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Planning Supporting Statement
14 Elm Grove, Redland, Bristol, BS6 6AJ

Prepared by: Mitchell Planning Consultants
12 Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2NH
T: 0117 946 2200  |  E: info@mitchellplanning.co.uk

1. Introduction

1.1  This Planning Supporting Statement has been prepared on behalf of the applicant in support of a householder application for the erection of a two-storey rear extension at 14 Elm Grove, Redland, Bristol, BS6 6AJ.

1.2  The application has been submitted to Bristol City Council. This statement sets out the relevant planning policy framework and demonstrates that the proposed development is acceptable in planning terms, having regard to both national and local planning policy.

2. Planning Policy Framework

2.1  The proposed development has been assessed against the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, 2023). Paragraph 11 establishes the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Paragraphs 124 and 130 address design quality, requiring development to be visually attractive and sympathetic to local character.

2.2  At the local level, Policy BCS21 of the Bristol Core Strategy requires development to contribute positively to the quality of the built environment. Policy DM26 requires development to respond positively to local character and place.

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How it works

From brief to first draft in three steps

No templates, no copy-pasting. Fill in your project details and get a policy-referenced first draft — ready to open in Word and make your own.

1
Describe your project
Enter the site address, development type, proposed works, and any relevant site context or policy considerations.
2
AI writes the statement
Planabl drafts a complete, policy-referenced planning document — Planning Supporting Statement, Design and Access Statement, Heritage Statement, Pre-Application Enquiry Letter, Planning Appeal Statement, or Biodiversity Net Gain Statement — tailored to your site and LPA.
3
Download, refine, and submit
Download a professionally formatted Word document, review and refine it, then submit under your own name.

Features

Everything you need for a strong first draft

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NPPF policy references
Every statement references the relevant paragraphs of the National Planning Policy Framework — the backbone of any planning argument.
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Six document types
Planning Supporting Statements, Design and Access Statements, Heritage Statements, Pre-Application Enquiry Letters, Planning Appeal Statements, and Biodiversity Net Gain Statements — all six generated to professional standard.
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Word export
Download a formatted .docx file with professional layout, section headings, and your project details — ready to submit or edit further.
60-second turnaround
What takes a planning consultant 2-3 hours to write takes Planabl under a minute. Run multiple applications in the time it used to take one.
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LPA-aware
Specify your local planning authority and Planabl tailors the policy framing accordingly, referencing the right tier of policy for your area.
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Secure and private
Your project details are never stored or shared. Each statement is generated fresh and remains yours.
Automatic policy lookup
Enter your LPA and Planabl searches planning databases to find the relevant local plan policies for your site — grouped by category and loaded into your draft in one click.
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Policy Check
After generating your draft, run a Policy Check to cross-reference it against local plan policies. Flags missing citations, weak assessments, and areas to strengthen before submission.
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Save sites and policies
Save site profiles and LPA policy sets and load them in one click on your next application. The more you use Planabl, the faster it gets.
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Project management
Organise every application into a project. Track status from In Progress to Approved, store all generated documents, add notes, and re-download any draft at any time.
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Site photograph analysis
Upload up to 3 site photographs with your Design and Access Statement or Heritage Statement. Planabl analyses each image and describes the building's materials, character, and setting — with photographs embedded as Appendix A in your Word export.
DAS and Heritage Statements

Example output

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Real first drafts generated in under 60 seconds. Download as Word, refine, and submit as your own.

Planning Supporting Statement
42 Richmond Road, London E8 4PH · LB Hackney
~1,400 words · Ready to edit in Word

1. Introduction

1.1 This Planning Supporting Statement has been prepared on behalf of the applicant in support of a full planning application for the erection of a single-storey rear extension at 42 Richmond Road, London, E8 4PH. The application is submitted to the London Borough of Hackney as the relevant local planning authority.

1.2 The proposed development comprises a single-storey rear extension measuring 4.0m in depth and 5.0m in width, with a flat roof at a height of 3.0m. The extension will incorporate bi-fold doors opening onto the rear garden and internal alterations to create an open-plan kitchen and dining space. External materials are proposed to match the existing London stock brick of the host dwelling.

1.3 The application is supported by the following drawings: PL-001 Existing Plans and Elevations, PL-002 Proposed Plans and Elevations, PL-003 Site Location Plan 1:1250.

2. Site Description and Context

2.1 The application site comprises a two-storey Victorian mid-terraced dwelling on Richmond Road in the London Borough of Hackney, characterised by uniform Victorian terrace housing of similar scale, form, and material palette. The rear of the property faces south-west and benefits from an enclosed garden measuring approximately 12m in depth.

