Methodology Compound Interest Calculation (Updated August 2026)
Most legal agreements relating to land deals and developer contributions contain a paragraph that allows for the return of moneys if money collected by an authority has not been spent…
Postgres 4 Planners : Automating Site Constraint Checks
Introduction In terms of the Housing Land Audit , Employment land and Vacant and Derelict land it is important to quickly identify what constraints/policies and education catchment areas a site…
Postgres 4 Planners : Developer Contributions – Flexible Database Structure for accurate Policy Record maintenance
This is my attempt at creating a Postgres database schema that can be used by any authority or planning agency to record all development contribution policies. It is more likely…
Choosing the Right Planning Application Route (UK)
Pre‑Application Advice, Permission in Principle or Full Planning Application? For small developments in the UK (excluding householder proposals), one of the earliest and most important decisions an applicant must make…
What Happens After Planning Permission is Granted in the UK?
A guide to non-material amendments, conditions discharge, and planning obligations Gaining planning permission is a major milestone, but it doesn’t mean the Planning work is finished. Across the UK, most…
When is a Non-Material Variation Application required on planning permission in Scotland?
When you’ve secured planning permission for a new house (or development), the last thing you really want is to get bogged down in paperwork for small design tweaks. But frequently…
Judging Marginal Infringements on Permitted Development for Advertisements in Scotland
When dealing with advertisements in the Scottish planning system, one of the trickiest questions for both officers and applicants is how to handle marginal infringements. These are the “near misses”…
Site Development – Trade by Trade Sequence
Again I wanted to have a baseline overview of the stages of a larger housing development once the development actually starts to be built - again a non-residential development would…
News Jan 2025 Scot Government – New Housing Land Audit Guidance
The Scottish Government has published revised guidance on Housing Land Audit Preparation 20th January 2025 This is worth reading if you are involved in planning in Scotland either in a…