Public and community facilities form an important part of Lichfield Planning portfolio. We provide these clients with a ‘Planning Risk Assessment and management’ strategy, including advice about location, briefing and coordination of other experts as necessary (for example transportation, ecology, noise), communication with the Planning Authorities and the public.  We prepare the Planning application documents and supporting Statements, including beneficial impacts on the community, and conduct negotiations of S 106 Agreements.  Where necessary we conduct appeals against refusals.  Our repeated commissions include:

Sports facilities

While very desirable socially, sports facilities often require green field sites and face conflicts over protected designation.  Lichfield Planning is advising potential developments of golf clubs and driving ranges, playing fields, and diverse recreation grounds and clubs.  Amongst its major clients is Goals Soccer Centres PLC - setting an example for the future of soccer and youth sports in the UK with their 22 existing and regularly expanding soccer sites.   Lichfield Planning is retained to advise on selection of sites, prepare and co-ordinate planning applications for the development of all their sport and recreation facilities.

Schools

Schools are a constantly changing and expanding.  They pose several inherent planning issues:  they have to be within their residential areas, yet may raise local objections regarding traffic and ‘incongruous design’;  they cannot afford the cost of a large site at residential land prices, but developable green field sites are difficult to find.   Lichfield Planning have successfully guided many new and existing schools through the planning process including, for example, the Akiva primary school at the Sternberg centre and the Brunel Academy School in Barnet, Uxbridge High School and Harlington School in Hillingdon, Fitzjohn’s school in Camden, Highgate School, Latimer School and several others  in predominantly residential areas, and the Harefield Academy on a greenfield site in Uxbridge.

Community Facilities

Community facilities – from child nurseries and doctors surgery to synagogues and churches – have to be within their users’ residential areas, yet often confront objections on grounds of land use policies, loss of residential units, traffic and parking.  Lichfield Planning is regularly assisting these organizations in setting their programme and incorporating measures that mitigate likely objections.  This followed by the full service of planning application, Section 106 negotiation and, where necessary, appeals.  Examples of multi user sites for which we achieved planning permission are the Sternberg Centre, the West London Synagogue and the Belsize Square Synagogue.