We secured planning permission for an exceptional dwelling in an isolated countryside location in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
We successfully navigated the complex NPPF paragraph 79 for exceptional design quality on behalf of a private client. The site is located in an isolated countryside location within a Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Planning policy normally resists development in the open countryside. Paragraph 79 (formerly known as Paragraph 55) refers to a section of the 2019 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) related to building new isolated homes in the open countryside and allows for an exceptionally designed new home on land that would otherwise be unsuitable for development.
In order to qualify, the new dwelling must surpass certain expectations and should be exceptionally well designed. The proposal should be ‘truly outstanding or innovative’, ‘reflect the highest standards of design in architecture’, ‘help raise standards of design more generally in rural areas’, ‘significantly enhance the immediate setting’, and be ‘sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area’.
Planning Potential and Michaelis Boyd Architects have been working on the concept of ‘Leaf House’ for 2 years, and the scheme has evolved carefully over time.
We advised our client on which target groups to identify to ensure that the scheme met the provisions of Para 79. Through positive feedback with specialist consultants, Peer Reviews, Design Panel Reviews and feedback from both the Council and Parish Council, the application was approved in just 6 and a half weeks under delegated authority.
The exemplar dwelling was labelled by the Council as reflecting ‘the highest standards in architecture’ and being ‘truly outstanding and innovative’ and was designed to be interesting and original. It is based on the symbolism of a leaf-shaped building emerging from the landscape.
Summary of Achievements
- Provision of advice on processes to take when navigating the complex ‘Para 79’ route
- Identification of key target groups which helped the design evolved to become ‘truly outstanding and innovative’
- Feedback on design, sustainability, landscape, biodiversity and arboricultural considerations to ensure the scheme met the provisions of Para 79
- Co-ordination of pre-application discussions with the Local Planning Authority
- Co-ordination of planning application preparation and submission
- Project management of the consultant team
- Securing planning approval under delegated authority in just 6 and a half weeks
