix TP and moved to larger offices near to Aztec West, Bristol. Matrix TP offers a range of complementary services, including transportation planning, highways assessment and design, flood risk and drainage engineering and design and utilities assessments. As part of its planned expansion, Matrix TP, in 2014, opened a second office, in Sheffield. The practice is now led by Gerry Prodöhl, assisted by Tim Hayman, and the continued expansion of its services will see further offices added to its network over the next two years. 3
CHANGING THE WAY WE WORK Like all businesses the way we work has changed, possibly far more than the system within which we work. The growth and complexities of technology has undoubtedly revolutionised the provision of professional services, particularly in how we obtain, use and store information. Traditionally, the starting point when providing planning advice, and in conjunction with deskbased research (generally of council information) would be an on-site visit. However, times have certainly changed as initial stages of ‘site inspection’ are now, initially at least, performed through using satellite photography and computer-based tools such as ‘Streetview’. Documentation, including planning policies, planning histories, committee reports and decisions, again traditionally were either acquired from, or inspected at, council offices. These are now available online. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are utilised to identify and plot constraints; Interactive policy maps are used to provide instant cross referencing and Computer Aided Design programmes generate and render layouts and images that would previously have taken a draughtsman weeks to prepare. Thanks to the instant accessibility and availability of data, we have managed to reduce our environmental impact by over half. The days of 4
racking up tens of thousands of business miles just to do the job are long past. Equally, with accessibility comes quantity, and through the exposure of readily available information, productivity has doubled and requirements have become ever more demanding. However, although technology has advanced our processes and methodology, communication and the ethos of the Group has remained unchanged. Planning is a people
business and requires the advocacy of a personal, professional view. It requires an ability to analyse, process and articulate ideas and provide confidence and trust in what can be achieved, and how we should go about it. Technology and legislation may evolve but the relationship between the Group and our clients will always remain the key platform for all of our services.
EVOLUTION OF THE INDUSTRY Town Planning, as with all the associated physical and environmental design and management functions, was built on a platform combining legislation, policy, practice and the law. In 1991, when DLP was first formed, Town Planning was still largely governed by the 1972 Town and Country Planning Act, supported principally by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas Act 1990. Policy advice and guidance was issued largely by means of ‘Statutory Instruments’ and ‘Circulars’. However, changes occurred, as the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 were progressively introduced, along with the Planning and Compensation Act 1991. A key feature of this was the weight given to what was then termed ‘the development plan’. This was given primacy in law, and the planning system was then deemed to be ‘plan led’, allowing a wave of new single document local plans, alongside structure plans, to determine long term development strategies. New legislation inevitably begat new advice and new means by which government sought to impose its will upon those intended to operate the planning system. The weight and complexity of government advice began to grow. Circulars, previously the basis of government advice were replaced by new style Planning Policy Guidance
Notes (PPG’s), and these multiplied to cover, eventually, almost every aspect of the planning function, and their meaning was argued over in planning applications, appeals and ultimately the courts.
to focus on more flexible development plans and a streamlined National Planning Policy Framework, which emphasises a sustainable pattern of development, but also reduces the rigidity the previous system provided.
The first Rubicon was crossed in the late 1990s when the Labour Government realised that we had become very good at planning for what had already happened, but not so well for the future. The government then sought to strengthen the plan-led system, insisting that plans look forward at least 15 years, and that they be regularly reviewed.
A counter to this and a contradiction, was the government’s drive to also provide for a grass roots level of planning through ‘neighbourhood plans’. These were meant to engender community ‘buy in’ for development. However, these have become, in many cases, a source of wide spread litigation as they are now seen as the ‘gate keeper’ against development rather than a focus.
New legislation in 2004, in the form of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, was a further step towards focusing planning on delivering a plan-led development management system, supported by thousands of pages of planning policy guidance and rafts of EU Legislation, particularly on environmental issues. The new ‘streamlined’ and ‘speeded up’ planning system, was intended to achieve nationwide Local Plan coverage by 2007. It failed. More recently, and arising from a recession that saw rates of housebuilding, and its contribution to national productivity and wealth fall, the Coalition Government sought to ‘clean out the cupboard’ and reduce the many levels of development plans and multi-layered policy advice that had been built up. In its place it look
And the effect of legislative evolution? In the early 1980’s Secretary of State Michael Heseltine exhorted local authorities to demonstrate a five year supply of housing land to meet the need for housing and to ‘unlock jobs from filing cabinets’ and generally to plan proactively. Today, thirty years on, the Framework continues to encourage the virtues of sustainable economic growth and development and the need to meet local housing needs in full and requires demonstration of a five year supply of housing land. So, as with life, in planning the more it changes the more it stays the same… plus ça change!
