What's New?


Active Design Guidance Update Launches

The updated Active Design Guidance was released recently, drafted by DLA on behalf of our clients Sport England.


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Outline Planning Application Submitted for Residential Development at New Eastern Villages

David Lock Associates has recently submitted an Outline Planning Application (OPA) on behalf of Hannick Homes &…


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grouped tables of people, working on large scale paper.

DLA Named on Homes England Framework Panel

Homes England, has named David Lock Associates as one of 10 suppliers on Lot 2 of the Development and Regeneration…


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Great Leighs, Chelmsford City Council, Essex – Strategic Growth Site

Masterplan Framework document to deliver around 950 new homes, 250 specialist elderly dwellings, together with a…


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Proposed Reforms to the NPPF, Summary Response

In December 2022, the UK Government released a consultation document proposing changes to the National Planning Policy…


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Project Skyway

David Lock on why we need to talk about a proposed long-distance network of drone based delivery ‘superhighways.’


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Promotion at David Lock Associates

DLA is pleased to announce the promotion of Emily Benstead to the role of Planner. This recognition is a result of…


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Achievable Legacy Reforms

Planning policy and practice is falling apart.


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Houlton School wins RTPI Award for Planning Excellence

Houlton School wins the RTPI Award for Planning Excellence for ‘Excellence in Planning for Heritage and Culture’


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DLA Working With STFC

David Lock Associates is delighted to be working with the Science and Technology Facilities Council (part of UK…


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Build Your Career at DLA

We are looking for enthusiastic, bright and committed graduate planners to join our leading spatial planning practice…


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New Recruits and Promotions at DLA

David Lock Associates is delighted to announce several new appointments following a recent recruitment drive, and…


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Illustrative Visualisation Credit: Michael Sparks Associates

Speedy Approval for Prospero Ansty Business Park

David Lock Associates recently secured full planning permission for three flexible B2/B8 units at Prospero Ansty…


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Plan Credit: Align Architecture

Macclesfield Planning Permission Secured

David Lock Associates, on behalf of our client Vistry Homes, have recently secured detailed planning permission from…


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Milton Keynes: ‘What’s the Point?’

We're delighted to be hosting Milton Keynes: 'What's the Point?' on October 20th, with Milton Keynes City Council at…


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Recruiting Assistant CAD Operator

We are seeking an enthusiastic Assistant CAD Operator to join our team.


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Effective Delivery of Strategic Sites: A Toolkit for Planning Authorities Wins RTPI Research Excellence Award

The ‘Effective Delivery of Strategic Sites: A Toolkit for Planning Authorities’ has won at the RTPI Awards for Research…


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‘Effective Delivery of Strategic Sites’ Toolkit Shortlisted for RTPI Research Awards 2022

David Lock Associates, with PAS and the LGA, are delighted to have been shortlisted for the RTPI Awards for Research…


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Baytree Milton Keynes in Full Swing

The Baytree Logistics Development Ltd ‘Baytree Milton Keynes’ industrial and distribution units recently became fully…


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Active Design Guidance Consultation

As part of DLA’s longstanding work with Sport England, we have recently been commissioned to update their Active Design…


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Remembering the Career of Ken Baker

Today is the Memorial and Celebration of Life of our dear friend and former colleague, Ken Baker, hosted by the Fred…


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A Glimpse into the New Plan-Making Framework

The Levelling up & Regeneration Bill landed on 11 May. Behold! a new plan-making framework starts to appear as you read…


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Houlton School Wins ‘Best Project’ Award

Houlton School has won the award for 'Best Project' at the West Midlands RTPI Awards 2022.


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Helping to Create the Next Generation of Placemakers

We recently took a team of our planners and designers to a local secondary school, with Hallam Land, and ran workshops…


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Permission Secured for Box Road

David Lock Associates, on behalf of our client Hallam Land, have received outline planning permission for up to 42…


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Urban Design Graduate Opportunities

David Lock Associates are recruiting graduate Urban Designers, to join our dynamic and growing team and work on our…


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DLA Appointed to Update Sport England’s Active Design Guidance

David Lock Associates are delighted to have been appointed to update and review Sport England’s Active Design Guidance,…


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Permission Secured for Fonnerau Neighbourhood Design Code

David Lock Associates, working on behalf of Bellway Homes, have secured permission for an Overarching Design Code for…


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Houlton School Wins 2022 Planning Award

Houlton School has won the award for best use of heritage in placemaking at the Planning Awards 2022.


