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Introduction Our Projects Our People Added Value
“The judges said this entry was a breath of fresh air to read. Iceni stood out as different, creative, colourful and innovative. They’ve not been afraid to break away from the mould and be themselves, having developed their own successful and imaginative approach to clients and staff offering above and beyond what is expected from a large consultancy.
“The judges were especially impressed by Iceni’s tribal ethos, in the sense that they have created a culture which is staff focused and highlights the importance of their wellbeing above all else.”
RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence 2021
Introduction | A Multi-Skilled Consultancy
SELF AND CUSTOM BUILD
Formed in 2005, Iceni is now the market leader and preferred consultancy for a fast-growing number of clients. We have always sought to provide the skills of an advisor with the instincts of a developer.
We achieve this by knowing our tradecraft – the technical skills that come through years of education and on-the-job experience that is recognised by professional accreditation. But it is also daring to be different; being proactive and thinking strategically. Our client relationships are built on trust, togetherness, enthusiasm, and a courage to challenge, where appropriate. The technical specialisms that the company hold have widened, but this fundamental objective remains the same. We are committed to putting our client’s interests first – and providing them with the tools to significantly improve their performance.
Iceni Projects have been involved in a series custom and self-build projects since the introduction of the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended by the Housing and Planning Act 2016). We also support NaCSBA in trying to ensure the momentum within the sector in maintained and that best practice is shared.
In particular, Iceni Projects have been influential in securing Local Plan allocations and securing consents; either through support of the Local Planning Authority or at appeal. We have also have strong experience in developing innovative approaches to affordable housing on custom and self-build schemes.
From our offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Manchester, we deliver on a variety of schemes across the UK. Our services are offered from project inception through to occupation on site.
We provide specialist advice in the fields of archaeology; delivery; design; EIA management; engagement; heritage; planning; sustainable development, townscape and transport. Our team are talented, relentless, intelligent, bold and experienced. Individually or collectively, you’ll know when you’re with Iceni Projects.
Ian Anderson Chief Executive
Our team are talented, relentless, intelligent, bold and experienced. Individually or collectively, you’ll know when you’re with Iceni Projects.
Your Strategic Adviser
Birmingham
The Colmore Building
20 Colmore Circus
Birmingham, B4 6AT
T: 0121 262 4148
Edinburgh 14-18 Hill Street
Edinburgh, EH2 3JZ
T: 0131 370 3486
London
Da Vinci House
44 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH
T: 020 3640 8508
Glasgow
201 West George Street
Glasgow, G2 2LW
T: 0141 465 4996
Manchester
WeWork, Dalton Place
29 John Dalton Street
Manchester, M2 6FW
T: 0161 509 2840
The Team Structure of Iceni
DESIGN
Ian Anderson Chief Executive
Andrew Gale Chief Operating Officer
James Bompas Director | Business Devt. & Strategic Planning
ARCHAEOLOGY
Claire Cogar Director
Jonathan Stewart Director
Paul Drew Director
James Jaulim Director
Silke Gruner Director
Nick Ireland Director Matt Kingham Director
Callum Fraser Director
Chris Jones Director
Laurie Handcock Director
ENGAGEMENT & PLACE BUILT HERITAGE & TOWNSCAPE IMPACT MANAGEMENT
Nick Walker Director
Paul McColgan Director
Gemma Gallant Director
Philippa Curran Director
Gary Mappin Director
Jamie Sullivan Director
John Mumby Director
Kieron Hodgson Director
Leona Hannify Director
Lewis Westhoff Director
Lorna O’Carroll Director
Ian Gallacher Director
Nick Grant Director PLANNING
Ian Mayhead Director
James Waterhouse Director
Simon Fowler Director
Clive Burbridge Director
Fred Peters Director
Mike England Director
Rob Amey Director
Introduction Our Projects Our People Added Value
Great Dunmow
Uttlesford
Authority: Uttlesford District Council
Proposal: Custom-build scheme for 22 homes
Services: Planning
Status: Approved
In the first appeal on custom/self-build development, Iceni Projects secured outline planning permission for the scheme on greenfield land in Uttlesford, Essex.
Iceni Projects provided the planning documents, managed the wider team, and provided an expert witness role at appeal.
The outline planning application establishes the parameters of development including identification of specific plots, and limits for the heights, and pallet of materials. The applicant is required to provide the road and services infrastructure, and individual plots are then segregated to allow people to build their homes to their own specification.