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INTEGRATING SERVICES ACROSS THE DLP GROUP
Strategic Planning & Research Unit The Strategic Planning and Research Unit (SPRU) was set up in 2014 in response to the increasing need to deal with complex issues surrounding demographic changes, housing needs and housing land supply. SPRU, which now has a team of 6 specialist town planners, provides a flexible ‘research facility’ for clients (both public and private) across a range of areas, including economic modelling and retail planning. SPRU’s team is comprised of town planners. Led by Roland Bolton and assisted by Alex Roberts, their combined 25 years of experience in local government and academia, particularly specialising in housing and economic planning, has considerably expanded the Group’s consultancy service to its clients. With their knowledge and expertise, the team continue to engage with clients within the planning process, including development plan promotion, development management, assisting local planning authorities with preparing development policies and providing evidential support for all material submitted.
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Roland Bolton has appeared before all but two of the Regional Planning Panels, and since the withdrawal of regional plans has been engaged in a number of local plan examinations and is frequently called by planning Counsel as an expert witness to deal with a range of demographic and strategic planning matters. SPRU has undertaken a wide range of research projects, including objectively assessed housing need studies, housing market assessments and five year land supply assessments. Alex Roberts has wide ranging experience in demographic modelling and in particular, has assisted a number of local planning authorities in the preparation of development plan base evidence and development of planning policy as part of a “Critical Friend” service. Outside of the housing sphere, SPRU has extensive experience of promoting commercial development and retail planning. SPRU has developed a ‘Standard Economic Assessment Model’ (SEAM) which allows for the economic impacts of developments, and alternative development forms to be assessed and considers both immediate and long term economic benefits. This has been extensively used to support planning applications (including residential), environmental appraisal work, grant applications and also appeals to support arguments over the benefits of development.
EXPANDING THE DLP GROUP London Office The London Office was started in February 2013 and later relocated to offices at More London before moving into its new office in Clerkenwell Green, one of the established, London ‘design areas’. The team, led by Aahsan Rahman (MRTPI), have steadily built up their portfolio of work in the capital and the surrounding areas and in the last six months alone, have carried out work in 26 of 33 London Boroughs, as well as in the Thames Valley, Surrey, Essex and the Isle of Wight. The London planning team is steadily building its reputation and has begun to establish a strong client base, including several blue chip clients. Its work ranges from applications for residential development, including multiple apartment schemes, through to enforcement work, work on behalf of the Royal College of General Practitioners on its Grade II* listed headquarters and specialist work in relation to judicial review.
Leeds Office The Leeds Office, at Princes Exchange in the City Centre, was established in 2015 and is the latest of the DLP offices. It has significantly increased DLP’s accessibility to clients in both the City and the surrounding areas of York, Hull, Selby, Kirklees and Harrogate. In the last 18 months DLP Leeds, headed by Jim Lomas and Diane Holgate, has continued to grow with a range of projects in West and North Yorkshire, and Leeds itself. These include a newly instructed 15 storey tower proposal in Leeds city centre, representing client interests at the Leeds Core Strategy Examination, an application for a 5 ha residential scheme in Hull and managing planning work for Yorkshire Wildlife Park which, with approximately 700,000 visitors last year and over 250 staff, is in the top 10 wildlife parks/zoos around the UK. 7
DLP OFFICES & STAFF
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THE TIME FRAME OF ONE SERVICE - HARE STREET ROAD BUNTINGFORD, EAST HERTFORDSHIRE Every instruction is bespoke, every site unique and success can take months or years, even when the merits are clear. The story begins in the early 1990s when Taywood Homes (now Taylor Wimpey) secured a long-term option on the land. Initially, a review of constraints was undertaken and landscape was identified as a concern, and this led to a landscape screen being planted to form a limit to potential development. This had formed a defensible boundary by the time DLP made submissions on an ‘Issues and Options’ paper in 1997, and was followed up by a detailed proposal with a view to securing allocation of the land in the pre-deposit plan in March 1999. However, this was later rejected by the Council as it was considered too large a scheme. The Deposit Plan did not progress until December 2004, however, despite further lobbying, the site continued not to be proposed for allocation. DLP presented evidence to a Local Plan Inquiry in 2005, but failed to persuade an Inspector that there was sufficient need for the housing. In June 2009, the site was entered into a ‘Call for Sites’, the planting having now matured substantially, and in autumn 2010, preparation of a planning application began alongside engagement with the Town Council. A public exhibition followed, and a full application for 160 houses was submitted in April 2011. However, in November 2012, this was refused and subsequent to this, and further discussions with Officers, two further applications were submitted. 10
AREA OF CEMETRY LAND - PLAN B. LAND OFF HARE STREET ROAD BUNTINGFORD, HERTFORDSHIRE CLIENT: TAYLOR WIMPEY
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Despite positive recommendations on both, the applications were refused. A conjoined appeal followed, and in December 2013, a public inquiry was held. Notably however the LPA chose not to offer evidence, leaving the Town Council and a local pressure group to defend the reasons for refusal. The Inspector upheld both appeals and awarded costs against the Council.
