Planning Potential navigates the ever-more complex planning system to enable the Cambian Group to open a much-needed specialised care facility for children at the former Beech House Hospital Site
Despite the site being in C2 use for many decades, a condition requiring one of the main buildings on site to only be used for nurses’ accommodation meant that Cambian were unable to simply occupy the site without an application. The fact that the nurses’ accommodation was referenced in the description of development also meant that a simple S73 application to remove the restrictive condition was not an option due to a recent change in case law - a whole new planning permission was required for Cambian’s specific operation, which included an on-site education block.
Planning Potential held pre-application discussions with West Suffolk Council to discuss what would be required to support an application, making the case that the new care facility would operate in a similar way to the previous adult care facility and that the on-site education for children was an integral part of the C2 use, much like the training and skills building for the previous adult care facility. This helped to ensure that the plans and reports required to be submitted with the application were proportionate to nature of the proposal.
We liaised with the architects, transport consultants and sustainability consultants to prepare a high-quality submission which was fully supported by Officers and successfully negotiated away onerous conditions sought by some consultees. A delegated approval was obtained with no pre-commencement conditions requiring further applications.
Summary of achievements
- Detailed assessment of the planning history and original permission
- Positive pre-application discussions with Officers
- Preparation of a proportionate planning application submission
- Successfully negotiating away onerous conditions