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Plan Credit: Edge Urban Design

Gavray Meadows CIC Consultation Event

DLA is pleased to be supporting L&Q Estates and the local community in setting-up an innovative Community Interest…


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DLA appointed to lead the Gedling Design Code Pathfinder

David Lock Associates, in collaboration with Procter & Matthews Architects and Participatr have been appointed by…


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Launch of Two Mile Ash Bluebell Circuit

Last month the Two Mile Ash Bluebell Circuit was launched, a local recreational route opening up two areas of woodland,…


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Milton Keynes – Urban Provocations

In honour of Milton Keynes’ newfound city status, we’ve looked back at our Urban Provocation series which paid homage…


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Cardington

David Lock Associates are delighted to have been appointed by Homes England, under the Multi Disciplinary Panel…


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End of Season Promotion for Milton Keynes

After it’s ‘creation’ over 50 years ago, and on its 4th attempt to gain city status Milton Keynes has finally had the…


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Promotion at David Lock Associates

David Lock Associates is delighted to announce the promotion of Dan West to Planner within the company.


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On Levelling Up

For those whose lives are stuck in a bad way, the Levelling Up White Paper is full of wonderful prospects; the issue…


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Recruiting Planners

David Lock Associates are recruiting graduate and MRTPI chartered planners to join our dynamic and growing planning…


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Milestone for Cranbrook Town Centre

This week a series of major agreements and permissions have been completed resulting in a comprehensive plan for the…


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Strategic Plans: a Review of Plans During the Duty to Co-operate Era

It’s been 10 years since the introduction of the NPPF and the Localism Act, and local planning authorities have since…


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Houlton School Shortlisted for RTPI Planning Award 2022

David Lock Associates, alongside our colleagues at master developer Urban&Civic and Rugby Borough Council, have been…


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Welborne Garden Village Shortlisted for Planning Awards 2022

David Lock Associates, alongside Buckland Development and Fareham Brough Council, have been shortlisted for the 2022…


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Hanwood Park Progresses

The DLA project team working on the Hanwood Park Sustainable Urban Extension recently visited the site and are pleased…


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International Women’s Day 2022

To mark the occasion of International Women’s Day, we invited our colleagues to sit down and discuss their experiences…


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Integrated Rail in the North and the Midlands — Good Balance

The revised plans for HS2 and rail in the North and the Midlands are well judged against needs, rather than a betrayal…


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Outline Application for ‘Hawkwell Village’ Submitted

David Lock Associates has recently submitted, on behalf of Hallam Land Management, an outline application to Cherwell…


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Image courtesy of Urban&Civic

Planning for the Historic Environment

Our new Heritage brochure showcases DLA’s expertise and long experience in planning for the historic environment.


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Image courtesy of Google Earth

DLA Appointed for Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Expansion Plans

David Lock Associates in collaboration with Fathom Architects have been appointed by the Science and Technology…


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Welborne Receives Outline Planning Permission

The Outline Planning Application for Welborne has received planning permission from Fareham Borough Council, following…


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Recruiting Senior Urban Designers

David Lock Associates’ portfolio of exciting projects continues to expand. We are now looking to recruit two senior…


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Graduate Planner Opportunities

We are looking for enthusiastic, bright and committed planners to join our leading spatial planning practice next…


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World Town Planning Day 2021

This year has bought some significant changes for the planning sector, which has opened the conversation up about…


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Completion of Community Facilities at Dollman Farm, Houlton

The expansion of the hugely successful Dollman Farm area at Houlton has recently been completed with the opening of a…


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Design Code approval at Wykham Park Farm, Banbury

A major milestone has been reached at Wykham Park Farm, Banbury, with the approval of the site-wide Design Code by…


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Lost Cities of the Arc?

