Planning Direct

Planning Direct Planning advice and services from the modern Planning Consultancy putting customer service first.

Our products include planning applications, change of use, appeals, Flood Risk, Landscape, Heritage and Contamination Risk. The page of Planning Direct a specialist Planning Consultancy providing business-to-business and domestic services

Pre-application planning advice is still optional, but applying without it is becoming riskier. Some councils have intro...
20/08/2026

Pre-application planning advice is still optional, but applying without it is becoming riskier. Some councils have introduced policies stating that they will no longer discuss concerns or invite amendments unless pre-application advice was sought and followed. That means some applicants may only learn of the council’s concerns when the refusal notice arrives.

Recent appeal changes have also reduced the opportunity to revise proposals or submit new evidence later in the planning process.

Our latest article examines the benefits and limitations of pre-application advice, when negative advice can still be useful and why an appeal is not always a last-ditch option.

Read the full article here:

Planning Direct is a boutique planning consultancy, with clients across the UK. With decades of experience in the corporate world and many years using our skills to tackle various planning issues, we have seen it all.

Planning Direct has investigated the housing land supply positions of 27 councils across Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and the...
15/07/2026

Planning Direct has investigated the housing land supply positions of 27 councils across Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and the surrounding areas.

Only 7 of those 27 council areas can currently demonstrate the requisite five-year housing land supply.

In the remaining 20 areas, housing applications which conflict with local planning policy, including outer and edge-of-settlement sites, now have a much better chance of securing planning consent.

Read our latest news article to find out the current housing land supply position of your local council:

Planning Direct is a boutique planning consultancy, with clients across the UK. With decades of experience in the corporate world and many years using our skills to tackle various planning issues, we have seen it all.

We are pleased to announce that Director Andrew Cann and senior colleague Nikki O’Hagan have both been elected as Charte...
08/07/2026

We are pleased to announce that Director Andrew Cann and senior colleague Nikki O’Hagan have both been elected as Chartered Members of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

They join senior colleague Steve Miller, a former Head of Town Planning and long-standing Chartered Planner.

With three Chartered Planners within the team, Planning Direct is now a practice of Chartered Town Planners.

This is an important achievement for Andrew and Nikki, and a proud moment for Planning Direct.

Chartered membership is the highest professional planning accreditation in the UK. It represents the gold standard of planning practice. It also provides reassurance that Planning Direct’s work is undertaken by planners who have demonstrated their competence, are bound by the RTPI’s professional and ethical standards, and are subject to its disciplinary process.

Read the full article here:

Planning Direct is a boutique planning consultancy, with clients across the UK. With decades of experience in the corporate world and many years using our skills to tackle various planning issues, we have seen it all.

We’ve just published a new Planning Direct article on development opportunities within the Green Belt.Many landowners an...
01/07/2026

We’ve just published a new Planning Direct article on development opportunities within the Green Belt.

Many landowners and developers assume they cannot build in the Green Belt, but that is not always the case.

While national policy remains restrictive, recent changes and a 2025 High Court case have improved prospects for many sites.

Our article explains what has changed, why the court case matters, and what owners should consider before applying for planning permission.

If you own land in the Green Belt, it may be worth getting an up-to-date planning assessment before ruling out development.

Planning Direct offers initial site appraisals free of charge.

Read the full article here: https://www.planningdirect.co.uk/news/can-i-build-on-green-belt-land

Or call Planning Direct on 01473 407911 to discuss your site.

Planning Direct is a boutique planning consultancy, with clients across the UK. With decades of experience in the corporate world and many years using our skills to tackle various planning issues, we have seen it all.

We’ve just published a new Planning Direct article on pub to residential conversion.This is a difficult issue for many p...
24/06/2026

We’ve just published a new Planning Direct article on pub to residential conversion.

This is a difficult issue for many pub owners. Public houses are often valued locally, but that does not always translate into enough trade to keep the business viable, and practical support for publicans is very limited.

Our new article takes an in-depth look at the planning application process for pub to residential conversions, including the main planning issues that usually need to be addressed and the evidence typically required.

It is intended as a guide for pub owners who are considering residential conversion and want to understand what they need to do before submitting a planning application.

Planning Direct has extensive experience handling public house conversion cases. We can provide advice specific to your case if you are considering making an application.

You can read the full article here:

https://www.planningdirect.co.uk/news/pub-to-residential-conversion

For case-specific advice, call us on 01473 407911.

Thinking about converting a pub into residential use? Planning Direct explains the main planning tests, issues and evidence requirements.

The Government has recently published a new planning appeals guide, introducing major changes to the way most planning a...
21/04/2026

The Government has recently published a new planning appeals guide, introducing major changes to the way most planning appeals will be handled from 1st April 2026.

The guide establishes a new expedited procedure which will apply to the vast majority of appeals. Under that procedure, appellants will no longer be entitled to submit a statement of case.

The new regime also introduces tighter controls on new material, such as revised drawings or additional technical reports. New evidence and amendments will generally only be accepted in limited and exceptional circumstances, and in all cases this will remain at the Inspector’s discretion.

Read more here:

Planning Direct is a boutique planning consultancy, with clients across the UK. With decades of experience in the corporate world and many years using our skills to tackle various planning issues, we have seen it all.

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