ABOUT US
The Sheldon Bosley Knight planning and architecture team is made up of skilled professionals with many years’ experience in projects of all sizes and types.
From initial informal planning advice, through to the preparation, submission and monitoring of planning applications and appeals, we are here to guide you through the ever more complicated world of planning. Often we can steer you on the merits of a project in a matter of minutes.
Our award-winning planning and design team offers a full planning solution, including in-house architectural capabilities, all under one roof. We have represented landowning clients in their rural diversification projects for a number of years, with specialisms including barn conversions, new agricultural buildings, removal of occupancy conditions and a variety of other diversification projects.
Contact our team
SECTORS
At Sheldon Bosley Knight we specialise in preparing and submitting planning applications across various sectors. Our residential planning services cover everything from new builds to redevelopments, ensuring compliance with local regulations while maximising site potential. For commercial projects, we assist with office buildings, retail spaces and mixed-use developments, helping businesses expand or establish new premises.
We also provide planning services for the tourism and leisure sector, including holiday lets, glamping and recreation/sport facilities. Our expertise ensures all planning applications for renovations, restorations, or developments within heritage sites are carefully prepared to preserve the architectural and cultural value of the buildings while meeting modern requirements.
Additionally, our team works on planning applications for retail developments, renewable energy projects, and eco-friendly initiatives, ensuring sustainability is integrated into every aspect. With deep industry knowledge and a tailored approach, we guide clients through the complexities of the planning process, ensuring the best chance of approval and a successful project delivery.
STAGES - RIBA 0-4
01.
Feasibility
Initial consultation to discuss your budget scope and design plans for the project.
02.
Concept Design
Discuss ideas and early design options, project constraints and opportunities,
03.
Planning
Guiding you through the planning requirements and process.
04.
Building Regulations
Technical drawings and submission to building.
Services
Class Q - Barn Conversions
A barn conversion is the conversion of a farm building into a habitable building for commercial or residential use. With rustic exteriors, high ceilings and large spaces once converted, they make extremely desirable places to live. The blend of contemporary interiors and traditional exteriors provides a wonderful juxtaposition of comfort and history.
There are two possible mechanisms for applying to convert a barn into alternative uses. Either the traditional full planning application route which allows for conversion into commercial or residential use, or the permitted development Class Q/Class R processes which enable conversion into specific uses.
Extensions
Extensions to existing buildings are a popular choice for those wanting more space without the hassle and expense of buying a new property. A good extension can enhance your existing home, providing additional space for new rooms or for reconfiguring the internal layout.
New build
Alongside conversions and extensions, we can also create buildings from scratch on vacant sites for new build projects. Such sites enable our architects to design a property(ies) that is in keeping with the character of the area, but also meets the specific needs of the client.
Building something new presents a wonderful opportunity to create your dream home, meeting your individual needs, rather than trying to fit your vision into an already built box.
If you are looking to sell a site with planning permission, new build schemes are also very interesting to developers who like a blank slate site to work from.
Land Registry plan/lease plans
A Land Registry plan is a title plan providing a graphical representation of a property’s boundaries and any other features relevant to its title such as easements, covenants and rights of way.
Title plans are an essential part of the land registration process in England and Wales. They are used by Land Registry to record ownership of land and property and can be used to prove ownership of property, resolve disputes and obtain planning permission.
There are a number of reasons why you might need a title plan, for example: buying or selling a property, applying for a mortgage, applying for planning permission, dividing property into two or more plots, registering a property with the land registry.
Measured building surveys
Measured building surveys involve taking measurements of buildings and their surrounding sites in order to produce accurate drawings to scale. They are usually specified to an agreed level of detail, to acceptable accuracy tolerances, scale, delivery times and costs.
These surveys provide the existing details of a structure upon which all subsequent phases of planning, design and development are based.
Permitted development rights applications
Permitted development rights allow owners of a building to make certain changes to it and changes of use without having to make a full planning application.
New permitted development rules are now in force. These rules allow larger extensions to homes, offices and shops to be made without submitting a planning application. Instead, these extensions will be subject to a light touch neighbours’ consultation scheme.
In 2021 the new Class MA prior approval allows buildings in commercial use (ie shops, offices, estate agents etc) to change into residential use in order to provide new homes in existing buildings. There are some exemptions to this change of use from commercial to residential.
Planning enforcement
An enforcement notice is a document issued by a local planning authority (LPA) served on the owner and/or occupier of land when the LPA believes there has been a breach of planning control.
We can provide advice on complying with enforcement notices or appealing against them.
Building regulation drawings/submissions
Building regulation drawings are technical drawings of the proposed build.
Whilst planning drawings focus on the design of your project, the drawings produced for building regulations are far more complex. They factor in things such as structure, fire safety, drainage, moisture resistance, soundproofing, ventilation and more.
Building regulation legislation sets out a list of statutory requirements buildings and extensions must adhere to, to ensure future occupiers of the buildings have a safe and healthy environment.
Once approved, they can be use by your builder, giving them detailed instructions on meeting all legal requirements during the construction process.