While COVID-19 distracted us, the Oxford-Cambridge Arc (as it now called) moved along, although the project still…


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Public Exhibition for Sevenoaks Quarry

On Wednesday 20th October, DLA were delighted to present proposals for the redevelopment of Sevenoaks Quarry, Kent, at…


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Innovative partnership unlocks development site

Work has commenced on the construction of seven dwellings on a canal-edge site in Milton Keynes following an innovative…


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DLA welcomes new team members

We’re delighted to welcome several new DLA team members to our office in Milton Keynes. We


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LGA Toolkit on Effective Delivery of Strategic Sites

Today sees the launch of the LGA Toolkit for the Effective Delivery of Strategic Sites.  DLA worked with the LGA to…


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Major Milestone at Houlton, Rugby

A major milestone has been reached today at Houlton, Rugby, with the opening of Houlton School.


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Worcester Revisit – A New Urban Space

Cathedral Plaza, as it was termed, was our suggestion to create a new urban space that could help establish not only a…


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David Lock Associates Announces Promotions

David Lock Associates has announced a series of senior promotions and graduate recruitment, adding strength to its…


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Planning’s endgame or not?

The loud and well resourced opponents of planning, and particularly the 1947 settlement, are misreading the politics of…


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Stonebond Properties to Deliver the First Homes at Waterbeach

David Lock Associates has been engaged in the promotion and delivery of the new town north of Cambridge, at Waterbeach,…


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Baldock North Urban Extension Project

Work is now underway to bring forward proposals for the northern expansion of Baldock in Hertfordshire. David Lock…


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Against all odds: A planmaking triumph of perseverance over adversity

Following the issuing of the Inspectors’ Report finding the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan sound, the authority…


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Stevenage Borough Council goes live with Station Gateway Area Action Plan Consultation

Stevenage Borough Council recently went live with their public consultation, to gain thoughts on the area around the…


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Priors Hall Marches On

Having negotiated outline planning permission for the Priors Hall development in Corby in March, DLA have now submitted…


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‘Where’ is the Future of Logistics?

2020 was a memorable year for many reasons, specifically in the world of logistics; the sector broke all previous…


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Looking Forward for Love MK Day 2021

With our office hub being in Central Milton Keynes and having being situated here for more than 30 years, the new town…


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An important step forward for Hanwood Park

Outline planning permission for the ongoing easterly expansion of Kettering known as Hanwood Park and delivering as…


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Recruiting Experienced Urban Designers, Masterplanners and Layout Designers

David Lock Associates’ portfolio of exciting projects continues to expand, and we are now looking to recruit.


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RICS Guidance on Viability in Planning

The RICS has issued new guidance for financial viability assessments in planning (FVAs). The new guidance supports the…


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Are you looking for a new challenge as we emerge from lockdown?

David Lock Associates is recruiting Senior Associate/Associate/Senior level planners


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DLA launches the Digital Studio

We are delighted to be launching the DLA Digital Studio!


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Latest score: Cambridge and MK 1, Oxford and Bucks 0

The Ox Cam Expressway has been ‘cancelled’ so where does that leave strategic infrastructure?


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Permission secured for new homes at Macclesfield

DLA has secured outline planning permission for 310 new homes to the south of Macclesfield, on behalf of Vistry Group.


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International Women’s Day 2021

This International Women’s Day presented us with a unique situation, given the current climate we aren’t able to…


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Cranbrook Town Centre Milestone

Cranbrook has reached another hugely significant milestone this January with approval of East Devon District Council’s…


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Digital Dagenham

During the global pandemic the importance of data centres has been realised, they are key pieces of national…


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Circle Health Rehabilitation Hospital shortlisted for 2021 RTPI Planning Award

David Lock Associates and our architect colleagues at Bryden Wood have been named as finalists in the category for…


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Logistics Permission Secured by DLA

DLA have successfully secured detailed planning permission, on behalf of our client Baytree Logistics Properties.


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Promotions at David Lock Associates

David Lock Associates is delighted to announce the promotions of Victoria Owen and Matthew Hewitt to Planner positions…


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Doncaster Railway Station

We are delighted to see the regeneration story at Doncaster continuing at pace with the completion of the new Railway…


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Virtual Work Experience

Friday marked the end of our second week of Virtual Work Experience at David Lock Associates. Building on the success…


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DLA Feature in RIBA’s London 21 Directory

DLA are proud to be included, with our architect colleagues at Bryden Wood, in the London 21 RIBA publication for the…


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Standard method and constraints in five plans

The Planning for the Future White Paper proposes establishing housing requirements that factor in land constraints.…


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Recruiting Ambitious Planners

We are recruiting Associate and Senior Associate level planners to join our busy and innovative company.


