Business expansion in Wiltshire

We prepared a Planning Statement to enable our Wiltshire-based commercial client to expand their business

The Brief

We were approached by a wood-cutting and distribution business near Salisbury. The clients wanted to expand their business by providing additional storage facilities for machinery and timber on their site.

Whilst the client gained permission for the general industrial use in 2011, they were using parts of their land for storage, which was not covered by their original permission. The Council had been notified of this and were seeking Enforcement Action if the issue was not rectified by way of a new planning application.

Atlas Planning Group therefore visited the site, identifying the breach of planning and at the meeting, sought to understand the client’s aspirations and gained an insight into the reasoning behind the expansion of the business. We found that the business sold seasoned wood from sustainable woodland and required additional space to dry the timber in line with the release of the Clean Air Strategy (2018). This Strategy regulated the sale, distribution and marketing of wet wood and required timber to be sold with a moisture content of less than 20%.

Our Solution

We created a plan, which highlighted the different uses for the land, along with undertaking a Landscape and Visual Appraisal. The site was positioned within open countryside and adjoined a Special Landscape Area. We therefore walked the Public Rights of Way surrounding the site to understand the potential visual effects of the proposal and to take photographs towards the site.

The Planning Statement clearly set out the justification of the business and how the proposal accorded with the Government’s intentions to tackle climate change. The NPPF encourages the use and supply of renewable and low carbon seeks energy and heat and, in this case, the application related to a business which sought to increase the supply of clean fuels, reducing emissions.

After the application was submitted, we organised a meeting with the Planning Officer on site. The reasoning for this was to ensure that the Council properly understood the nature of the business and the requirement for additional storage. Given that the client had already started the works and the proposal was necessary for the continuation of the business, the meeting was instrumental.

Project Success

On site, we won the Planning Officer over and the application was approved without delay.

The client can continue his business ventures and to serve the local community.