HTA Planning played a critical role in determining the planning strategy and advising on complex policy compliance matters. We began by mapping out options for successful delivery, resulting in the ‘hybrid’ planning approach to best align with the Council’s vision of self-delivering better homes within a safer neighbourhood through a self-delivery vehicle. This dovetailed with the site masterplanning process and formed the blueprint for pre-application engagement, shaped by extensive consultation with the local community. A process of ongoing planning review of masterplan testing and options, alongside consistent planning appraisal and advice to the Council, enabled the design to positively address key policy issues, including housing need, tenure and mix, tall buildings, open space and design quality. A considered response to the sensitive heritage and townscape context posed by the Fore Street Conservation Area and other nearby heritage assets, including adjacent Victorian terraces and the modernist characteristics of the existing estate buildings, was a priority. This required us to carefully negotiate with the LPA to demonstrate that the scale and design of the development would significantly improve their setting.