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DLA is recruiting experienced masterplanners

We are looking for senior masterplanners with an outstanding track record to work on some of the UK's most significant…


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Graduate job opportunities: Make sure your application stands out from the crowd

DLA is recruiting graduate planners and virtual work experience candidates.


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Green light for major urban extension to Corby

DLA has secured two unanimous resolutions to grant outline planning permission at committee for a major cross-boundary…


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The Planning White Paper – An Alternative Vision

In her headline speech at the TCPA Annual Conference, DLA’s Managing Partner Julia Foster argues that successful reform…


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Become Part Of A Leading Creative Spatial Planning Practice

We are looking for enthusiastic, bright and committed planners and urban designers to join our leading spatial planning…


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Garden Communities and New Towns Conference

DLA recently exhibited at a BEN Conference to highlight our work with Garden Communities & New Towns.


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DLA retains EIA Quality Mark

Following a review of DLA's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) activities by the Institute of Environmental…


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Planning Permission granted for new regional headquarters on major Midlands employment site

DLA is delighted to have secured planning permission from Rugby Borough Council, on behalf of Manse Opus (Ansty) LLP,…


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White Paper – Planning for the Future – Response of David Lock Associates

As one of the largest independent town planning and urban design consultancy practices in the UK, DLA welcomes the…


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DLA to provide masterplanning and infrastructure advice in Tunbridge Wells

David Lock Associates is delighted to be appointed by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to advise on masterplanning and…


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Planning Permission granted for Care Home in East Sussex

David Lock Associates has helped clients - Icon Design & Build - secure planning permission for an 84-bedroom Care Home…


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DLA COVID-19 Risk Assessment

As the long autumn shadows stretch across the courtyard at North Thirteenth Street, we are settling into a new term.…


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Unnecessary Trouble

Support for the principle of major reform of the planning system is widespread, but the Planning White Paper's ideas…


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A win for DLA at the Planning Awards 2020!

DLA has won the award for plan-making at the Planning Awards 2020 for our work on the Strategic Growth Study for Milton…


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Sport England – Making a Planning Application Guide

DLA has been delighted to work with Sport England on their Making a Planning Application Guide, which has recently been…


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The Osborns at Welwyn Garden City

In an article for the TCPA celebrating 'Welwyn Garden City at 100', David Lock outlines the contribution of Frederic…


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Plaster Pyramids and Market Places

Driven by and named after Article 25 of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 is a…


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Redevelopment in Aylesbury Vale given go ahead

David Lock Associates (DLA) has obtained outline planning permission on behalf of Mr Peter Dean and Archaylen Property…


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South Oxford Local Plan Virtual EiP – a first view of the new ‘normal’

This week we have been representing Hallam Land Management at the virtual South Oxfordshire Local Plan Examination in…


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Time to rebuild the public’s trust in our Planning System

Has confidence in planning as a public service ever been so low? Like most, I have been watching with interest as the…


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Phase Two plans submitted for the regeneration of Hayle Harbour

Plans for ‘Phase Two’ of the Hayle Harbour regeneration project have been submitted to Cornwall Council by David Lock…


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How DLA are helping to inspire the next generation of Town Planners and Urban Designers

This week we're embarking on our biggest technical challenge of lockdown so far. We've had DLA staff meetings with 60+…


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The Planning system has been relaxed – The implications PART 2

Part one of this blog considered the temporary measures which have been introduced regarding relaxation of the rules on…


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The Planning system has been relaxed – The implications PART 1

This two-part blog outlines how the planning system has been temporarily relaxed in response to COVID-19, how the…


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Economic Planning Post COVID-19

When COVID-19 entered our vocabulary earlier this year, the virus was considered to be a great leveller. We all stood…


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Demise of Intu – An inevitable step along a pre-destined journey?

