Architectural drawings the key in our visual age to winning planning consent
Which is the most vital part of your planning application or planning appeal?
I’ve learnt the hard way the unfortunate truth – everyone is too short of time to read detailed arguments. This is a visual age and everyone has a short attention span. They prefer short, snappy information. The quickest way to see the proposal is usually the drawings, so it’s where the decision maker goes first. And as we all know, first impressions really matter. Drawings are vital.
Think of the days of effort wasted in carefully choosing the right words and making a good argument, when the recipient simply skim-read it ….. And it’s not only the decision-maker, the consultees and the public focus on the drawings too. The highway consultee goes straight to the plans. The neighbours pore over the drawings. The ecologist looks for the landscaping proposals. It's too true, “a picture speaks a thousand words”.
How to shoot yourself in the foot with an unfortunate drawing
But beware – drawings can all too easily be misinterpreted. I once nearly had a good housing scheme refused because the planning officer had misunderstood a landscaping drawing. He had confused circles indicating maximum shading from proposed birch trees with root protection zones. Fortunately this misunderstanding came to light in time to turn his recommendation from refusal to approval, but I dread to think how many planning officers turn against developments based on a simple misreading of drawings.
It's reasonable to expect development control officers to be familiar with reading plans and architectural drawings, but remember many Councils have a high proportion of inexperienced staff at the start of their career. They’re also busy and may skim over drawings more quickly than perhaps they should. (It’s not just the written documents they skim-read!) It gets worse if the neighbours, objectors and other consultees read a plan or drawing the wrong way. First impressions are vital and a misunderstanding which creeps in at the start of the process may leave an unfortunate, negative impression of the development.
Your plan may make perfect sense to you, but may it be misinterpreted? How do you tell?
The “granny test” is always worthwhile. This is where you show draft drawings to a family member or friend and ask them what they think. Don’t give them any clues about what they are looking at. What do they make of it? The results may surprise you. This is your early-warning system as to how consultees might react, giving you vital feedback for editing the plans before you submit them to the LPA.
The difference good plans make in gaining planning consent
In my experience, well-presented plans really make a difference to how they are determined by a local planning authority. I’m talking about formatting, the layout of the title block, the use of visual sketches and similar “bells and whistles”. A rival firm used to have a much higher rate of success than the one I worked for, and all because they had prettier drawings. I wish it didn’t make such a difference, but unfortunately appearances do often matter more than they should.
It is awkward to ask the architectural technologist to tweak apparently marginal parts of their work. But editing a drawing is even more important than editing a planning statement. Critically reviewing the plans and drawings, as if you were an objector or an inexperienced Council officer, might be the single most important check you do before submitting your planning application.
Amending plans and drawings for a planning appeal
Planning Inspectors normally only consider the plans which were before the local planning authority. If a drawing is unclear, or does not answer an issue, the Inspector normally assumes the worst case scenario.
If plans have been amended between a LPA’s decision and the submission of a planning appeal, the Inspector must apply a substantive and procedure test as required by case law as follows:
- The substantive test on whether the proposed amendment(s) involves a "substantial difference" or a "fundamental change" to the application. If so, and it would ultimately result in a “different application”, then it is unlikely that the amendment could be considered as part of the appeal. It is also possible that a series of small, incremental proposed amendments to a scheme could result in a “substantial difference" or a "fundamental change".
- The procedural test is whether the proposed amendment(s) would cause unlawful procedural unfairness to anyone involved (in the appeal) and, if so, whether such unfairness could be cured, for example by re-consultation.
If amendments fail either of these 2 tests, they will not be allowed. Given the dangers in trying to alter the plans at appeal stage, it is always best to ensure plans are as good as possible before the local planning authority make a decision on them.
The bottom line for planning applications
It’s a 3D world and conveying development proposals well in the form of plans and drawings is, in my 30 years of experience as a planner, the single most important part of your planning application. It’s vital to check all plans for any potential to be misunderstood by officers or their consultees, and edit them as necessary so they don’t leave any room for uncertainty, are crystal clear, easy to interpret and most importantly give a good impression to help win your case.
Maybe the secret of success for planning consultancies is to train up more architectural technologists, and to foster good relationships with the ones you already work with. I hear they like beer ….
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