2.2 The property does not fall within a Conservation Area. Several comparable single-storey rear extensions exist within the immediate vicinity, establishing a clear precedent for this form of development.

5. Planning Policy Framework

5.1 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that applications be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Paragraph 11 of the NPPF 2023 establishes the presumption in favour of sustainable development.

5.2 Paragraphs 124, 130, and 135 of the NPPF require that development be visually attractive, sympathetic to local character, and of a high standard of design. London Plan Policy D3 (2021) requires high-quality design that responds to local context; Policy D4 requires adequate living conditions and amenity space.

5.3 Policy DM2 of Hackney's Development Management Local Plan requires extensions to be subordinate in scale, not result in unacceptable loss of amenity space, and preserve the amenity of neighbouring occupiers. The proposed extension retains in excess of 50% of the rear garden area, complies with the 45-degree rule in relation to adjacent windows, and accords with the 4.0m maximum depth guidance in Hackney's Residential Extensions SPD.

6. Assessment Against Policy

6.1 Design and character: The extension is single-storey and situated entirely to the rear, where it will not be visible from Richmond Road. The flat-roof form and matching brick materials are consistent with extensions on comparable properties in the street.

6.2 Residential amenity: The proposed extension will not result in any significant loss of daylight or sunlight to the habitable rooms of neighbouring properties at No. 40 or No. 44. The proposed bi-fold doors face the applicant's own garden and will not result in harmful overlooking of neighbouring properties.

6.3 Conclusion: The proposal accords with the NPPF 2023, London Plan Policies D3 and D4, and Hackney's Development Management Local Plan Policy DM2. Planning permission should be granted without delay in accordance with paragraph 11 of the NPPF.

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Design and Access Statement
42 Rye Lane, Peckham, London SE15 4NB · LB Southwark
~1,200 words · Ready to edit in Word
Supports site photograph upload and analysis

1. Existing Site Features

1.1 The application site is located at 42 Rye Lane, Peckham, London SE15 4NB, within the London Borough of Southwark. The site currently comprises a vacant single-storey retail unit of Use Class E, constructed circa 1970, with a frontage of approximately 6 metres onto Rye Lane and a depth of approximately 18 metres.

1.2 The building makes no positive contribution to the character or appearance of the streetscene, and its low-scale utilitarian form sits in marked contrast to the prevailing Victorian built form of Rye Lane. The site falls within the Peckham and Nunhead Conservation Area, as designated by the London Borough of Southwark.

2. Access

2.1 The proposed development has been designed to ensure that safe, convenient, and inclusive access is provided for all users in accordance with NPPF 2023 paragraph 110 and the Equality Act 2010, which places a statutory obligation to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage.

2.2 Pedestrian access to the ground floor retail unit is provided via a step-free entrance from Rye Lane. A separate residential entrance to the north elevation incorporates automatic doors, a level threshold, and a video entry system. A passenger lift serves all floors, ensuring full accessibility for residents with mobility impairments.

2.3 No on-site car parking is proposed. The site has a PTAL rating of 6a and is situated 0.3 miles from Peckham Rye station, consistent with the sustainable transport objectives of NPPF 2023 paragraph 110 and London Plan Policy T6. Secure cycle storage for 12 cycles exceeds the minimum standards of London Plan Policy T5.

4. Scale and Appearance

4.1 The proposed building rises to four storeys with a parapet height of 13.5 metres, consistent with the adjacent four-storey mixed-use building at No. 44. The parapet line has been aligned with the cornice of that building to maintain the established roofline rhythm of Rye Lane, in accordance with NPPF 2023 paragraphs 124, 130, and 135.

4.2 The principal elevation is finished in hand-made facing brick selected to complement the warm red tones of the surrounding Victorian buildings — a material quality consistent with London Plan 2021 Policy D4. The fourth floor is set back and clad in zinc to ensure it reads as a subordinate addition rather than a dominant element in the streetscene.

6. Heritage Assets

6.1 The site is located within the Peckham and Nunhead Conservation Area. Section 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires special attention to be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a conservation area.

6.2 The impact on the significance of the conservation area is assessed as less than substantial harm within the meaning of NPPF 2023 paragraph 199. This harm is clearly outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal: the delivery of six new residential units, the re-activation of a long-vacant retail unit, and the removal of a building of negative townscape value to be replaced by a structure making a positive contribution to the character of Rye Lane.

