Helping Barnardo's in Blackpool

 

MAZE Planning Solutions is pleased to have helped children's charity Barnardo's establish a new donation centre and shop in Blackpool.

MAZE secured planning permission with the support of officers at Blackpool Council in August to enable Barnardo's to occupy a 550 sq.m (6,000 sq.ft) vacant unit at Cherry Tree Retail Park, Blackpool, FY4 4PH.

The new use combines a 'front of house' retail space together with a larger area devoted  to receiving, sorting and redistributing donated goods to maintain a flow of stock for the charity's established network of stores in the Fylde coast area.

MAZE acted for the retail park owner, Laketime Holiday Ltd.  

Letting agent: Robert Pinkus & Co 

Landlord's legal adviser: Napthens Solicitors

Planning Shake Up

Secretary of State Eric Pickles MP has outlined new measures today intended to give a shot in the arm to the development industry as Government searches for ways to heart-start the UK's stumbling economic performance. 

The reforms, which are proposed to be brought about swiftly to reduce planning delays, include:

• Relaxing permitted development rights for extensions to homes, shops and commercial premises
• Using the Planning Inspectorate to determine planning applications as a substitute for any local authorities with a track record of consistently poor performance.
• Broadening the definition of schemes that will be determined centrally by the Planning Inspectorate, as nationally significant infrastructure projects, to include some commercial and business developments.
• Speeding up the planning appeals process to help bring quicker decisions on commercial development projects in particular.
• Extension by a further year of the October 2009 provisions, Greater Flexibility for Planning Permissions, which enable extensions to the time limits for implementing planning permissions.  Permissions granted on or before 01 October 2010 which remain alive can be renewed by a simplified procedure if they are in danger of lapsing.
• Addressing the viability of developments that are tied to affordable housing contributions which, if reduced or removed, would help housing developments get started.  Local authorities are encouraged to deal with such matters positively and immediately, ahead of any legislative changes.

The Secretary of State's full statement can be viewed here. 

Gateshead Housing Application Submitted

MAZE Planning Solutions has submitted an outline planning application for development of 7 houses in the village of High Spen, Gateshead, on behalf of the owner, Northern Properties.

Maze first secured planning permission for development on the site in 2006.  The revised scheme provides an alternative form of housing to appeal to the current market and preserves an existing home on the site which was previously due to be sacrificed to the development scheme.

Click here for a 3D image of the proposed scheme

Interested purchasers can contact Stephen Smith at Ashley Smith Chartered Surveyors in Durham for further details.