DLP has subsequently been involved in securing details pursuant to the Conditions and the site is now under construction. DLP has also been instructed to deal with a footpath diversion.
THE TIME FRAME OF ONE SERVICE - IDENTIFYING A STRATEGY, OR, NOT ALL LOST CAUSES ARE LOST DLP were first approached by Templeview Developments in 2012 to advise on progressing an existing planning application for an urban extension site on the western edge of Luton and adjoining the M1, which was failing. A main issue faced was design. The existing scheme did not reflect local context, nor was it distinctive. Nonetheless, there were some merits and the design case was worth the running, if only to establish matters such as density, building heights and, very importantly, the extent of frontage development and access. Six reasons for refusal were forthcoming in the decision on the site, ranging from the principle of development through to concerns over air quality. DLP were instructed to appeal the refusal, sought a Public Inquiry and No5 Chambers (Peter Goatley) were instructed. An appeal team was assembled (DLP, be1 and Levvels), and the Public Inquiry opened in February 2013 and ran to June 2013. The appeal was dismissed in August on design grounds only however, and this formed the basis for a redesign by be 1 architects (not the original scheme designers) which, following further pre application discussion, became the basis for a second application made in December 2013. This provided for 234 units and was subsequently granted consent. As a follow on, Templeview Developments acquired additional land, and a further application was made for the larger site, which increased the development to circa 400 units was
made to the council and this also was granted consent. Throughout, the end goal of achieving development on the site was always central to the strategy. DLP’s advice however, was that it was vital to fully address fundamental issues at the earliest stage even though the initial resubmission achieved less than first envisaged. The site has now been sold to an investor/ developer and will yield 400 dwellings and make a material contribution to housing land supply within the Luton, and provide contributions to affordable housing, education and open space. A further key ingredient in promoting the scheme was engagement with Members, who
earlier had opposed the scheme. Whilst predetermination meetings with Ward Members were sought but rejected, a decision was taken to present the proposal formally at the meeting so as to deal directly with the concerns that had been previously raised. To do this the decision was taken to instruct Peter Goatley of No5 Chambers, who had dealt with the original appeal. The presentation was made and this was instrumental in achieving the consent.
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DLP PROJECTS
Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire
St. George’s Campus, Sheffield Factory 2050, Sheffield
Captains Court, Northampton 12
Newlands Road, Luton
Birchen Grove, Luton
NOTEWORTHY SCHEMES
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MILLBROOK PROVING GROUND Within DLP we recognise particular projects which utilise not only our services, encompassing our range of expertise, but also challenges our experience within the planning, masterplanning and architectural sector. This is a collection of some of our most noteworthy projects: Millbrook Proving Ground was opened in 1969 as the first European test track for motor vehicle by US car manufacturer General Motors (Vauxhall).
team advising on design (be1 Architects Ltd) and highways/drainage (Matrix TP) together with specialist consultancies for trees, landscape, contamination and heritage matters was assembled and discussions were initiated with the planning and highways authorities. A scheme for the development of four separate parcels of land was evolved, each capable of accommodating a B1 type building(s) suited to the needs of potential purchasers/occupants and who also, would be likely to be involved with engineering research/testing. In total, the scheme amounted to some 24,900m2 of new floor space. Each element of the scheme was refined by reference to individual site circumstances and also a profile of user requirements, and an overall site development master plan.
In 2013, and following the sale of the site to equity partnership, The Rutland Partnership, DLP Planning Ltd were instructed to advise the potential of consolidating commercial development undeveloped areas of the site, and the strategy to follow this up via a planning application. DLP undertook an initial appraisal of the site, its physical context and planning policy and also site constraints and opportunities. A professional 14
An essential part of the ‘scheme testing’ was liaison with local community groups and organisations and DLP met with three local Parish Councils arranging an exhibition of the proposals which was attended by large numbers of local residents. Because of the economic and business implications of the development, a ‘briefing meeting’ was also provided to leading Members of the Council and Ward Councillors. On the basis of the feedback from the community engagement exercises and discussions with technical stakeholders, DLP prepared a finalised scheme that was submitted
as an outline planning application to the local planning authority, Central Bedfordshire Council. The application was subsequently recommended for approval, subject to a S106 Obligation and this was accepted by Councillors in September 2014. In April 2015 planning permission was issued. As a follow up to the grant for planning permission, DLP and be1 were instructed to prepare and submit for approval (under Condition 6 of the planning permission) a Design Code document that will guide subsequent detailed planning applications.
FACTORY 2050 AND THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND RESEARCH CAMPUS DLP Planning were able to secure planning permission for The University of Sheffield Factory 2050 scheme to be built on land at Sheffield Business Park. The £43m research factory was designed to meet the future needs of aerospace and other high-value manufacturing industries, and joins a network of national and international research centres. The 6,730m2 industrial research base is the UK’s first fully reconfigurable assembly and component manufacturing facility for collaborative research and when fully operational will be home to some 75 research staff. Completed in October 2015, the building is an iconic feature of the University’s expanding engineering campus; its space age look matches the intention for advanced manufacturing and research centre being the cutting edge facility until 2050.