That debt laden Intu finally went into administration last Friday did not come entirely as a shock to many observers of…


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Two Mile Ash Bluebell Circuit approved

David Lock Associates were asked by the Two Mile Ash Environmental Group (TMAEG) if we could, as part of the company's…


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The role of symbols in public spaces: are they outdated?

Senior Urban Designer Owen Reading questions the role of symbols in our public spaces.


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Living in a “virtual inquiry” world – Top Tips

With The Planning Inspectorate's (PINS) move to "virtual" hearings and inquiries, DLA's Duncan Chadwick and Landmark…


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‘Garden Villages and Garden Towns: Visions & Reality’ – Observations from the Coal Face

DLA's Heather Pugh reflects on the commentary on the perceived success of the current round of Garden Villages…


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Decarbonising Transport – a role for ‘Manual for Streets’?

Senior Urban Designer/Planner Scott Gibson looks at how we can design our streets, to play a role in decarbonising…


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A Pattern for our times

As lockdown continues, DLA's Simon Collier rediscovers the teachings of classic urban design text that is Christopher…


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Plans for Glenvale Park SUE in Wellingborough move forward

A hat-trick of reserved matters applications for the Glenvale Park Sustainable Urban Extension at Wellingborough were…


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Is a new era dawning for urban design and planning? Don’t bank on it just yet

It's time for a coordinated campaign for changes to public policy so that success is measured not only by the financial…


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Design Code for Waterbeach given green light

Today, South Cambridgeshire District Council approved the Design Code for the first phase of development at Waterbeach.…


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Lessons from my local park

Urban Designer Owen Reading writes about the human value of our local parks and the lessons we can learn for the design…


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Virus Orientated Growth: Data Centres

Viruses are historically the enemy of computing capabilities. However, COVID-19 has caused a dramatic spike in the…


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Duty to Cooperate – a pitfall for spatial planning

The Duty to Cooperate (DtC) has brought several Local Plans crashing down at Examination. The latest victim being the…


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Scratching the sky

David Lock on the Department for Transport's decision to open up UK skies to advertising and messaging through…


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An ever-growing case for Green (and Blue) Infrastructure

Since moving to Milton Keynes from London two years ago my family and I very quickly grew to love the city’s park…


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Rejection of North Essex Garden Communities – A bitter blow for making places

The Local Plan Inspector’s rejection of two out of the three North Essex Garden Communities again shines a light on a…


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Building Council Homes: Programme Study for Nottingham City Council

Nottingham City Council was successfully awarded grant funding from the Local Government Association's Building Homes…


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Logistics post COVID-19: Why we need to love logistics

In less than 90 days, COVID-19 has changed the global logistics economy forever. For decades outdated misconceptions by…


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Where is retail? Online…at the moment

I suspect the wider recovery will begin with WACD (What Amazon Can't Do), the problem is that a lot of this is about…


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Promotions at DLA

DLA is delighted to announce two important promotions. Our colleague Nick Walker is promoted to Lead GIS Specialist,…


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Delivering a new community for Banbury

Following the grant of outline planning permission in December 2019 for development proposals submitted by DLA, L&Q…


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DLA’s Masterplan for Hinckley Town Centre wins support

David Lock Associates have recently completed the Hinckley Town Centre Public Realm Masterplan for Hinckley & Bosworth…


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A city reclaimed by nature – what has Pripyat shown us?

As the lockdown reduces pressure on the natural world, DLA's Owen Reading recalls a trip to Chernobyl, where nature's…


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Staines-upon-Thames – a masterplan for the town centre

Spelthorne Borough Council has appointed a team led by town planning and urban design experts David Lock Associates to…


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Virtual Planning Committees

We're pursuing planning applications with 51 councils across England. On behalf of our clients, we're monitoring the…


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Supporting our community

David Lock Associates sends our very best wishes to our entire community and beyond, as we continue to face very…


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Hanwood Park, East Kettering

Working on behalf of Hanwood Park LLP, the principal developer/promoter of the East Kettering Sustainable Urban…


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David Lock: Town and Country Planning in the time of Covid-19

The outbreak of Covid-19 has impacted the planning industry in a range of ways; David Lock discusses how in an…


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Stewardship of public green space – using land values for endowments

David Lock on what might be done, at local and national levels, to make progress on the crucial issue of the…


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DLA shortlisted for Planning Awards 2020

We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Planning Magazine Award for Plan Making for our work on the Strategic…


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Freeports & Zonal Planning

In February, HM Government published the Freeports Consultation¹ with the strapline "boosting trade, jobs and…


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DLA’s 3D printer producing equipment for the NHS

DLA's Mark Prestige has been 3D printing face shield visor pieces for the NHS.


