A new permitted development regime for non-domestic buildings came into force on 6 April 2010. Access guidance here [PDF]

This information was taken from the Planning Portal.

A new book, Primary Care Centres A Guide to Health Care Design by Geoffrey Purves is now available.
Published by The Architectural Press, this second edition does what it says on the cover and includes an outline review of the main issues in designing health buildings, international comparisons, the political framework, briefing, measuring design quality, art in health, and loads more. There are planty of floor plans and images (I know how you Architectural types love these) and of the 19 featured Case Studies, 2 are from P+HS: The Vermuyden Centre and Washington Primary Care Centre.
Anyone wanting to borrow the book, please see Diana who has an office copy.

Planning Portal technical updates

To ensure the Planning Portal is compliant with legislative changes, the following actions will be introduced for the 6 April 2010.

Design and access statements:

From 6 April 2010, the range of development that is exempt from the requirement for a design and access statement will be expanded. The list below confirms the new requirements from 6 April 2010. The paper form checklists and electronic Planning Application Requirements (PAR) list will be amended at 12:01am on the 6 April to reflect these changes.

Design and access statements will be configured as mandatory for the following scenarios:

• scenario 2 – Householder + Conservation Area

• scenario 3 – Householder + Listed Building

• scenario 7 – Full + Conservation Area

• scenario 8 – Full + Listed Building

• scenario 11 – Listed Building

Design and access statements will be configured as optional for the following scenarios:

• scenario 1 – Householder

• scenario 4 – Full

• scenarios 5 and 6 – Outline with Some Matters Reserved and Outline with All Matters Reserved

• scenario 9 – Full + Advertisement 

Design and access statements will be configured as not required for the following scenarios:

• scenario 10 – Conservation Area – This scenario is for conservation area consent to demolish, which is not a planning application; DAS is still required for planning permission in conservation areas (covered by scenario 7). 

• scenario 12 – Advertisement

• scenarios 14 and 15 – Lawful Development Certificate – Existing Use and Lawful Development Certificate – Proposed Use

• scenarios 16 to 20 – Prior Notification – Proposed Building and Prior Notification – Telecoms

• scenario 21 – Hedgerow Removal

• scenario 22 – Prior Notification – Proposed Demolition

• scenario 23 – Approval of Reserved Matters

• scenarios 25/26 – Removal or Variation of a Condition

• scenario 27 – Approval of Details Reserved by Condition

• scenario 31 – Trees – TPO & Conservation Area

• scenario 33 – Extend time limit of existing permission

• scenario 34 – Non-material amendment to existing permission

The design and access statement changes are explained in the Government guidance, Guidance on information requirements and validation, published 16 March 2010.

Users of the Portal can access DAS information here.

House in Multiple Occupation (HMO):

The following change will also come into effect on the 6 April 2010 – planning permission will be required for a change of use from Class C3 (dwelling house) to a new Class C4 (house in multiple occupation), but changes from C4 to C3 will be permitted development. This change is linked to an amendment to the Use Classes Order which was announced in January 2010, as set out in The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010, and will also come into force on 6 April 2010.

The 1-APP forms will not be changed to reflect HMOs. However, applicants will be able to apply for HMOs on the full application form.

Guidance on the Portal in relation to use classes is available here. 

Find out whether a change in class is permitted.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

On 6 April, the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations will come into force. 

Planning Portal users can access information on CIL here.

The following changes will be delivered:

Community Infrastructure Levy Questions PDF

To ensure CIL charging authorities have the required information to determine the appropriate CIL charge, applicants/agents will be required to complete additional questions. 

The additional questions have not been incorporated into the suite of 1-APP forms as CIL is a voluntary mechanism not a national/mandatory standard. Instead, the questions have been included in a PDF form titled ‘Community Infrastructure Levy Questions’.

If the LPA is a CIL Charging Authority, they must configure the CIL questions as a mandatory document within their local level requirements list. This will then be presented to the applicants and agents as a mandatory supporting document. This document must be completed and submitted with the Planning Application form.

The Portal offers a CIL information page here.

This includes: 

• An overview of CIL
• Links to regulations and guidance
• A link to the CIL questions PDF

CIL administration forms will be placed on the Portal over the next few weeks.

The above information was taken from the Planning Portal news 31 March 2010.

It’s that time of year again! Here are the Leeds and London office entries for the annual egg-decorating competition. And the winner? Ryan’s lovely easter bunny, which beat off a number of less traditional entries including a whiteread-esque gelatine egg mould, a robot-spider egg, a crystal-encrusted egg, a P+HS graffiti egg, a trio of spiraling silver eggs and an intricately perforated egg-shell.

For the judges this year, conceptual art was soundly beaten by good old fashioned easter charm.

Decorated Eggs from Stokesley Office 2010

Following the P+HS tradition of showcasing our creative flair at Easter, the results are in for this year’s contest. A strong field of 13 entries (one not pictured) was judged by Director Joe Biggs who commented: ‘As ever the entries were all of an exemplary nature. Judging was an arduous but pleasant task and I consider myself to be privileged, and honoured, to have been selected for this important duty.’ Joe judged the entries against the criteria of Skill, Architectural Quality/Reference, Humour, and Effort, with consideration also being given to sustainability. Special mention was given to Kay’s skillfully knitted dog and also the best child’s entry from Sam Taylor, but the overall winner, with his detailed representation of the P+HS Phantom was James Pitchers. Congratulations to everyone.

The Winning Entry from James Pitchers