Ensuring an adequate supply of good quality housing is imperative for the future of communities in both urban and rural areas.
A key part of this is identifying suitable land, a developer and close liaison with the community involved.
Planning consultants such as Hughes Architects work with landowners, developers, housing associations, local authorities and communities to do just that – ensuring a smooth process for all involved through to completion.
A recent example is at Bodenham in Herefordshire, just north of Hereford.
There was a clear demand for good quality housing locally and we worked with a developer and then Bell Homes to identify suitable land in order to bring a proposal for 40 homes to planning and construction.
Bodenham is a typical rural village where demand for homes outstrips supply.
Identifying and acquiring suitable land for housing
After identifying and acquiring suitable land at England’s Field with the developer, we worked with the builder to design the 40 home residential development to take to Herefordshire Council for planning consent.
“It was imperative that the local community was aware of and consulted on the planning process,” said Doug Hughes, Managing Director and Principal Architect at Hughes Architects.
“We engaged with the local community and council in addition to and above the statutory planning requirements the local authority would normally want.
“This included communicating the design, size and timescale with residents and businesses in the community and listening to them.”
Community consultation
He added: “By consulting with the community at an early stage we ensured everyone involved was aware of any issues or concerns which could be addressed, as well as demonstrating to the council planners that full consultation had been undertaken.”
The planning application was approved and work is now well underway on the development.
Hughes Architects are planning consultants, building desginers and architetcs working throughout Mid Wales and the borders, including Herefordshire and Shropshire, providing a range of services for individuals, developers, landowners, housing associations and local authorities.
For more details about properties at England’s Field, Bodenham, visit www.bellhomes.com.
