gcp Consulting

New Urban Design Compendium published

National regeneration agency English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation have published an updated manual on urban design. The manual (Urban Design Compendium parts 1 & 2) is complemented with an interactive web version.

For further advice please contact Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer on 0117 932 8888.

Draft guidance issued on validating planning applications

Draft best practice guidance has been issued to local authorities by the Department of Communities and Local Government for the validation of planning applications.  

The guidance is designed to support the standard application forms and outlines the new procedures for the validation of planning applications by local planning authorities. It provides guidance on the scope of material that should be supplied with planning applications and outlines the benefits of 'validation checklists' in helping local planning authorities achieve good performance. The guidance is intended to provide both local planning authorities and applicants with greater certainty as to the nature and extent of information required in order to validate applications.  

The guidance replaces the Best Practice Guidance on the Validation of Planning Applications published in March 2005. For further advice please contact Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer on 0117 932 8888.

gcp goes to Eden

In September Nicola Thorogood and Elaine Olphert of gcp attended the 3rd annual Architecture sans Frontières-UK (ASF-UK) Summer School at the Eden Project. The ASF-UK International Education Programme raises awareness worldwide about International Development. They teach the essential participatory tools and techniques that enable people living in poverty to improve their living conditions. This is done by training and sending people to assist with suitable knowledge, skills and expertise to engage appropriately with communities, helping to create successful, highly relevant projects within vulnerable communities by empowering them to bring about change from within.

The workshop titled 'Building Communities, Sustainable Livelihoods and Social Enterprise', explored the strategic role that building professionals 'must' play in building sustainable livelihoods when working with vulnerable communities.

The course will ultimately lead to the construction of the first permanent building in the UK made entirely from waste. It will use initial concepts designs and building component prototypes put together by participants of the Summer School.

We hope that by attending the ASF- UK Summer School gcp will be more aware of how the building industry can help to bridge the gap, and provide a better understanding as building professions into the requirements and processes involved in long-term development and post-disaster reconstruction worldwide. We sincerely hope that this will be the start of gcp's understanding of the issues surrounding this complex and very important subject.

For more information on Architecture sans Frontières-UK or their Future Workshops, visit their website: www.asf-uk.org or contact Elaine Olphert, Architect on 0117 932 8888.

Homes for the future - Housing Green Paper

Yvette Cooper, Minister for Housing and Planning has announced the launch of the Government's Housing Green Paper - Homes for the Future: More affordable, more sustainable.

The paper introduces a raft of measures on affordable homes, planning, funding, strategy and more. Built around three key principles:

• Increasing housing supply, setting aside £8m to help local councils to find and develop land;
• More affordable homes;
• Greener, better-designed homes.

The Government consultation on the proposals ended on 15th October 2007. If we can help or advise further please contact Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer on 0117 932 8888.

South West RSS Examination In Public

The EIP on the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) ended on 6 July 2007, where the independent panel heard evidence from a wide range of participants on the main issues raised in the Summer 2006 consultation.

Under the new planning system introduced under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 the regional tier of planning has enhanced status. The RSS will set the strategic and long-term development plan context for the Local Development Frameworks prepared by local authorities across each region.

Amongst other policies in the plan the RSS requires that all new and refurbished buildings achieve at least Level 3 above minimum building standards in the Code for Sustainable Homes and Level 5 for all larger scale developments. The final RSS is due for publication early 2008.

Planning White Paper - for a sustainable future

On 21st May 2007 the Government published its long awaited Planning White Paper - Planning for a Sustainable Future, setting out proposals for the further reform of the planning system. Key proposals include

• a new system to deal with major infrastructure projects with new approaches to community engagement, the use of independent decision makers and inquiry procedures;
• simplification of the planning system for householders to make it easier for home improvements where there is little or no impact on neighbours;
• proposals to ensure planning plays a bigger role in climate change;
• changes to the development plan system to enable plans to be prepared more quickly; and
• adjustments to the appeals system.

Consultation on the proposals ended on 17th August 2007. If we can help or advise further, please contact Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer on 0117 932 8888.

PPS3: The Time for change

Since April 2007, planning authorities have been required to have regard to Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3), which sets out how the planning system will support the growth in housing completions needed in England. With greater emphasis on Brownfield development, affordable family housing, good design and tougher environmental standards, the policy has caused a stir throughout the industry.

Through initially site evaluation we can make an assessment to determine the most appropriate form of development encompassing the objectives of PPS3. Alternatively, if you are experiencing problems with an existing planning application we may be able to help.

Contact Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer on 0117 932 8888 to find out more.

Housing Corporation launch Design and Quality Strategy and revised standards

Housing Corporation launch Design and Quality Strategy and revised standards In April 2007 the Housing Corporation released their Design and Quality Strategy and revised Standards. These set out the Corporation's requirements and recommendations for all new homes that receive Social Housing Grant. Thus ensuring that affordable housing providers produce well-designed, good quality housing to meet the needs of people in places they want to live.

These standards replace the Scheme Development Standards (SDS) for the new funding round 2008-11 and follow sustainable development thinking such as the introduction of the Code for Sustainable Homes and reaffirming the commitment to Lifetime Homes principles.

Carbon Zero Taskforce

The 2016 Zero Carbon Homes Taskforce was established in February 2007 in the context of the 'Building a Greener Future' consultation. This is working towards delivering the UK government's commitment to achieving zero carbon standards for all new homes by 2016. The Code for Sustainable Homes is an integral part of this drive and gcp Consulting are ready to get going on carrying out assessments under this new scheme.

