The rapidly evolving planning system can be confusing and technical, which is why Attwaters’ Planning Law solicitors pride ourselves on our ability to make relevant and incisive advice accessible to all our private clients.

In short, Attwaters’ Planning Law team will provide you with the knowledge, advice and support you may require at any stage of the interface between the planning system and the public, including:

• Permitted Development rights
• Certificate of lawfulness applications – the 4 and 10 year rule
• Enforcement Notices
• Planning appeals
• Judicial Review
• Section 106 and Section 278 Agreements
• Interpretation of planning legislation and case law
• Prosecutions in the Magistrates court from Local Authorities

If you wish to know whether a development proposal requires Planning Permission or whether it is Permitted Development (or perhaps not even development at all), we can advise on those issues.

If the proposal is Permitted Development, or perhaps not development at all, our skilled Planning experts can advise on the appropriateness of obtaining a Certificate of Lawful Development from the Local Planning Authority to protect the client and subsequent owners of the property.

Sometimes a client may hear from the Local Planning Authority with a Planning Contravention Notice which needs careful consideration before the reply is sent to the Local Planning Authority.

Perhaps a client may have received a Breach of Condition Notice which either calls for the condition to be complied with or a Magistrates Court prosecution may follow.

The client may also receive an Enforcement Notice or again a Stop Notice. All have considerable legal implications and need to be handled by experts.

If an Application for Planning Permission has resulted in a refusal then Attwaters’ Planning team can offer objective advice on the prospects of success of an appeal against that refusal and assistance with promoting that appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

We also have a considerable track record when making representations on our clients’ behalf to the Local Planning Authority about Developments proposed in their area. We are able to do that based on an appraisal of the proposal when set against Planning Policy so that the representations have the greatest impact on the Local Planning Authority.