About Us

Planning Direct employs a unique approach to each and every project. Following your free consultation, we will work with you to find the perfect solution to your planning needs, whether this be objecting to planning applications, securing planning approval, or appealing a planning decision. We work across the length and breadth of the UK, taking on projects of all scopes and sizes, so your enquiry is guaranteed to be considered.

Do you need a Planning Consultant?

Planning consultants are experts in their field and used by architects, developers, lawyers and private individuals to secure results. Whilst planning consultants such as Planning Direct provide a cost-effective means of applying for planning permission they are able to ‘achieve the impossible’ (as one of our clients has said) where chances of success seemed low or non- existent.

So what can a Planning Consultant help you with?

Planning Permission

If you want Planning Permission, a planning consultant can provide a cost-effective means of securing such permission or secure planning permission in difficult circumstances. Planning Direct has a high success rate in securing planning permission.

Development Site Appraisal

Often clients want to maximise the return on an investment building or piece of land. It’s best in these circumstances to get an experienced professional from a planning consultancy such as Planning Direct involved early. We can tell you what will work in planning terms and calculate the relevant return for various options through a Development Site Appraisal. Planning Direct offers an inexpensive means of benefiting from such advice that maximises return.

Planning Objection

A Planning Consultant is crucial for preparing, and where appropriate, managing the response to unwanted development. With unique experience in objecting successfully to supermarkets, ports, cement works and other smaller developments, Planning Direct is expert in stopping development you don’t wish to see.

Working Alongside Architects

Architects are experts in designing buildings with form and function in mind. However, they do not usually specialise in planning and often merit-worthy buildings are denied planning permission for lack of expert advice. Planning Direct offers planning consultancy to architects, working alongside them from an early stage in order to get clean planning permission, and to deliver the building the client needs.

Working alongside Lawyers

Most planning consultants restrict their services to what they know: applying for planning permission. Planning Direct has considerable experience working alongside lawyers in providing expert evidence (at appeal or inquiry), dealing with Rights of Way disputes, boundary disputes, preparing appeals and dealing with Government.

Planning Appeals

Often planning consultants are brought in after a client has already lost a planning application. With an enviable record Planning Direct will examine your case and make an appeal on your behalf. An appeal is made to the Secretary of State (the Planning Inspectorate). It costs nothing to appeal but a careful submission pointing out where a council has not followed policy (either local or their own) is required – the work of a planning consultant.

So what do Planning Consultants Cost?

Here at Planning Direct we offer initial advice for free. If you chose to instruct us we will outline our fee structure and agree a price with you. We offer a day rate and price each case individually. We work hard to keep clients’ costs down by assertively challenging unnecessary costs and through innovation find the cheapest route to planning success.

We offer all clients a free initial consultation, so please get in touch – we’d be delighted to hear from you, and happy to help you.

What Our Clients Say About Us

“Wonderful news. Thank you for your incredible support and professional assistance”.
You should consider using a Planning Consultancy to apply for Change of Use. There are a number of angles which we can adopt in order to put forward a succinct and thorough proposal to your local council in support if your application.
Read how we won this case here
Contact us to discuss your case on 01473 407911.
Planning Direct wins another Change of Use Planning Application in London
“Amazing service, contact was kept throughout… always very helpful. All my questions were answered straight away… Absolutely I would recommend Planning Direct without a doubt”
If you need to apply for retrospective Planning Permission, or indeed you need to appeal a decision Planning Direct can help you.
Here’s how we helped this client – read more here
Planning Direct wins retrospective planning appeal – “Amazing Service” says happy client
“I just want to thank your firm for the change of use you got us in Rush Green. Jamie has pulled it out the bag and sent us that good news today, he is so patient he just kept chewing at them until they said yes”.
If you have a piece of land which you think could be developed Planning Direct could help you obtain the planning permission to realise its’ potential.
Click here to read how we won this case.
Is there room for a house in your garden?
“Andrew and Nikki worked hard and efficiently on our change of use application with a positive outcome and I believe this was all down to their expertise and experience, we would recommend them to anyone and would not hesitate to use them again in the future. Great work”.
Are you looking to expand your business? Have you considered purchasing a neighbouring property and extending into it? Planning Direct can help you obtain Planning Permission for Change of Use.
Read the full article here
Suffolk business now able to expand thanks to Planning Direct
Thank you so much for your help with this – best investment I’ve made so far in engaging you – I thought your document to the Planning Inspectorate was first class and worth every penny.
When our Planning Application was refused for the second time we felt the reasons for refusal were weak. We asked Planning Direct whether we had good grounds for appeal. Ben was extremely positive about the points of our case, he reviewed all of the documentation we provided him and also used his own extensive knowledge of other appeals and associated decisions.
The result was an outstanding 15-page document that clearly set out the reasons for the Councils refusal along with the positive counter-arguments and references to precedent cases for presentation to the Planning Inspectorate.
The end result…. our appeal was upheld and permission was granted. We would not be in this position without Ben’s fantastic attention to detail and his way with words in presenting the case.
Mr K Swinburne, New Build Family Home
I just wanted to express my extreme gratitude to you for your help with our recent planning application to extend our home.
From our first call, I was impressed with the way your handled our case and it was evident from the word go that you knew exactly what was needed to get our application granted.
I especially appreciate your prompt and efficient service, considering the tight deadline that I gave you.
I am sure that without the work that you did to support our original application and in response to the councils request to alter our application, we would not have been granted the planning permission for the size of extension that we wanted and would have had to settle for a smaller space that would not have worked for my family.
Once again, thanks for your winning service.
Tanvir Choudhury, Home Extension
With my sincere thanks to you Andrew for everything you done! No doubt I’ll be in touch again when this goes to committee. Best wishes, Leigh
Leigh-Jane Miller, Gallions Point Harbour Ltd
Andrew worked tirelessly on documenting our objection statement and writing our respective three minute presentations for the Development Control Committee. Our sincere thanks go to Andrew Cann for his diligence, guidance, attention to detail and highly professional approach in helping Bardwell and Stanton Parish Councils with this planning application.
Andrew Smith on behalf of Bardwell and Stanton Parish Councils
I want to place on record my thanks to you for all you have done to advise and assist Pakefield Opposing Tesco in our campaign to stop Tesco taking over the Tramway Hotel in Pakefield, Lowestoft.
The reports you produced were professional, well researched and very knowledgeable about the processes and operations of local authority planning departments and development control committees.
Your work made a major contribution to our campaign which has so far successfully prevented a much loved local building and community facility becoming just another retail store that the local community doesn’t want or need.
Thank you for your work.
Best wishes
Bob Blizzard
Bob Blizzard – Chair, Pakefield Opposing Tesco
I worked with Andrew when the Crossrail Bill, which at the time would have had a severe effect on rail freight, was being considered by the House of Lords. He is a canny operator (pun intended) and was quick to grasp the case and how best to present it to peers who were intelligent but ignorant of the facts. I would recommend him for a project management or strategic role in the ports or freight sector or in an equivalent industry.
Angus Walker Partner / Head of Department at Bircham Dyson Bell