Copyright of the supplied images belongs to Bond Bryan Architects
Following the grant of full planning permission, an outline planning application for the development of the University of Sheffield, Advanced Manufacturing and Research Campus (AMRC2) on 18.6ha of land off the Sheffield
permission in October 2015, following referral to the Secretary of State, DLP are currently progressing the first phase of reserved matters applications on the site with infrastructure delivery now a key requirement.
Copyright of the supplied images belongs to Bond Bryan Architects
Parkway was made. The application site included a significant area of land included within the Green Belt, albeit previously having been within the curtilage of the former Sheffield City Airport which ceased commercial flights in April 2008. Subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment and following extensive pre-application discussions with Sheffield City Council, the application was able to demonstrate the very special circumstances required by national planning policy to justify new buildings in the Green Belt which are, by definition, inappropriate. Consideration of future infrastructure developments in the area, including HS2 also had to be taken into account. The benefits of the AMRC2 were economically assessed as having a direct annual contribution of more than 1,500 jobs and £90m to the local economy, with a potential impact in excess of £200m and 4,000 jobs when taking account of indirect and induced benefits when fully operational. Having secured outline planning
The development proposals gained support from the Washington DC based Brookings Institution, who considered the AMRC2 Campus as a means of delivering an ‘anchor development’ for ‘Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation District’ (AMID) between Sheffield and Rotherham. This would build on the expertise of the ‘Advanced Manufacturing Park’ and reputation of The University of Sheffield and its status as a world leader in ‘translational research’, which is finding practical applications of academic research and theory. The AMID is subject to ongoing public and private partnership discussions to identify further sites that grasp the potential of investment in world-leading, advanced manufacturing research, which can grow the economy and skills base for the region, the ‘Northern Powerhouse’, and the UK as a whole, as competition to attract firms to such Innovation Districts is now on a global scale. DLP are proud to be involved in such exciting and creative industries.
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DLP’S JOURNEY
DLP founded by Simon James (as ORP) as an independent town planning and development consultancy in June 1991 in Oakley, Bedfordshire.
Neil Osborn, formerly a partner with planning consultants, Chapman Warren, joins the Practice as a Director in September 1992. The name is changed to Development Land and Planning Consultants Ltd.
In November 1996, the Practice moves to offices in Bedford Town Centre and also acquires Wokingham based, James Bailey Associates.
In 1998, following his work as a consultant to the Practice, Roland Bolton, then a Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, joins DLP as a Director and opens an Office in the Sheffield University Science Park.
Roland Bolton, in May 2002 is joined by Jim Lomas, who in June 2005 becomes a Director and later founds the East Midlands Office of the Practice.
In 1999, and following discussions with a Milton Keynes based transport planning consultancy, DLP create a Transportation Planning Team and base this at Offices in Bristol City Centre and in 2000 move the practice to an office in Thornbury, near Bristol. The team subsequently expands and DLP add to this, in 2002, a small planning team headed by Tim Roberts, who joins the Practice as a Director from South Gloucestershire Council where he was Head of Local Plans.
1991 In May 2012 DLP (Inskips) Design Ltd is moved from its town centre design office to new offices at Priory Business Park, Bedford.
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In October 2013 DLP Planning Ltd opens an office in central Milton Keynes to serve its clients in the Milton Keynes, Buckingham and Aylesbury areas.
In 2015, DLP formed a public sector planning team headed by Paul Jobson, and have continued since then to build a portfolio of public sector instructions for a range of projects, including housing land assessments, gypsy and traveller assessments, retail health checks and work on inputs to development plans.
A further addition to the public sector team has been the recruitment and in 2016 Nigel Brookes (MD) joined, advising in respect of health care provision and specification.
In February 2013, under James Croucher, DLP open an office in London. Located initially at Holborn, but later moved to More London before moving to its current offices at Clerkenwell Green. The London office is now headed by Aahsan Rahman who joined DLP in 2014.
In March 2003 DLP (Bedford) moved from its town centre offices to new, purpose built offices located on the Priory Business Park, and this allows for the further expansion of the planning team and the core of the business.
The expansion of the Transportation Planning Team and its services lead to the opening of a joint planning and transportation office in central Cardiff in 2005.
In 2006, and after extensive consideration being given to the further broadening of the business as part of a restructuring of the professional offer, DLP acquired The Inskip Partnership, Architects. Inskips were founded in 1898 and provided DLP with the basis for a separate ‘design arm’, and was renamed as DLP (Inskips) Design Ltd.
Also, as part of the restructuring of the business, the planning and transport teams were formed into separate business operations – DLP Planning Ltd and DLP Transportation Ltd alongside DLP (Inskips) Design Ltd, under the ownership of the DLP Consulting Group Ltd. This gave a basis for the further, ‘horizontal expansion of the business.