To find out how we can help contact Nicola Thorogood, Sustainability Projects Coordinator on 0117 932 8888.

Moving towards greener housing gcp breakfast seminars - Tuesday 5 June, Wednesday 6 June and Tuesday 19 June 2007

gcp hosted a series of free breakfast seminars to introduce clients to The Code for Sustainable Homes. The two-hour sessions included an illustrated comparison of the existing EcoHomes assessment with the new Code and showed how this affects your housing project.

Please call Nicola Thorogood, Sustainability Projects Coordinator, on 0117 932 8888 for more information.

Open day - Tuesday 19 June 2007 Planning for the future: Rural Development

gcp hosted an open day for farmers, rural landowners and owners of property in the green belt; who were invited to call in at any time between 10.30am and 5.00pm to view our converted farm building. Chat to the team on all aspects of rural development, including farm diversification, development within the Green Belt, the conversion and re-use of buildings and more. This open day is being promoted in conjunction with Architecture Week www.architectureweek.org.uk

Call Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer, on 0117 932 8888 for more information

gcp stages wind turbine demo

Plans to site a wind turbine at a recycling centre in Bath are gaining momentum. Residents of Bath witnessed the true scale of the proposal when a 24ft balloon flew 148ft above the site.

Working with Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council, gcp undertook a visual impact assessment, putting an end to speculation surrounding the impact of the proposed structure on the historic city landscape.

Since announcing the plans for the wind turbine in late 2005, the scheme has brought the issue of renewable energy to the forefront. If successful, the initiative will provide the first renewable energy scheme of its kind in the B&NES area. To find out more about this scheme contact Jeremy Pilling, Director, on 0117 932 8888

gcp qualify as assessors under Code for Sustainable Homes

By 2016, developers of all new homes built in England will have to demonstrate that their scheme is carbon neutral.

The introduction of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which applies to all Housing Corporation funded developments, is the latest initiative from the government towards this target.

From now on, such new schemes must be externally assessed and achieve at least Level 3 under the Code.

gcp has gained accreditation from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to carry out such assessments and has also developed complimentary pre-assessment services to give clients early warning of how proposed schemes might rate under the new Code. For more information please contact Nicola Thorogood, Sustainability Projects Coordinator, on 0117 932 8888.

New planning policy statement set to focus on climate change

Introduced in December 2006 the new planning policy statement Planning and Climate Change forms part of a raft of policy changes launched by Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly.

Moving beyond the traditional scope of spatial planning, the new PPS (expected in March 2007 but still yet to be published) is anticipated to suggests a major step forward in addressing how the planning system could tackle climate change.

We are faced with ever-increasing risks of flooding, heat waves and drought as well as growing pressure on water supplies and negative impacts on bio-diversity and the landscape. The statement looks set to make climate change a material consideration in all planning decisions. This will have profound implications on the practices of planners, urban designers, architects and developers alike.

gcp can advise on the impact of the new planning policy statement. To find out more contact Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer, 0117 932 8888.

gcp appointed consultants to Avonmouth wind turbines project

We have been commissioned to undertake a scoping exercise to inform a planning application for the proposed installation of three turbines at an industrial site in Avonmouth. Following an initial feasibility study in November 2006 we are now due to be commissioned to establish the commercial and financial viability of the scheme.

If the project gets the green light, the scheme will contribute to the Government's targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, powering a significant proportion of the site's energy needs. Identified by Bristol City Council as one of the only locations likely to offer any potential for wind power in the Bristol area, the Avonmouth scheme is one of only four known projects currently underway in Bristol. To find out more contact Jeremy Pilling, Director, on 0117 932 8888.

Don't panic - you can still qualify for a EcoHomes 2006 certificate

Registrations can still be made with the BRE for EcoHomes 2006 certification, under the following circumstances:

• if you provide evidence of funding under the current Housing Corporation 2006 - 2008 NAHP funding round;
• where EcoHomes 2006 is specified as a requirement by planning or similar, subject to documentary evidence being produced;
• if a site is being developed under contractual arrangements with English Partnerships;
• where schemes are brought into the NAHP (2006-2008) programme as substitutions;
• where there are pre-allocations for start on site during 2008-11, provided full planning approval was granted by April 2007
• where contractual arrangements are in place that require assessment against EcoHomes 2006, as long as the documentation confirms contractual requirements predate 10 April 2007.

Contact Michael Hanson, Architect, 0117 932 8888 to discuss how you can register your project

Keep safe from flooding: tomorrow's climate is today's challenge

The long awaited Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25) Development and Flood Risk was launched last December as part of the Government's ongoing review of planning policy. At the same time, the Environment Agency became a statutory consultee for planning applications in flood risk areas.

Confronted with an increased risk of flooding, the fabric of our urban and rural communities could be affected in areas of high flood risk. PPS25 will ensure that flood risk is considered at all stages of the planning and development process, from land allocation through to individual site development.

gcp Consulting is working with clients to ensure the development value of land can be maximised in areas where flood risk is identified. To find out more contact Lisa Pritchard, Urban Designer, on 0117 932 8888

Wales brings forward carbon zero date - gcp can help

The Welsh Assembly has produced a programme of action to tackle and deal with climate change, including achieving zero carbon levels for all new buildings in Wales by 2011.

The first step towards carbon zero is that all new homes funded by the Welsh Assembly must be built to EcoHomes Excellent standard. gcp Consulting has two qualified EcoHomes assessors who can advise and carry out assessments to help you reach this target.

To find out more about EcoHomes assessments in Wales contact Nicola Thorogood, Sustainability Projects Coordinator, 0117 932 8888.