The New Year has got off to a flying start for Mesh clients waiting on planning permission for their projects with 16 applications receiving the go ahead since mid-December. This flurry of positive planning decisions underlines a trend we’ve noticed in the past few months.

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How long does the planning process take?

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You may have heard that the Local Authority planners in Leeds have been struggling to keep up with a high demand for planning decisions and that it has been difficult to predict whether even simple, uncontentious proposals will secure approval.

It’s true that our planning department has been sadly under-resourced in the face of increasing complexity in the legislation they have to oversee. But, in recent months, we’ve noticed a significant improvement in the time it takes for the planners to reach a decision. Greater resource from slightly increased fees and the arrival of experienced new planning officers has led to faster more confident decisions.‍

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Is there anything we can do to improve our chances?

Building on our recent experience, Mesh has developed a strategy designed to improve the chances of getting your proposals approved efficiently. Rather than submitting an application and getting negative feedback and a refusal, in most cases we now recommend going through the pre-application process, which has recently become a viable option.

Why do you recommend a pre-application?

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A pre-application offers real benefits:

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A pre-application allows for dialogue between us and the planners. This means we can be more collaborative with the planning officer and understand what they are likely to welcome.

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A pre-app and subsequent application are often quicker than an application, refusal and resubmission and it’s a more positive experience for all parties.

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Working with the planning officer and viewing them as a necessary part of our team leads to better designs. The constructive criticism and guidance allowed by the pre-application route leads to bolder more creative buildings, because the pre-app gives clients scope to explore braver options, whether that’s materials, layout or construction techniques.

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The volume and variety of applications and pre-applications we work on means that we have good relationships with the Planning Departments in Leeds and across the region. We’re always happy to chat through your objectives and ideas and give you some friendly, frank advice about your chances of getting approval. There’s no cost for an initial meeting and it’s a great way to see if you think we can work together.

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