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Dollman Farm expansion approved

Working on behalf of Urban&Civic and alongside Juice Architects, DLA has secured reserved matters approval for the…


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Contingency Planning for Coronavirus (CV19) – DLA Statement 12th March 2020

DLA is acting to minimise the infection risk to staff, clients and other professional contacts; and to maintain our…


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DLA Australia has changed its name to kinetica

With some pride we can report that our sister company in Australia, known for the past 22 years as DLA Australia, is…


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Radical reform at last?

We must be open to fresh thinking on the management of the use of land, says David Lock.


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Urban Extension to Worcester given go ahead

Acting on behalf of Hallam Land Management Ltd., DLA has received planning consent for a high quality, mixed use…


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DLA secure planning approval in Aylesbury Vale

Working on behalf of Brickhill Homes, DLA has obtained reserved matters approval for ten dwellings in the village of…


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Local Development Orders and Enterprise Zones (Part 2)

Enterprise Zones were reintroduced in 2011, and a requirement upon acceptance of Enterprise Zone (EZ) status was that…


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Welwyn Garden City’s Centenary

David Lock on Welwyn Garden City's origins and its Centenary celebrations in 2020.


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2050 Growth Study for Milton Keynes

This week sees the publication of DLA’s MK2050 Milton Keynes Strategic Growth Study, undertaken as background evidence…


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The Raynsford Review – ‘one year on’

A report one year on from the Raynsford Review, looking at how Planning has evolved since its publication, has been…


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Planning Permission approved for a new hospital in Edgbaston

On behalf of Calthorpe Estates, DLA has secured detailed planning permission for a new children's cancer treatment…


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Biggest Permissions 2019

After another year of excellent planning and masterplanning by our talented and hard-working team, DLA is delighted to…


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Sports Management Magazine feature ‘Planning for Sport’

DLA's Planning Associate Joseph Carr features in the latest Sports Management magazine talking about our work with…


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DLA’s Julia Foster joins panel of experts at UK Active National Summit

DLA's Managing Partner Julia Foster will be joining an incredible line up of speakers at today's UK Active National…


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6,000-home Hampshire Garden Village approved

An outline planning application for Welborne Garden Village has received a 'resolution to grant' by Fareham Borough…


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DLA travel to Kyiv for World Bank sponsored project

DLA's Owen Reading is in Kyiv this week supporting our sister company ITP on a World Bank funded rapid transit project…


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Become Part Of A Leading Creative Spatial Planning Practice

DLA will be visiting universities in London, Sheffield and Newcastle over the next few weeks looking to recruit…


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Plans for Houlton Secondary School given green light

DLA has negotiated reserved matters and listed building consent for a 6FE secondary / 6th form school at Houlton,…


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Cambridgeshire County Council Civic Hub approved at Alconbury Weald

David Lock Associates has secured, under delegated powers, full planning permission for Cambridgeshire County Council's…


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Graduate Recruitment 2019

As we enter the 2019 recruitment season, and the prospect of applying for a graduate role nears, we thought we'd share…


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Squeezing it in – green belt planning is floundering

e all know that the providing enough houses in places that are attractive and where there is a chance to work and put…


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DLA secures approval for 575 homes at Nuneaton

David Lock Associates (DLA) has secured Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council's approval for its outline planning…


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Successful conclusion for development in Barrow, Lancashire

David Lock Associates has recently (05.09.2019) secured full planning permission for 233 dwellings at Barrow, near…


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Office refurbishment continues at DLA

The refurbishment of our building has almost reached the halfway point!


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Designing for good health, or simply good planning?

