News
Do I need planning permission for change of use?
Converting a garage into an office, or changing an office building into a house? Find out whether you need planning permission with this easy guide… To understand the rules of ‘Change of Use’, you need to be aware of the different Use Classes applied to different kinds of properties. The Town and Country Planning (Use…
Read MoreLocal Firm Donates to Hospital in Celebration of 10th Anniversary
Press Release – 6 June 2019 Paul Smith, Director of Apex Planning Consultants, has donated £1000 to the Neonatal Unit of the Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust at a cheque handover with his family on Monday 3 June [pictured]. Apex Planning Consultants is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month and the Neonatal unit…
Read MoreDo I need planning permission for a garage?
Are you hoping to add a detached garage to your property – whether it is to store your car or, like so many families nowadays, to act as a storage facility housing bikes, scooters and the tumble dryer! Follow our simple guide to work out if you need planning permission for this extra space… Detached…
Read MoreDo I need planning permission for solar panels?
Installing solar panels on your home or garage may sound an attractive proposition – after all, you can save money on your energy bills – but will you need permission to put them in place? Find out more… The good news is that since 2008, solar panels intended for installation on residential land and buildings…
Read MoreDo I need planning permission for an extension?
Thanks to ‘permitted’ development, not all extensions require the homeowner to acquire planning permission – speeding up the whole process and cutting out administration costs. We take you through the requirements… Back in 2015, the government introduced updated householder permitted development rights, in a bid to speed up the planning process and stop local authorities’…
Read MoreBrexit – and the future of the construction industry
As the Brexit deadline looms ever nearer, but with no proper conclusion in sight, we look at what effect the UK leaving Europe may have on construction… The housing market With the level of uncertainty, it is true that there has been a slowdown in the housing market recently, however estate agents and surveyors continue…
Read MoreA Year of Change
We look back at the changes 2018 has brought to the planning arena, and look into our crystal ball to consider what may happen in 2019… 2018 a year in retrospect This time last year, we saw a new housing and planning minister in the shape of Dominic Raab. He wasn’t to be…
Read MoreA successful year – when using a planning consultancy saves the day
It’s been a busy 12 months – these are just some of the clients we have helped to a successful outcome with planning permissions and appeals over the past year. Planning appeal – Housing Outline application for up to four houses on the edge of a hamlet in Milton Keynes. The Council refused permission on…
Read MorePlanning enforcement – a simple guide
We conclude our 2018 series of simple guides to the labyrinth of planning procedures, with a focus on the subject of planning enforcement… What is planning enforcement? If any development happens without planning permission or one fails to comply with the requirements of a planning condition, the local planning authority can use its…
Read MorePlanning Conditions – A Guide
We continue our series of blogs covering the ins and out of planning applications. This month, we look at planning conditions… Not all planning permission is given automatically. Some applications will be granted permission, but with several conditions attached. Here, we answer some common questions about planning conditions: I have planning permission, but…
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