Lydeway Garage
RCC were approached by Strakers Estate Agents as the owners of this old petrol filling station (which was now being used for car sales and vehicle repairs) and asked to help with the sale of the site. Marketing of the site for continued commercial use had been unsuccessful and it was clear the buildings were at the end of their useful life.
Clearly the option of residential development had to be considered for the site but the problem was the site lay outside of a town or village and as such new housing would be contrary to local planning policy. RCC however advised that changes to planning policy meant there was an opportunity to present a strong case in favour of residential redevelopment and that we could demonstrate it was the only viable use of the site.
In order to ensure a planning application could be submitted as quickly as possible, and at minimum costs to our clients, RCC prepared an outline planning application with an illustrative site layout prepared by PKA Architects. This established the principle of residential development on the site. RCC prepared a robust planning statement with that application setting out a strong case in favour of the proposal which was subsequently approved under delegated powers within 8 weeks.
The site has since been sold and a detailed application was submitted for the four new dwellings, which as you can see from the photographs, have now been built.
Photographs of the site before the development
