Phase Two plans submitted for the regeneration of Hayle Harbour

In an article for the TCPA celebrating 'Welwyn Garden City at 100', David Lock outlines the contribution of Frederic and Margaret Osborn to the development and life of Welwyn Garden City.

Driven by and named after Article 25 of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 is a humanitarian architectural charity which helps vulnerable communities around the world through design to improve health, livelihoods and resilience to disasters. Over the previous 9 years, their annual flagship fundraising event '10x10 London' has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to help them carry out their incredible work on over 90 projects in 34 countries.

David Lock Associates (DLA) has obtained outline planning permission on behalf of Mr Peter Dean and Archaylen Property Limited for 18 dwellings and related development at Coldstream Farm, Worminghall on the edge of the former Aylesbury Vale district.

This week we have been representing Hallam Land Management at the virtual South Oxfordshire Local Plan Examination in Public (EiP), the first event of its kind. The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) has already expressed that similar virtual events are here to stay for the foreseeable and has recently announced the virtual resumption of a number of other EiPs as well as launching a new guide on how to participate in virtual events.

Has confidence in planning as a public service ever been so low? Like most, I have been watching with interest as the 'Westferry Farce' unfolds across the tabloids, with seemingly a new turn every week. Whilst details are murky (and I am not going to embark on a sentencing of our Rt Hon Mr Jenrick in this piece), its impacts on our profession on a day to day basis could be catastrophic.

This week we're embarking on our biggest technical challenge of lockdown so far. We've had DLA staff meetings with 60+ attendees (and thankfully the ability to mute each other) and regular 'virtual' meetings with our colleagues, clients and co-consultants since March but we are about to go to another level!

Part one of this blog considered the temporary measures which have been introduced regarding relaxation of the rules on change of use in the high street and the extensions to permissions that have been granted. However, as the economy adapts to different ways of working, shopping, and socialising, there are profound implications for the way in which we will use buildings in the future and the demand for buildings in different sectors.

This two-part blog outlines how the planning system has been temporarily relaxed in response to COVID-19, how the property market might respond to the implications of the pandemic and if more permanent changes to the planning system could help.

When COVID-19 entered our vocabulary earlier this year, the virus was considered to be a great leveller. We all stood an equal chance of being infected, receiving care, recovery and for some, sadly no longer being with loved ones. But in the space of a few months it has become clear that the virus discriminates.

That debt laden Intu finally went into administration last Friday did not come entirely as a shock to many observers of all things retail. While COVID-19 undeniably represents the massive plank that broke the camel's back, the financial picture for the Shopping Centre giant had not been a happy one for some time.