Following the continued expansion of the planning team in South Yorkshire and the East Midlands, in April 2006 DLP Planning relocate to larger offices in Paradise Square, Central Sheffield. From this base, in October 2013, and following his role in successfully expanding the Sheffield Office, Jim Lomas opens a DLP office at Castle Donnington, Nottinghamshire, specifically to service clients in the East Midlands. Also Michael Edgar takes over the running of the Sheffield Office and is joined in this, in November 2013, by Lydia Sadler.
In Jan 2014, and in reflection of its evolving specialism in demographic and housing assessment work, DLP creates the Strategic Planning and Research Unit (SPRU) which is headed by Roland Bolton, who is later joined by Alex Roberts.
2016 In June 2013, Matrix TP move to new Offices at Beaufort Office Park, Aztec West, and in October 2015 the Planning Team move to offices in Bristol City Centre at Broad Quay House, Prince Street, Bristol.
In 2014, DLP establish Community Resource Planning (CRP) to advise specifically on neighbourhood planning.
In November 2014 DLP opens an Office in Leeds City Centre as a further expansion of its services in the North of England. In Dec 2014 the Company also moves its Sheffield Planning Team to the prestigious Velocity Development off Tenter Street, Sheffield, and in May 2015 DLP moves its East Midland Planning Team from Castle Donnington to new, larger offices in Nottingham City Centre.
In January 2015 DLP Planning acquires the business of Wilbraham Associates Ltd, based in Rugby. Laurence Wilbraham is joined by Charles Robinson, who in March 2016, took over leadership of the Rugby Office and its growing planning team.
In January 2016 be1 acquires Leicester based ‘North Urbanism’, an urban design and master planning practice, to add to its presence in the East Midlands and East of England, be1 take over the Leicester design studio.
Also in 2016, DLP establish Heritage Asset Planning (HAP) as a dedicated heritage planning practice to advise on matters concerning the historic environment, including listed buildings, conservation areas, scheduled sites etc. The team is presently being built up but will look to work with both private and public sector clients.
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STOTFOLD STEAM MUSEUM & SILTBUSTER LTD SECURES PERMISSION, MONMOUTH Stotfold Steam Museum After the third attempt, DLP finally secured planning permission for a museum to be built in Stotfold to house a private collection of steam traction engines, mechanical organs and historic fairground memorabilia. The Saunders Collection is widely regarded as of national importance. After an initial refusal of permission on land at Wrayfields following a Public Inquiry, our client, John Saunders, reduced the scale of his ambition. However, in refusing a second application, Members of the Council made clear that they supported the principle of the scheme which they considered could offer a major boost to tourism in the District. Working with the Council, DLP helped identify a site that would win support and permission and was subsequently granted for a scheme larger than originally envisaged, which will provide over 7000m2 of floorspace. Our client has been working towards securing delivery since winning the confidence of the Local Planning Authority. Siltbuster Ltd Secures Permission, Monmouth DLP Planning have successfully secured full planning permission, on behalf of Silltbuster Ltd, for 3,340m2 of commercial floorspace (B1 and B8) on Greenfield land at Wonastow Road, Monmouth. The site was allocated for B1 business use in the Local Plan, limiting it to office or light industrial use. However, in August 2015 DLP successfully secured temporary permission for the use of part of the site for storage (use class B8). This was crucial as Siltbuster, a prominent local employer, were due to lose their own storage facility in October 2015. Following this, the full application managed to successfully demonstrate the benefits for the area and the Council agreed that this far outweighed the policy restriction on B1 use. They then agreed to support the development of the site for a mix of both office use and storage and distribution. Members of Monmouthshire County Council’s Planning Committee overwhelmingly voted to support the Officer’s recommendation for approval, subject to conditions. 18
BIDWELL WEST, BEDFORDSHIRE This ‘hybrid’ application forms half of an historic allocation for an ‘urban extension’ to the north of Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire. The project involved 2 years preparation, including local community engagement and pre-application discussions with Central Bedfordshire Council, through a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA). The development will provide for a sustainable mixed use development scheme over the 125ha site and will deliver up to 1,850 dwellings, including 555 affordable units, 2ha of employment land, a local retail and community centre, alongside a 2-FE lower school.
Due to the sites’ location within the Green Belt, very special circumstances were advanced, demonstrating that the development, by virtue of both strategic infrastructure provision and historic allocation, outweighed any harm to the Green Belt. The application was not ‘called in’ by the Secretary of State and work on the discharge of conditions to enable the early release of the first phases of development has now commenced.