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Pre-Application Enquiry Letter
Former Depot Site, Bohemia Place, London E8 · LB Hackney
~800 words · Ready to edit in Word

James Hartley MRTPI
Hartley Planning Ltd
5 Commercial Street, London, E1 6BF

The Planning Department
London Borough of Hackney

7 June 2026

PRE-APPLICATION ENQUIRY — FORMER DEPOT SITE, BOHEMIA PLACE, LONDON, E8 1DU — DEMOLITION OF EXISTING WAREHOUSE AND ERECTION OF MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT COMPRISING 45 RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND 300SQM COMMERCIAL FLOORSPACE

Dear Sir/Madam,

1. Introduction

1.1 This letter is submitted on behalf of Hartley Planning Ltd in connection with land at the Former Depot Site, Bohemia Place, London, E8 1DU. We write to seek the London Borough of Hackney's pre-application views on a proposed residential-led mixed-use development at the above site, prior to the submission of a formal planning application.

1.2 We are at an early stage of scheme design and consider it appropriate to engage with the Council now in order to understand its position on the key planning issues, to refine the proposals accordingly, and to facilitate a productive working relationship as the application is progressed.

5. Key Planning Issues

5.1 Principle of Residential Development on Former Employment Land. The site has been vacant since approximately 2018 and an Employment Land Assessment has since been commissioned which concludes that the site is no longer viable for B-class uses. We consider this evidence to be material in addressing the Council's previous concern regarding loss of employment land. We would welcome the Council's view on whether, subject to the updated evidence, it would be minded to accept the principle of residential development on this site.

5.2 Affordable Housing Quantum and Tenure. We acknowledge the London Plan 2021 Policy H5 threshold approach and intend to commission an independent viability assessment. We would welcome early guidance from the Council on the tenure and quantum of affordable housing it would seek from a scheme of this scale.

7. Specific Questions

1. Will the LPA accept the principle of residential development given the updated employment land evidence?
2. What affordable housing provision will be sought?
3. Are there any design guidance documents specific to this area the LPA wishes us to follow?
4. Will a full transport assessment be required?

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Heritage Statement
14 Cloudesley Square, London N1 0HN · LB Islington · Grade II Listed
~1,600 words · Ready to edit in Word

1. Introduction

1.1 This Heritage Statement has been prepared in support of applications for planning permission and listed building consent relating to 14 Cloudesley Square, London, N1 0HN. The applications seek consent for the demolition of an existing non-original single-storey rear extension and its replacement with a new single-storey rear extension, together with internal reordering at ground floor level.

1.2 The statement has been prepared in accordance with Chapter 16 of the NPPF (2023), Historic England's Conservation Principles (2008), and the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The site is a Grade II listed building within the Barnsbury Conservation Area.

5. Significance of the Asset

5.1 Significance is assessed across Historic England's four heritage values: evidential, historic, aesthetic, and communal.

5.2 Evidential value. The fabric of the building provides physical evidence of early Victorian speculative development in north London. The 1970s rear extension contributes no evidential value and may be considered to detract from the legibility of the original plan form.

5.4 Aesthetic value. The principal elevation is the primary locus of aesthetic value. The sash windows, stucco bay, decorative cornice, and panelled front door assembly together contribute to a well-preserved and coherent architectural composition. The rear elevation, partly obscured by the later extension, is of more limited aesthetic interest.

5.6 In summary, significance is concentrated in the principal elevation, group value as part of the listed terrace, and contribution to the Barnsbury Conservation Area. The rear of the building, and the 1970s extension in particular, are of substantially lower significance.

7. Impact Assessment

7.1 This assessment has regard to NPPF 2023 paragraphs 195, 199, 200, 201, and 205, the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 section 72, and London Plan 2021 Policies HC1 and HC2.

7.4 The demolition of the 1970s extension will expose the original rear elevation. The proposed replacement extension is of modest scale and is to be constructed in matching yellow stock brick with lime mortar. The impact on the significance of the listed building is assessed as less than substantial harm, tending towards the lower end of that range, informed by the limited significance of the rear elevation and the use of matching materials.

7.5 In accordance with NPPF paragraph 201, this less than substantial harm is weighed against the public benefits. The simultaneous removal of the intrusive 1970s addition — which currently detracts from the listed building — partially offsets the residual harm. Taken together, the balance is considered acceptable in NPPF terms.

8. Preservation, Enhancement and Mitigation

8.1 The demolition of the 1970s rear extension removes an element that makes no positive contribution to the significance of the listed building. Its removal is considered to be an enhancement in heritage terms.

