News & Insight

Press Release: The Rural Planning Practice held a ‘drop in’ planning surgery in March to mark first year in Cirencester

Cirencester rural planning consultancy, The Rural Planning Practice, marked its first year in Cirencester by hosting a free ‘drop in’ planning surgery on 23rd March for local residents and businesses. The planning experts were on hand from 10am-5pm at their office at The Coach House, 60 Dyer Street in Cirencester and offered complimentary 30 minute consultations to… Read more

PREFAB HOUSES: WHATEVER NEXT?

An Opportunity for Landowners: – The prefab is to make a comeback. The Government has indicated it will be publishing a White Paper in November, with plans to offer manufacturers help to build 100 000 ready-made homes in a bid to solve the housing shortage. As things stand the construction industry constructs on average 130… Read more

Planning for Christmas

Father Christmas lives at Santa’s Castle which is a bit unusual because it is a Grade I listed building with an agricultural occupancy condition.  The Castle is approached by a tiny rural lane in a place well away from a bus stop.  In planning speak Father Christmas has no sustainability credentials whatsoever. Encouraged by a… Read more

Planning History: Cirencester

Upon the creation of a Roman town such as Cirencester, commissioners and surveyors meticulously took charge in planning both the grid of the urban space and what was known as the ‘centuriation’ across the countryside. The squares of this grid were then subdivided and allocated amongst the new settlers of the town. If we look… Read more

Planning Gloom and How to Solve It

Planning Gloom is a familiar complaint to those who tangle with our very complex planning system; It all started in 1948 when development was effectively nationalised. Planning Gloom became more acute with the introduction of the 1990 Act and the “plan led system” which meant planning authorities had to develop a plan to show what… Read more