NHS England has launched new guidance - Putting Health into Place - to draw together these two disciplines to achieve…


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Restoration of listed building completed at Alconbury Weald

The repair and restoration of the Grade II listed Watch Office at Alconbury Weald has been completed following work by…


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Permission granted for brownfield redevelopment in Buckingham

David Lock Associates has secured full planning permission for the demolition of a derelict former Scout Hall and its…


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Detailed plans for Hayle Harbour win approval

DLA has secured Cornwall Council's approval of the Reserved Matters for a first phase of comprehensive regeneration at…


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DLA appointed to support creation of Lichfield city centre master plan

Lichfield District Council has appointed David Lock Associates to help drive forward the creation of a new master plan…


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Planning for a new Prime Minister

David Lock reviews some of the policy ideas for the new Prime Minister put forward by the influential centre-right…


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Our office is undergoing major refurbishment

From 22nd July we will be carrying out extensive building works to our office to completely refurbish our reception and…


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New Planning-for-Sport Guidance released

A new guide on how the planning system can help provide opportunities for everyone to be physically active has been…


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Chipping away the Green Belt

Since 2011, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have published annual statistics of the Green…


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Looking to the future for Hinckley Town Centre

A public consultation on the future of Hinckley town centre's public spaces has been launched this weekend (21/06/19).…


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Hydrogen fuel cells for cars -a better path to follow?

David Lock suggests that the increasingly familiar charging infrastructure for electric vehicles may quickly become…


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Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission – Call for Evidence?

I read the recent announcements that the Commission for BBBB have decided to start their activities with a 'call for…


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David Lock Associates announces Promotions

David Lock Associates has announced a number of Planning promotions.


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Resolution to Grant Consent for 6,500 New Homes at Waterbeach

South Cambridgeshire District Council yesterday resolved to grant planning permission for a new settlement at…


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Drone License opens up new capabilities at DLA

DLA is excited to be able to offer an additional service to our clients following the success of our Systems Designer…


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Pippedy pippedy PIP

I recently took part in a panel discussion with Planning Futures[1] on the topic of planning for SME builders. Since…


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Success for young Urban Designer at DLA

Congratulations to DLA's Assistant Urban Designer and Planner Helen Hepher who has recently been awarded a Fred Roche…


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Driverless Vehicles

David Lock looks at whether driverless vehicles will solve our transport problems.


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Green light for Garden Neighbourhood plan in Suffolk

A master plan prepared by DLA for a new garden neighbourhood adjoining Beccles and Worlingham in East Suffolk has been…


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CHLOE shortlisted for Planning Awards 2019

DLA's masterplanning tool CHLOE has been shortlisted in the 2019 Planning Awards for 'Use of New Technology in…


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Success at National Urban Design Awards

DLA’s Owen Reading has won the award in the student category at this year’s National Urban Design Awards.


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Double win for DLA at Business Achievement Awards

DLA are delighted to have received recognition at this year's Milton Keynes Business Achievement Awards in two…


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DLA Partner presents at Oxford to Cambridge Arc debate

Partner Heather Pugh appeared as part of a panel to discuss the Oxford to Cambridge Arc at a MOLA (Museum of London…


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Spirit of new towns reflected in new gallery opening in Milton Keynes

David Lock Associates are delighted as corporate sponsors of MK Gallery that it is reopening its doors to the public on…


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Fleecehold – creeping forward on stewardship

David Lock on stewardship arrangements for public green space and a House of Commons debate on freehold estate fees.


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Building Better, Building Beautiful?

With “beauty” back on the agenda, will design quality be the lynchpin that makes new housing popular? asks Katie…


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Special birthday greetings to Wyndham Thomas CBE

Click here to read David Lock's article for the TCPA on Wyndham Thomas CBE.


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Bid to build extra care housing

David Lock Associates appeared at a Section 78 appeal hearing last week.


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Construction underway on new urban extension to St Neots

Building work has started on a 2,800-home urban extension to St Neots.


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Stewardship of SuDS

The issue of stewardship - of public assets of all kinds - must be fully addressed, says David Lock.