8.2 Matching yellow stock brick and lime mortar pointing will be used throughout. The proposed extension is subordinate to the main dwelling and designed to be reversible. No original fabric, structural elements, or features contributing to the significance of the asset are affected by any element of the proposed works.

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Planning Appeal Statement
Land adjacent to 44 Church Street, Cirencester, GL7 1JH · Cotswold District Council
~2,200 words · Ready to edit in Word

PLANNING APPEAL STATEMENT
Appeal by Mr James Harrison
Land adjacent to 44 Church Street, Cirencester, GL7 1JH
Planning Application Reference: 24/01234/FUL
Appeal against Refusal of Planning Permission by Cotswold District Council
Date of Refusal: 15 March 2026
Procedure: Written Representations

1. Introduction

This statement is submitted on behalf of the appellant, Mr James Harrison. The appeal is made against the decision of Cotswold District Council to refuse planning permission for the erection of a single detached dwelling with associated access, parking, and landscaping.

In accordance with the Planning Inspectorate's procedural guidance updated April 2026, this statement constitutes the appellant's full and comprehensive written case.

3. Reasons for Refusal

3.1 Design and Character

The Council alleged the proposed development would result in an unacceptable form of backland development contrary to Policy DES1 and paragraphs 124 and 130 of the NPPF. The appellant does not accept this characterisation. The site lies adjacent to, rather than behind, an existing residential property, with direct frontage to Church Street. The Council has applied the term 'backland' loosely and in a manner that does not accurately reflect the site's relationship to the public highway.

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Biodiversity Net Gain Statement
Land at Hazel Farm, Nether Wallop, Stockbridge, SO20 8EH · Test Valley Borough Council
~1,300 words · Ready to edit in Word

BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN STATEMENT
Land at Hazel Farm, Nether Wallop, Stockbridge, SO20 8EH
Prepared by: Dr Hannah Forde MCIEEM, Greenfield Ecology Ltd

1. Introduction

This Biodiversity Net Gain Statement has been prepared in support of a planning application for the erection of six new dwellings at Land at Hazel Farm, Nether Wallop, Stockbridge, SO20 8EH.

Mandatory biodiversity net gain applies to this application under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as inserted by the Environment Act 2021. The mandatory requirement came into force for minor development on 2 April 2024.

2. Biodiversity Net Gain Calculation

The pre-development biodiversity value of the site is 3.42 biodiversity units. The post-development biodiversity value, incorporating all on-site measures including hedgerow retention and extension, species-rich wildflower grassland, native tree planting, a green roof, swift bricks, and bat boxes, is 4.17 biodiversity units.

This represents a net gain of 21.9%, exceeding the statutory minimum requirement of 10% by a margin of 11.9 percentage points. The proposed development therefore complies with the biodiversity gain objective set out in Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

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Style Profile active Updated 9 Jun 2025

Style guide (excerpt)

"Uses measured, formal register. Sentences are concise and declarative — typically 20–30 words. Policy references are integrated inline rather than in separate sub-sections. Prefers 'the applicant considers' over 'it is considered'. Paragraphs average 3–4 sentences. Conclusions are brief and direct."

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Common questions

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Planabl generates first drafts — not finished documents. Every statement is reviewed, edited, and submitted by you under your own name and professional judgment. Planning officers assess the content and quality of the document, not how the first draft was produced. The output is policy-referenced, professionally structured, and designed to meet the standard planning officers expect.
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Planabl references the NPPF by paragraph number throughout. For local plan policies, you paste in the relevant policy references for your LPA and Planabl incorporates them into the assessment sections by name and number. The more detail you provide, the more precisely the output references local policy.
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Planabl currently generates six document types: Planning Supporting Statements, Design and Access Statements, Heritage Statements, Pre-Application Enquiry Letters, Planning Appeal Statements, and Biodiversity Net Gain Statements. It works across all development types including householder extensions, new dwellings, change of use, commercial development, listed building works, and more.
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Planning Guides

Free UK planning advice

Practical guides on planning supporting statements, NPPF policy, and getting your application right first time.

Structure, NPPF references, amenity assessments, and the key arguments that get applications approved.
Section 72 of the LB&CA Act 1990, the NPPF heritage tests, and how to frame the preservation argument correctly.
When permitted development doesn't apply — dormer design tests, neighbour amenity, and glazing requirements.
A full annotated example for a single-storey rear extension — with commentary on what planning officers look for.
Not sure if you need one? This explainer covers when a supporting statement is required and what it should include.

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