News

1. Work holistically

Planning needs to break out of silos and start to work more holistically - the world is full of experts who are paid to ignore criteria outside of their own professions, but nobody actually lives like that. Health, mobility, social relations, and economics are highly interwoven, and a critical failure in one has a knock-on effect on the rest. When we pay attention to the connections between disciplines, we can design development that is better in line with the needs of its inhabitants and more resilient in the hard times.

Congratulations to our client MHA London on achieving planning permission at the Elthorne Works! This was an exciting co-location project - still a new idea to the area- with a number of transport and highways challenges, including how to secure that vital servicing space for the commercial uses without large vehicle accesses dominating what is also a beautifully designed residential development.

Last month, Savills released their most recent review of the Standard Method Housing need formula and proposed a new method of assessment.

Markides Associates are pleased to hear of another success for one of our clients (Indigo Scott) who received planning permission from this month’s Lambeth planning committee for a residential development of 4 x four-bedroom family dwellings.

Markides Associates are thrilled to hear the news that one of our client’s proposals for a development in the South Wimbledon/Colliers Wood area, north of Merantun Way, was approved by the London Borough of Merton planning committee last week. The proposals are to demolish a series of existing car workshops and introduce a residential development of approximately 60 new homes.

MA's Associate Director Alex Scarratt discusses our current project work in Milton Keynes.

The Draft Strategy

In January 2020, Milton Keynes Council published its Draft Strategy for 2050, setting out their aspirations for how the city could develop within that period. The Draft Strategy identified potential growth locations and measures to support this growth, centred on a principle of the delivery of a network of Mass Rapid Transit that could be accommodated by sharing/transferring some of Milton Keynes generous highway infrastructure. The Draft Strategy also recognised that Milton Keynes influence spreads beyond its metropolitan extent and so included potential development locations within adjacent districts such as South Northamptonshire.

Pending the publication of their Transport Plan later in 2020, Birmingham City Council (BCC) have released an Emergency Transport Plan as an interim document in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The draft Transport Plan was consulted on earlier in 2020 and the Emergency Plan contains the key elements of that draft to support walking, cycling and public transport, to be implemented now when such measures are most needed.

We would like to congratulate our client in achieving planning permission for the redevelopment of 88 Notting Hill Gate. The former financial use will be refurbished as a new restaurant and takeaway. Increasingly, small sites in London can prove difficult where construction and related impacts are a concern. MA were able to meet RB Kensington and Chelsea’s rigorous standards and oversee the statutory consultation required, as well as demonstrate that neither the refurbishment nor the end use would be an issue in highways terms. 

We are pleased to have successfully advised Leo Homes for 38 self-contained residential units at Goodhall Street near Willesden Junction in Ealing. Highways. Our work included ensuring that a functional service bay was retained on-street to serve the new flats and existing residents without blocking through traffic, and proposals  have been made for enhancements to the junction to improve pedestrian priority and safety.

Markides Associates are pleased to have successfully advised SN Developments with DGA and Montagu Evans for 351sqm of flexible uses classes (Class A1, A2, B1, D1, D2) on ground floor and 133 residential units. Highways work was complex, as the site has a coordinated access with Ailsa Wharf to the north. The long-term development of the riverside also needed to be considered, including safeguarding land for a potential footbridge across the River Lea.