A major planning application proposing the new Stockport Homes headquarters in Stockport town centre.
Background
One of NJL’s long-term projects is the redevelopment of the former Lamborghini salesroom at Edward Street, Stockport.
Working on behalf of Quorum Estates Limited, NJL was brought on board in 2012 to provide planning advice on future uses at the site. When Quorum then took part in a tendering process for the new Stockport Homes headquarters, NJL assisted in assembling the bid and putting together a planning case, with Quorum going on to win the tender.
With a partnership between Quorum and Stockport Homes having been established, NJL was retained as lead planning consultant, overseeing the extensive pre-application process, community consultation and planning application.
Challenges
The car salesroom is a locally listed building within a Conservation Area, and so the strategy was to reach an in-principle agreement on the demolition of the building and erection of a new office development prior to submission of the application. This involved extensive liaison with English Heritage and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council early on in the process.
In preparing the detailed planning application, NJL worked with the project team to coordinate the submission, preparing a Planning Statement, Statement of Community Involvement and Sustainability Statement in-house. The case for development set out within the Planning Statement justified the loss of the building when weighed up against the regeneration benefits of the scheme and provided a planning rationalisation for the proposed development.
Results
NJL then monitored the planning application through to determination, speaking in favour of the proposals at the planning committee and facilitating unanimous approval within just eight weeks.
NJL will now assist in the implementation of the planning permission by preparing applications to discharge pre-commencement conditions, in order to ensure that a start on site can be made as quickly as possible.
Image used courtesy of AEW Architects.