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Digital Fields of Brown

Brownfield land registers were introduced in 2017 as a way of providing up-to-date and consistent information on…


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DLA Planning Appeal Success in Aylesbury Vale

DLA has won an appeal and had permission granted, on behalf of a private landowner, to build 10 dwellings in the…


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Local Development Orders and Enterprise Zones

Enterprise zones were reintroduced in 2011, and a requirement upon acceptance of Enterprise Zone (EZ) status was that…


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DLA achieves Outline approval for new homes at Macclesfield

Cheshire East Council has approved an Outline application DLA submitted on behalf of Bovis Homes for up to 330 homes to…


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Green light for Eastern Gateway enterprise park

DLA has received outline planning permission on behalf of Ipswich Borough Council, for 100,000 sq m of employment and…


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Fact-finding in Myanmar

Stephen Haines, Urban Design Partner at DLA, is currently engaged in an exciting fact-finding project in Yangon,…


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Lessons in Early Infrastructure Delivery at Houlton

Two major milestones in the delivery of infrastructure at Houlton, Rugby have recently been reached, highlighting Urban…


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DLA planner wins award

DLA's Assistant Planner Emma Woodhouse has been awarded the RTPI North East Student Award for a group project titled…


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Planning 2020

The final report on the Raynsford Review of Planning was launched in the House of Lords today (20th November).


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Buzzing Bees at DLA

In June earlier this year, DLA welcomed 20,000 worker bees and a queen to a new beehive in our garden.


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Government responds to the NIC Recommendations for the O2C Arc

Somewhat under the radar, the government published its response to the NIC’s Partnering for Prosperity in the…


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New appointments at DLA

We are pleased to welcome back Andrew Williamson who joins us as a Senior Associate to take up the position of Creative…


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Milton Keynes Community Foundation Vital Signs 2018

“By most measures, Milton Keynes is a highly successful place: growing population, strong average earnings, high Gross…


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Become part of a leading creative Spatial Planning Practice

DLA will be at Cardiff University and the University of Birmingham Careers Fairs this week looking to recruit graduate…


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Over 5,000 new homes approved for new community in Peterborough

Outline planning consent has been granted for 5,350 new homes at Great Haddon in Peterborough.


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Chinese delegates return to MK

DLA recently welcomed back delegates from Hangzhou in China for a study tour of Milton Keynes.The senior urban…


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On stewardship

David Lock on the importance of long-term stewardship of community assets within the Garden City model.


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High Densities – the NPPF’s solution to the housing crisis?

In the planning tug-of-war of unattainable housing need and design quality, higher density development should be…


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How long does it take to adopt a local plan?

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government track progress of local plans for local planning authorities…


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Groundbreaking – work starts at Ansty

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government track progress of local plans for local planning authorities…


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DLA commissioned for strategic development in Braintree

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government track progress of local plans for local planning authorities…


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DLA to present at National Infrastructure Forum 2018

Following her popular 2017 presentation, DLA’s Heather Pugh will again be presenting at this year’s National…


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Marston Valley

DLA is pleased to be leading the consultant team who submitted an Outline planning application for a series of villages…


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New graduates join DLA

David Lock Associates welcomes four new graduates this summer.


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David Lock Associates sponsor Housing Session at the Oxford Cambridge Corridor Economic Growth Conference

On the 21st June, prominent business and public-sector leaders will come together in Milton Keynes for the Oxford…


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Central Primary Street gets approval at Rugby

David Lock Associates has secured reserved matters approval for the Central Primary Street at the Radio Station Rugby…


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Promotions at David Lock Associates

David Lock Associates has announced a number of promotions.


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Plans submitted for Historic Hayle Harbour

Plans for a mixed-use scheme to regenerate Hayle Harbour have been submitted to Cornwall Council by David Lock…


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“Planning 2020”

The interim report on the Raynsford Review of Planning was released in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 15th May.


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Endorsement for major employment facility in the Midlands

Rugby Borough Council has resolved to grant planning permission for a 46,000 m² manufacturing facility at Prospero…


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High Density

David Lock on questions surrounding the issue of high development densities.


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Wintringham: Resolution to Grant for 2,800 homes in St Neots

Huntingdonshire District Council has resolved to grant planning permission for a new urban extension at St Neots in…


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DLA secures timely approval in Northampton

DLA has obtained Reserved Matters approval for a large, first phase of a 1,000-home southerly extension to Northampton…


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