Fuller Long are delighted to see that three luxury four bedroom houses that we managed to gain permission for are now complete and occupied. We obtained planning permission for the development of the site in Bisley, Surrey in 2015. The clients contacted us following two previously rejected applications by Surrey Heath Borough Council and we were able to work with them to help overturn these reasons for refusal.

Fuller Long assessed the previous decision notices and used the information to prepare and submit a new application for our client, which strove to address the Council’s previous concerns. We worked hard to provide a proposal in accordance with the style, massing, character and layout of neighbouring properties. This resulted in the development of a high quality scheme that the Council were very willing to support.

The reasons for the refusal of the previous development stated that the addition of four houses on the site would cause the residential area to become cramped and that the additional hardsurfacing would result in the removal of too much vegetation.

Our team created an application that addressed this concern, proposing a lower density development that paid very careful attention to the most up to date policies and guidance. A reduced number of family dwellings have therefore been built instead, creating a more spacious development. This enables it to be consistent with the layout of the older dwellings and the pattern of development in the area as well as allowing for increased landscaping opportunities, due to the reduced need for vehicular accesses and hardstanding areas.

The buildings’ mass and scale are appropriate to their locale, as every effort was made to ensure that their appearance accorded that of neighbouring buildings and the surrounding pattern of development. The dwellings protect the amenity of their surroundings and represent a sustainable solution to providing efficient, medium-density residential accommodation at an accessible location on a site that was formerly underutilised.

By the time of submission of our application, the Council had adopted the Surrey Heath Borough Core Strategy and Development Management Policies, which considerably changed the planning climate. Through Policy CP1, villages such as Bisley have limited capacity to accommodate development, primarily through redevelopment of existing sites.

In addition to this, Policy CP3 of the Core Strategy and Development Management Policies states that the borough will make provision for 3240 additional dwellings, meaning that 45 new houses would need to be built in Bisley before 2025. The redevelopment in Bisley presented a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the housing needs of the Borough whilst simultaneously developing an attractive and energy efficient scheme able to make a contribution to the amenity and activity of the surrounding area.

The development proposed by Fuller Long and accepted by Surrey Heath Borough Council was in accordance with the policies of the National Planning Policy Framework, notably in that it created a high quality living environment that functions well and will add to the overall quality of the area over the lifetime of the development.

If you would like help with submitting a planning application, Fuller Long can be of assistance. Our consultants are experts in the field and have had considerable success over the years. Call 0808 164 1288 or email hello@fullerlong.com to speak with one of our Consultants today.