There will also be an extensive network of green infrastructure and open spaces, incorporating sport pitches, sustainable urban drainage, heritage trail, play areas and an urban park. The development also includes the protection and enhancement of the adjacent SSSI and former quarry wildlife site. This development will play a significant role in the delivery of housing, to address a shortfall in supply, along with contributing to social and economic growth within the urban conurbation of Houghton Regis, Dunstable and Luton. The outline application constituted EIA development and incorporated an Environmental Statement, overseen by DLP Planning, which involved the collaboration of a number of subconsultants, undertaking various technical roles in support of the application. 19
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COMMUNICATIONS
Communication is vital for articulating our clients’ case. Since inception, DLP has always been aware of this and has sought to ensure that how it conveys information is up to date and of the highest quality.
reflects the services we offer, our work and also information for clients. This we use to keep them informed of changes in legislation, policy and practice, and also lessons to be learnt from each instruction we deal with. It is a dynamic, interactive ‘body of knowledge and experience’.
However, print media remains important to us and we are regularly commended for ‘Develop’, our quarterly newsletter summarising interesting case histories, major planning issues and news about the business. Our guest editors bring an independent consensus to what we publish.
We have revolutionised how we work and how we market ourselves. We produced our first brochure in hard copy, eighteen months after starting the business. Today, the focus for defining the structure and operation of the Company is our website which, unlike our original brochure, is constantly updated and
Allied to this, our ‘Client Briefings‘ are also regarded by clients as an important source for updated news and comment on important planning issues, which can also be found on our website. To do this, DLP now employs a specialist media/ marketing advisor, a dedicated graphics and web designer, and our IT use and development is overseen by our IT Manager. In addition, and in reflection of modern day media communication, we also make full use of the key social media channels for business, including ‘Twitter’ and ‘LinkedIn’, to ensure that news is distributed as widely as possible, and on platforms that are always accessible. 21
WORKING MEDIA
Whilst we cannot ever envisage a truly paperless office, the ability to communicate instantly with our clients and indeed between staff across our offices and other professionals, and provide ondemand working and rapid capacity to address issues as quickly as we can, is vital. That means, we can work more efficiently and draw upon the skills of our staff wherever they are located. To do this the Company, its offices and staff are linked via an internal intranet. All information is securely, centrally stored, and we make full use of mass data transfer systems such as ‘drop box’. An external system is also in place which ensures swift client access to material such as appraisals, assessments and plans prepared on their behalf. Overall, the development of electronic communications and mobile telephony – once unshackled from the car phones that were common – has allowed DLP to work as one business irrespective of where our offices and staff are located, and has enabled us to provide a more focused, and a more cost effective service to our clients.
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DLP IN THE COMMUNITY
Robert Smyth Academy (U15s County Champions) The DLP teams work strongly, not just with their clients, but with their community. Having an impacting and integrated relationship with surrounding businesses is particularly important in achieving that wholesome community establishment. Encompassing our services, the Bristol Office brought together the hub of their local community. This is their story:
Planner and architect share vision to save threatened Library Paul Jobson joined local campaigners to fight the closure of a local library in Bristol. With support from local architect Craig Smith, they designed a library extension which demonstrated to Bristol City Council that the building was capable of improvement and could potentially generate increased revenue for the Council. The scheme and wider campaign led to the library being saved from closure.
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GIVING BACK
Over the last 25 years DLP has supported a number of charitable causes through its staff and clients and we are grateful for the recognition this has received.
Mark Harris (staff) competed in the Great North Run for the Alzheimer’s Society
Peter Taylor (DLA Piper) completed marathons in London (every year), Madrid, Berlin, New York on behalf of a number of charities;
Nick Bennett (client) travelled to Mongolia in a restored Morris Minor for HCCN, a local community cancer care charity
Nick Oliver (staff) climbed in Ireland for Prostate Cancer UK Jonathan Munro, (BBC) completed London Marathons for The Red Cross
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Emma Walton, (Taylor Wimpey) completed the peak district challenge for Youth Adventure Trust and Willen Hospice
Neil Osborn, Jim Lomas, Simon James, Susie Boyce, Adrian Hunter, Laurence Wilbraham, Andy Taylor and Tim Hayman (staff) over various years supported the Extra Mile Challenge for Extra Mile Charities including Macintyre Care, the East Anglian Air Ambulance, MIND, Bedfordshire Rural Communities, Association of Young People with ME, MK Dons Sport and Education Trust, Sheffield Royal Society of the Blind, the Trussel Trust, Open Door MK, Road Victims Trust), Prostate Cancer UK and Rotary charities
Andrew Smith, (Barker Storey Mathews) completed the 3 peaks challenge for Prostate Cancer UK
Simon James has done a number of events for Rotary charities
Hannah Coleman, (Taylor Wimpey) competed in the London Marathon for Cancer Research UK
Mark Dimbleby (partner of staff member) cycled coast to coast for Children with Cancer
DLP have sponsored a number of individuals and teams, including Greg Rutherford in his training for the 2012 Olympics at which he won gold, Bedford Rugby Club, The Robert Smythe Academy (U15’s), Market Harborough Rugby Club, the Scout Movement and many more
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A NOTE FROM OUR CLIENTS
Simon James originally joined Old Road Securities creating a Planning Department in 1988. This in 1991 progressed to forming a separate entity, namely DLP. Simon was joined by DLP and in 1996 they purchased the Company, and embarked on a long road. The climate for new independent start-up businesses was not good nor was the appetite for planning work but, nevertheless, DLP flourished from day one. I have watched it with great interest over the years grow into the substantial and well-diversified professional business it is today. I am pleased to recommend DLP to anyone seeking advice from a single plot to a new settlement. No matter how large or small the scheme will receive exactly the same excellent advice.
