Popworld, Wakefield — The Stonegate Group

Applications like this are our meat and drink. Following review of the site and policy context of Reflex, Planning Potential prepared a detailed planning and heritage statement to justify the proposals, which is subject to grade-II listed status and sits prominently in the heart of Wakefield’s City Centre Conservation Area.

The works centred around the refurbishment of the venue’s interior, and the rebranding of the front façade to a more modern brand profile, whilst also replacing the existing plant equipment in the rear courtyard.

Reflex has been notorious for its retro-themed interior, which the client wished to transition to a more toned-down modernised aesthetic both internally and externally, complementing the brand template of Popworld.

The works will improve the experience of customers and will positively improve the contribution of the venue’s façade to the setting of the surrounding conservation area context, through a more muted but equally effective scheme of advertisements.

The submitted planning and heritage statement effectively outlined the proposal’s ability to deliver good design through an appropriate material palette and advertisement scheme, which would bring a new lease of life to the premises without harming the heritage asset, conservation area, or amenity of neighbouring properties.

Through positive, personable, and proactive working with the planning and conservation officers, Planning Potential were able to monitor and manage the progression of the application effectively, responding promptly and effectively to queries raised, to deliver a swift planning consent without the attachment of pre-commencement conditions, ensuring the client could begin the approved works at their leisure.

Summary of Achievements

• Stirred into action - Proactive working with the Local Planning Authority, and appropriate liaison with other members of the project team to ensure responsive action to queries of the planning officer and key consultees
• Raising the bar (and a glass) - Considered review of the heritage status of the building and conservation area enabling concerns from the conservation officer to be addressed swiftly and effectively
• Top shelf planning advice - Securing planning consent in advance of the targeted determination date, avoiding the imposition of pre-commencement conditions to enable the client to meet targeted project deadlines
• We’ll drink to that! - Avoidance of conditions requiring discharge, and securing ongoing management conditions which were aligned to the existing operational arrangements of the client