Tender packages
Tendering is the process by which bids are invited from interested contractors to carry out construction work. A tender pack is a document with all the necessary materials required for the build phase, including number of bricks, cement mix, insulation types and finishes.
As it specifies all the necessary materials, this will make it much easier to control the progress and costs of the build project.
The tender package will be given out to different contractors to obtain a like-for-like quote for their construction fees. This ensures the contractors’ quotes include everything specified in the package and stops additional fees from being levied during the process as the agreement has been set out in detail prior to any works starting.
Agricultural notifications
In many cases new agricultural or forestry buildings, extensions and tracks can be given consent under a streamlined agricultural notification process and do not require full planning permission.
This process allows specific works and operations, subject to a list of criteria, to be considered under a shorted 28-day notice rather than the traditional eight-week determination period.
Agricultural notification applications can be used to create: new agricultural buildings, new agricultural tracks, agricultural extensions, ponds for fish farming, livestock buildings – under certain circumstances, certain excavations and waste disposal
Evidence will be needed to confirm the proposed works are ‘reasonably necessary’. We work closely with our rural department to provide agricultural appraisals to justify the need.
3D visualisations
3D visualisation is the process of creating and displaying digital content using 3D software. Such 3D visualisation translates 2D technical drawings into a visual story which allows projects to be designed, revised and refined in real time prior to building.
It also enables easier communication with councils and neighbours and can also help to eliminate unnecessary costs and time spent on project changes.
Our architects and technicians can model your projects into 3D, enabling a more realistic feel to the project.
Pre-application advice
The pre-application process is where advice is sought from the council before a full planning application is submitted.
This process allows you to understand how development policies will apply to your project, gain advice from planning officers, and identify any potential problems which can then be rectified before full planning permissions applications being submitted.
It is particularly effective in situations where there are difficult issues to be considered and allows problems and solutions to be discussed in detail before final drawings are prepared and submitted.
Listed building consent applications
Conserving our built heritage is a key objective of the planning system. Development affecting this heritage whether it is a listed building or within a designated conservation area needs to be carefully considered and justified.
We can prepare architectural drawings and Heritage Assessments to accompany listed building applications.
Listed buildings are structures of particular architectural and/or historic interest deserving of special protection. A listed building may not be demolished, extended or altered without special permission from the local planning authority and input from its conservation officer.
Similarly, conservation areas protect the special architectural and historic interest of a place. They are most likely to affect property owners who want to work on the outside of their building, or any trees on their property.
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MEET THE PLANNING TEAM
Charlie Cartwright
Senior Architectural Technician
Stratford-upon-Avon
Indujah Srikaran
Architect
Stratford-upon-Avon
Natasha Blackmore da Silva
Head of Planning and Architecture Associate Director
Stratford-upon-Avon
PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE NEWS
Planning for the future
More than a million raised at Sheldon Bosley Knight’s final auction of 2024
Plenty to cheer about at SBK’s final auction of 2024
World Planning Day 2024
Winners and losers in Labour’s first budget in 14 years
Going, going, gone in Hinckley!
World Architecture Day 2024
Where there’s a will….
Through these architect’s eyes
First approvals received under new Class Q and Class R criteria
Overhaul of planning system to meet mandatory housing targets
Planning her career
Successfully selling land with planning permission at auction
King’s speech gets mixed response
New housebuilding and planning targets given the thumbs up
Be the architect of your own career
Planning team’s challenge accepted
Keeping up-to-date
Planning approval for new Evesham office
SBK adds Loveitts to the fold
Team work in action at Castle Farm
SBK’s planning team secures approval for residential annexe
SBK Unplugged episode 4 has landed
A missed opportunity?
The PPE pink tax
The popularity of self and custom build housing
Women in Construction Week
Episode 2 of SBK Unplugged is live
Mandatory wildlife protection for new developments
SBK planning team secures another Class Q approval
Meet the team – Natasha Blackmore da Silva
Meet the team – Charlie Cartwright
Meet the team…. Laura Ulyett
Meet the team… Indujah Srikaran
SBK’s planning team celebrates success
A day in the life…..
Learn Globally, Apply Locally
Celebrating World Planning Day
More auction success for SBK
Land and buy-to-let properties feature strongly in Sheldon Bosley Knight’s latest auction
Congratulations to Tasha!
SBK’s Tasha up for a prestigious planning award
More than £4 million raised at our latest auction
SBK’s growth continues with acquisition of two Leicestershire lettings businesses
Climate Resilience
What is World Town Planning Day?
Architecture as a positive force for wellbeing
Slow and steady wins the race
Planning advice – it’s what we do
A guide to Class Q Conversions
Class Q Development
World Planning Day
Natasha Blackmore da Silva Attains RTPI Chartered Town Planner Status
SBK Diversifies Cattle Building into Local Business Storage
Meet the Team: Dan, Director and Co-owner
Planning During Lockdown
Sheldon Bosley Knight Planning Team Win Planning Inspectorate Appeal
Lucy Pierce Joins Our Award Winning Planning & Architecture Team
Making plans to strengthen the Sheldon Bosley Partnership
Farewell to Jim Richardson
Accreditations