We have many years’ experience working with DLP from small projects to large scale developments involving complex planning and legal issues including Environmental Impact Assessment and justifying very special circumstances in the green belt. DLP are a joy to work with. Team players, experts in their field, commercially astute but more importantly down to earth in their approach and great people. Whatever the size and nature of the instruction we have been impressed by DLP’s expertise and dedication. We would not hesitate to recommend them. Mike Pocock, Partner, Planning and Environment, Energy and Infrastructure Pinsent Masons LLP
DLP Planning Ltd have a ‘can-do’ attitude. They are our ‘go to’ consultants for advice on planning legislation, policy and location specific planning issues. We regularly instruct them for site specific proposals and they have an excellent track record on our sites, having a 100% success rate to date. My experience with DLP has them to be positive, pragmatic and able to identify the relevant issues and advise how these can be addressed and where negotiation might be possible. Iain Smith, Group Planning Director Watkin Jones Group
Chris Kilroy, Chairman Old Road Securities PLC Hallam Land Management Limited (HLM) have used DLP’s knowledge and experience on a wide range of schemes, throughout the Country. Their knowledge of the planning system, in particular their understanding of housing need, has been invaluable at local plan examinations and public inquiries. They continue to provide planning advice on a number of potential housing schemes across the Country. Paul Burton, Director Hallam Land Management Limited
The realisation that I first worked with Simon and Neil some twenty-five years ago – when DLP was but newly formed comes as something of a shock; indeed our relationship stretches back even before that to Old Road Securities. The planning world has changed much with the passage of time and, as the years have passed, I have watched DLP flourish under that same team; and, whatever the future may hold, I wish them well for the next twenty-five years - as, I am sure, do many others. Andrew Newcombe, QC Francis Taylor Buildings
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We have used DLP since the company was formed with many successful outcomes on a whole range of projects. We have always been encouraged by Simon James’s positive view towards those projects and have enjoyed working with him and his team over the years. We look forward to more success with DLP into the future and congratulate them on their first 25 years in practice.
I have used DLP for over 20 years and it has been a pleasure. We have had very good advice regarding finding land with potential for housing. The subsequent promotion and planning submissions work has been excellent; right through to getting detailed planning permissions. It is a pleasure to work with a friendly and conscientious team headed by Simon and Neil.
John Ibbett, Chairman Bedfordia Group plc
Nigel Agg, Strategic Land Asset Manager Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land
SNAPSHOT OF OUR CLIENTS
Accorn Recycling
Bassetlaw District Council Ackroyd and Abbott Ltd Bedford NHS Trust Broadfield Holdings
Grand Union Housing Bishop Stortford North Consortium Bidwell West Consortium C.A.Trott (Plant Hire) Ltd/Trott Rentals Andrew Brookes Bellway Homes Bedfordia Group Assured Property/Punch Taverns Aubrey Park Hotel Bouygues UK Limited BT
Able Homes (Newark)
1991
Barratt Homes Bovis Homes
Aldwyck Housing Group Bedford Borough Council
Barclays Bank Bedford Pilgrims Housing Association Ashcor Construction Caplan Properties Copart UK Limited
City Estates Charles Wells Brewers
Amber Valley Borough Council
Cala Homes Bloor Homes
Campbell Buchanan
Britvic
Chevin Homes David Wilson Homes Courteen Hall Estates Central Bedfordshire District Council Cheshire West and Chester Council
Daventry District Council Church Commissioners for England
Ely Diocesan Board of Finance
Countryside Properties PLC Duchy of Lancaster ESO Capital Group Gloucestershire County Council EG Carter and Co. Ltd Dantom Homes
Hampton Brook Enterprise Inns Dolby Vivisol Grainger Properties Elgar Middleton Claydon Land Development Ltd Galliford Try Plc Hamlin Estates Brantingham Property Services Limited Griggs Homes
Crest Strategic Projects Ltd
Jaguar Estates
J F Finnegans
GSH Architects
Hallam Land Management
John Saunders / Saunders Steam Museum
Harlow Rugby Club Wootton Academy Trust Keepmoat Homes Sharnbrook Academy Federation Keir Residential Ltd/Kier Living Loichailort Investments Limited The Crown Estates
Jones Homes
Harborough District Council Malta Environment & Planning Authority
London Borough Of Lambeth NatWest Bank Kindale Ltd Lark Energy Ltd Lousada PLC Larkfleet Homes London Luton Airport Linden Homes Miller Homes PTA Developments London Borough of Enfield Millbrook Proving Ground Ltd Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council MacIntyre Care Regional & City Estates Ltd Roberts Limbrick Ltd
Punch Taverns Polypipe Building Products Rushden Town Council Metropolitan Homes Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust McMullen & Sons Ltd Muller Property Group OPDE (UK) Ltd ORS plc Ramsey Healthcare Saloria Architects Limited London & Scottish Student Housing Ltd Shanks SDC Mell Homes Milstead Limited Onward Holdings Ltd Pendle Borough Council Rutland Partners Orbit Homes/Orbit 2020 Ltd September Properties QinetiQ The Marcol Group Metropolitan Ministry of Defence (Defence Estates) Persimmon Homes
