Location:
London Borough of Southwark
Issue:
Securing full planning permission to replace the existing fire safety cladding with new polyester powder cladding for an 8-storey residential building with commercial uses on the ground floor.
How we helped and added value:
We immediately identified the validation requirements for a replacement cladding application and ensured we had the necessary supporting information to proceed with submission. We served notice to all residents living in the building to inform them of the application. Following the submission of the planning application, we regularly liaised with the case officer to understand whether further details would be required by the Council’s Building Control Division. In particular, we managed to ensure that no pre-commencement conditions were required in order to avoid the need to discharge these and so that development works on site were able to commence prior to 30 September 2021, the government’s deadline for Building Safety Fund applications.
We then advised the Council of our client's intention to change the proposed cladding material to polyester powder cladding, which provides a stronger finish and is more corrosion resistant than aluminium cladding. Whilst this material would result in a minor change to the external appearance of the building which would usually require new plans to be re-submitted, we successfully co-operated with the Council by submitting further photos to demonstrate that these changes were acceptable and would not harm the character and appearance of the area, particularly with respect to the nearby conservation area. This ensured that the Council did not have to re-consult on these changes and were able to decide the application without delay.
