Planning consultants · Development land
Planning permission, without the jargon.
We win planning approvals across the whole of the UK. Straight answers, calm persistence, and over 25 years in local authority and private practice.
Whether you want to extend your home, build a few houses on a garden plot, convert a commercial building or promote a strategic site, we tell you early how strong and realistic the case is, what it will cost you, and the best route to a permission.
We also act as land brokers, buying and selling development sites for clients across the UK. More about land →
Planning
Applications, appeals and the tricky cases in between.
Practical, reasoned advice on complex planning problems, from a single extension to a housing scheme in a conservation area.
- Planning advice, planning supporting statements, design and access statements & planning policy statements
- Planning appeals, enforcement notices and enforcement appeals
- Speaking and representation at planning committee
- Heritage asset statements, listed buildings, locally listed buildings and conservation area assessments
- Green belt assessments and Grey Belt site appraisals
- Change of use, HMOs, prior approval and permitted development
- Sketch schemes, architectural plans, street scene assessments, bulk and mass drawings and assessments, sunlight studies and shadow studies
How we work
Robust with the council. Never a stalemate.
We argue your case firmly and keep working with the council while we do it. Digging in rarely wins a permission. Professional negotiation and a balanced view usually win a better one.
Having worked inside a local authority, we know how officers read an application and what a committee needs to hear. That shapes every statement we write.
- 1A frank first view
We look at the site, the planning history and local policy, and tell you plainly whether it is worth pursuing.
- 2The right team and drawings
We work with your architect or recommend one, and bring in transport, tree, ecology or flood specialists only where the case needs them.
- 3A statement that answers the policies
Daylight, overlooking, character and parking are tested and set out in clear, numbered paragraphs that an officer can rely on.
- 4Negotiation to decision, and appeal if needed
We deal with the case officer, neighbours and committee, and if the council gets it wrong we take it to the Planning Inspectorate.
Land
Buying or selling development land.
We bring the planning view to every land deal, so the price reflects what the site can really get permission for.
Have land you think could be suitable for development? If you would like to sell it, please get in touch. Our fee is normally paid by the purchaser, not the seller.
- Strategic land promotion and garden assembly
- Marketing development sites and off-market introductions
- Option agreements, advice for both sides
- Covenant and legal advice organised
Generally 2% of the price, normally paid by the purchaser and always confirmed in advance. More on development land →
Most development value is decided before a spade goes in the ground: at the point a site is bought, optioned or assembled. A planning-led view at that stage protects both sides of the deal.
We act for landowners selling garden land or larger sites, and for builders and developers looking for their next scheme. We can introduce buyers and sellers, advise on option and promotion agreements, and arrange legal advice on covenants and title.
What our clients say
See who we have acted for →“Three separate applications, all of them testing. His calm approach and persistence paid off. Three approvals now, thank you very much!”
“The councils seem to like and respect his no-nonsense, straightforward approach. When we have a planning issue, Anthony has a solution.”
“Whether it is a simple housing scheme or a complete residential redevelopment in a Conservation Area, he just delivers.”
“His no-nonsense and calm approach has enabled some staggering planning approvals. I would recommend the practice to anybody.”
Common questions
Straight answers before you start
What does a planning consultant do, and when should I instruct one?
We assess your site against the local council’s development plan and the August 2026 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), tell you plainly whether the scheme has a realistic prospect of approval, co-ordinate the right drawings and specialist reports, write the numbered Planning Statement or Heritage Statement, and handle negotiations with the case officer through to decision or appeal.
Since 1 April 2026, most Section 78 planning appeals proceed under the streamlined Part 1 written representations route, which restricts adding new evidence at appeal stage. Getting the application right before it goes in is more important than ever.
How much do your planning consultancy and land brokerage services cost?
After a free, confidential first discussion, we agree our fee in writing before any work starts. We offer three options: a fixed fee for applications, statements or appeals with a clear scope; an hourly rate for open-ended enforcement or negotiation work; or a success fee (no win, no fee) on suitable cases. For buying or selling development land, our fee is generally 2% of the price, normally paid by the purchaser rather than the seller. See our fees and 2026 council charges page.
Do you cover the whole of the UK or only Bournemouth and Dorset?
We act for clients across the whole of England and the UK. While our practice is based in Bournemouth, Dorset—regularly working across BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole), Dorset, the New Forest, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Devon, Surrey, Sussex and London—national planning policy, Permitted Development and Prior Approval rights, listed building rules, and Planning Inspectorate appeals apply nationwide.
Can you help me sell garden land or a potential development site?
Yes. We act for landowners selling large gardens, infill plots or strategic land, and for regional and PLC housebuilders looking for deliverable sites. We assess what the site can realistically get planning permission for, handle garden assembly with neighbours, advise on option and promotion agreements, and arrange legal advice on restrictive covenants.
A free, confidential first conversation.
Tell us about the site or the problem. We will tell you plainly how strong the case looks and what it is likely to cost.