Drew Smith Sheffield Hallam University Sherwill Drake Forbes Unilever Turner Investments St Albans District Council Royal College of General Practitioners Solar Associates Ltd Wychavon District Council Maltese Government
South Gloucestershire Council South Yorkshire Fire Authority
Rolton Group Ltd
Whitchurch Parish Council Siltbuster Ltd Walton Neighbourhood Area Trine Developments The Brook Group St Albans Diocesan Board of Finance
Redcar Brook Company Templeview Developments Taylor French Strata Homes Redrow Homes The Co-op Group The University of Sheffield Tal Arc Ltd W Redmile & Sons
Taylor Wimpey PLC The Watkin Jones Group
Tewkesbury Borough Council Talbot Homes UK and European Investments The Roman Group Tamworth Borough Council Woodhall Homes Whittlebury Country Club and Golf Course Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd
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25 YEARS – A RETROSPECTIVE VIEW When the business commenced, planning consultancy was still relatively new and the planning system less politicised and regulation bound. In the years following, planning and development has at times been thrust centre stage. A growing public awareness of environmental issues, and the growth and organisation of protest groups has increasingly made planning both a political and economic issue. At government level, over the 25 years, there have been numerous attempts to redefine the planning system, involving additions and changes to primary legislation and policy guidance. This has radically changed the planning process. The irony however, is that whilst successive
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governments have called for a simpler planning system, they have in fact made it more complex, and today the system is an interaction of legislation (UK and European), policy, individual planning decisions and judgements of the courts. At the local level, the 1991 Act and successive Acts have given very significant import to development plans, first on the basis of the two then three tier system, and now through single tier plans based on a verifiable evidence bases. The consistent theme, however, is that the system should be plan-led and this also is an ‘Achilles heel’. The new kids on the block are ‘neighbourhood plans’, seen as a vehicle for the government’s
policy of ‘localism’ - whisper it quietly. Latterly, these have become beloved of lawyers, however, they are seen by communities as a vital tool for control over what happens in their areas, and this increasingly has become a new battleground and illustrates how ‘political’ planning has become. Today, the need for planning (and other) consultancy is well recognised, even for what, 25 years ago, were relatively simple and straight forward issues. Not only is there now a higher demand for planning advice due to the complexity of the system, and, often, because of the need to address technical consultee, community and third party interests in addition.
SO WHERE IS DLP NOW AND WHAT OF THE FUTURE? At its heart, DLP is still a generalist consultancy. However, within the planning teams across our offices we have developed a number of specialisms, including SPRU, our research and strategic planning specialist team, our public sector team and our renewables team. Each is a response to particular technical challenge and this also underpins large elements of our work. As the ambit of the work has changed, we have also built allied, professional teams, leading to the addition of master planning, architecture, urban design, transport planning and highways and drainage engineering, not to mention support disciplines such as graphic design and GIS. All of this goes toward providing our clients with more rounded yet dedicated professional services, which will continue to drive the Group’s further growth.
The intention is to further diversify the professional base of the Practice, and this has recently seen the establishment of a heritage and conservation business, Heritage Asset Planning (HAP) and the start-up of Community Resource Planning (CRP). The intention, in the short to medium term, is to further diversify as and when opportunities arise, and potentially, into other, related technical areas. The importance of all of these is their focus in providing a professional service to our clients, which is where both the professional and business focus of the Company lies.
25 years has passed very quickly and the foundations of what is a sustainable and consistently successful, growing business have been set. The key now, is to consolidate, build and expand these foundations, sustaining the Company’s vision in providing an allencompassing service to our clients.
The internal diversification of the businesses will continue as greater emphasis is given to the consolidation of specialist teams, as well as the growth of the more general planning work. Specialisms are enhanced by the experience gained by staff in urban regeneration, greenfield development, planning control and policy preparation and the planning practice has now reached a scale whereby it can deal with all of these areas, and also has experience in more specialised technical areas such as CPO and compensation, work through the Upper Tribunal (Lands Tribunal), appearing as expert witnesses in High Court and Court of Appeal litigation matters, renewable energy, and also neighbourhood planning and public/community engagement. 29
DLP IN PICTURES
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DLP IN PICTURES
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www.dlpconsultants.co.uk 1