Planning

We worked with Birmingham City Council to help implement the Eastside regeneration plan to realise a design-led strategy focusing on the three P’s – people, parks and public transportAt Mott MacDonald our planning specialists cover a broad spectrum of expertise, enabling us to provide a comprehensive portfolio of services and skills for addressing numerous and diverse development needs.

Our capabilities include:

Statutory planning advice

Our chartered town planners and transport planners have wide ranging experience of undertaking planning appraisals, negotiating and submitting major planning applications and securing listed building or conservation area consents for both private and public sector customers. In the UK we are frequently involved in progressing S106 and other planning agreements.

Public inquiry and expert witness service

Planning submissions may often involve referral to the appeal and public inquiry process. Mott MacDonald’s town planners and other environmental and engineering specialists have wide ranging experience of preparing and presenting evidence as expert witnesses at major public inquiries where we’ve acted for both the public and private sectors.

Strategic and urban development planning and policy analysis

Mott MacDonald has an extensive track record in local plan research, policy development, monitoring and responding to the development plan process within the UK, with a particular emphasis on urban development, regeneration policies and projects.

Master planning and urban design

We have considerable experience of urban design and the development of master plans including the layout and density of built form, development phasing, open space, infrastructure, public access and landscape requirements, plus inputs from other disciplines on such issues as servicing, highway or environmental considerations.

Transport planning

Mott MacDonald’s transport planning capability ranges from high level strategic planning of all modes down to micro level assessments. These may involve accessibility planning, detailed transport assessments and the interaction between pedestrian and vehicular movements. The focus of such activities often involves striking a balance between access by public transport, walk and cycle modes and the needs for efficient servicing and parking demands. In recent years we’ve developed and utilised micro simulation tools to assist in analysing and presenting scheme options and in overall appraisal.

Site planning and development potential review

Around the Mott MacDonald Group we have undertaken a number of studies examining site development potential from both a planning and environmental viewpoint. This includes application of adopted planning standards on such issues as parking, vehicle access and servicing, daylight / sunlight, density and plot ratio to help establish acceptable site coverage and therefore development value.

Environmental impact assessment

Our core expertise encompasses specialist skills in undertaking both EIA and environmental statement preparation, including the specialist studies which form the core of an EIA, the programme management of such studies and the co-ordination of specialist sub-consultants.

Public consultation and conflict resolution

Major development proposals often involve planning and environmental issues which require careful discussion with all concerned stakeholders, undertaken in a sensitive, responsible and honest manner. Mott MacDonald’s chartered town planners have wide experience in all aspects of public consultation, including planning workshops, public presentations, awareness campaigns and media relations.