Planning & Consents

Purcell wrote a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for London's National Portrait Gallery

Using our in-depth knowledge of planning guidance and legislation, Purcell have a high success rate with achieving planning outcomes for clients, including obtaining planning and listed building consent.

Applying planning policy and legislation

Development within the historic environment presents distinct challenges that our expertise in heritage planning can unlock. We support clients to create well-designed and sustainable places from the start to finish of the planning process. We can also support planning applications for enhanced listings and certificates of immunity, using our understanding of a site to clearly articulate where there is capacity for change.

Conservation planning

Purcell work with a variety of clients to unlock the potential of their sites. We use the process of conservation management planning to inform change in a sensitive way that offers the most sustainable solution for its owners. A conservation plan for a large, complex site can be a vital planning tool with a clear understanding of significance, tools for assessing impact and a framework of adopted policies, giving statutory bodies and funders the confidence to support a scheme. We can support and organise community engagement events to ensure client proposals are supported at a local level.

Working with local authorities

Shaping development within the constraints of national and local planning policy is an important part of the work of local authorities, and we are increasingly supporting this through expert advice. We can deliver conservation area appraisals, advice on planning applications for listed and council-owned buildings, local lists, expert witness and strategic assessment of development sites.

Masterplanning and development briefs

We understand how places are shaped by their development and how this contributes to their future. We can provide design guidance, masterplanning, feasibility and development briefs for sites within the historic environment.