This site was a challenging development proposition, constrained by steeply sloping topography, National Landscape, relationship with adjoining development, heritage constraints, veteran trees and accessibility challenges. We were instructed by Vistry Homes - who had acquired the scheme from the land promoter - to manage all the outline permission stages, coordinate reserved matters and condition discharge applications. We successfully negotiated a Planning Performance Agreement with the local planning authority, managed pre-application engagement, with officers, stakeholders and the community, and coordinated the design team against a challenging project implementation programme. The outline permission was subject to a S.73 application to vary conditions relating to accessibility to enable the progression of the reserved matters. Key challenges at the implementation stage included:

• Managing the consenting process to programme.
• Maximising development in accordance with the terms of the outline permission against challenging masterplanning and local authority expectations.
• Managing public and political pressure to reduce the quantum of development approved under the outline permission.

The project was managed and resourced by our Reserved Matters team, who provided dedicated and focused expertise in the multi-stage consenting process following the achievement of outline planning permission. Oakley Farm involved:

• A comprehensive due diligence process that identified project risks and strategies for resolution.
• A detailed Planning Performance Agreement that managed the consenting process to an agreed delivery timescale.
• A highly collaborative and efficiently managed engagement programme with officers, consultees, public, and members.
• Renegotiation of the outline planning permission via a successful S.73 application to resolve implementation challenges.
• An effective lead consultant role managing and coordinating the design team in accordance with defined roles and scope of responsibilities. We tightly managed the outputs across all disciplines to ensure the reserved matters were submitted to programme.
• Management of the consenting process via S.73 and reserved matters stages to achieve relevant permissions within 12-months of instruction in accordance with client objectives.
• We have been retained to discharge all pre-commencement conditions to facilitate a start on site in spring 2026.