Having carried out a significant process of community consultation, the planning proposal gained significant support in the local community from people interested in their own ‘grand design’.
Notwithstanding local support, Uttlesford District Council decided to refuse the application in May 2014 under delegated powers.
In granting the appeal in May 2015, the Inspector found that the self-build element to carry “a material consideration of substantial and significant weight”, with the associated sustainability benefits outweighing other considerations including loss of countryside.
Greenwise Nursuries
Thurrock
Authority: Thurrock Council
Proposal: Custom-build scheme for 31 homes
Services: Design | Engagement | Planning | Sustainable Development | Transport
Status: Approved (subject to legal agreement)
Iceni Projects successfully secured planning permission for a 31 custom-build homes in Vange, Thurrock. The application site was allocated as Green Belt in the adopted Local Development Framework so required the preparation of a robust Very Special Circumstances case and referral of the planning application to the Secretary of State.
This was a first-of-its-kind in Thurrock and, therefore, the site has been promoted through the emerging Local Plan as well as through the pre-application process with Thurrock Council. This meant that when the application was submitted there were no objections from either statutory or non-statutory consultees. On this scheme it was also agreed with the Local Planning Authority that the scheme was best-placed to provide off-site affordable housing to be delivered directly by Thurrock Council.
Iceni Projects provided a strategic role in preparing the application – advising on planning, engagement, sustainable development, transport and design.
The outline planning application was accompanied by a comprehensive Design Code that was prepared by Iceni Projects. This restricts what can be built in terms of building heights, frontages, materials and other key design considerations. The scheme will also be controlled through the submission of reserved matters applications.
Press coverage: https://bit.ly/2FNhHxM
Beechwood Development
Basildon
Authority: Basildon Borough Council
Proposal: 587 new homes and 5,424sqm of commercial floorspace.
Services: Planning
Status: Approved
The hybrid application for the £100 million regeneration of the 1960’s Craylands Estate in Basildon was granted permission in March 2017 for up to 587 dwellings and 5,424sqm of commercial floorspace. Iceni are now working on the reserved matters for the Central Phase of the development, on behalf of Swan Housing Association in coordination with its delivery partner NU Living. The development will utilise innovative off-site construction and delivery methods for the new modular homes from their new factory which can deliver up to 300 modular homes per year.
Iceni have also be working on various discharge of conditions, non-material amendments and reserved matters applications in relation to the West Phase of the development, which utilises a pioneering custom-designed approach to the delivery of new high-quality modular housing. This allows new owners to completely customise their new home from the house-type and layout, to the external finishes and brickwork.
Custom / Self-Build Needs Assessment South Kesteven
Authority: South Kesteven District Council
Proposal: Custom and Self-Build Assessment
Services: Planning
Status: n/a
Iceni Projects were commissioned by Justin Gardner Consulting on behalf of Rutland County Council and South Kesteven District Council to undertake an assessment of the need for self-build and custom housebuilding across both local authority areas. This work forms part of the Strategic Housing Market Assessment.
As part of the assessment, Iceni worked with the development management teams of both local authorities to collate information from the self and custom build registers, disaggregated the information into bedroom sizes and accommodation type; and established trends on the ground for self and custom build housing.
In order to supplement this information, Iceni engaged with secondary sources including the Buildstore and the Self Build Portal to gather additional data on registered demand; before undertaking consultation with local estate agents and developers to understand the level of enquiries, trends in demand and the level of supply coming forward across both areas.
Iceni Projects then set out policy recommendations for both local authorities; focussing on how the sector could be supported in light of the evidence; but also recognising the difficulties and challenges which must be considered in respect of self build and custom housebuilding.
Kemps Farm Thurrock
Authority: Thurrock Council
Proposal: 27 custom build homes
Services: Built Heritage and Townscape | Iceni Futures | Planning | Transport
Status: Approved
Iceni Projects were appointed by LF100 Consulting Limited in Summer 2020 to prepare an outline planning application for 27 custom-build homes.
Work started by undertaking an assessment of custom-build need in the Borough. This then formed the basis for the justification of the proposals. It confirmed that Thurrock does have sufficient demand for this form of housing.
The applicant was keen to bring-forward the scheme as a zero-carbon proposal, which was captured in the Energy Statement, which was also prepared by Iceni Projects.
The scheme is framed around a Design Code. Potential purchasers will acquire plots and then submit reserved matters applications, which will need to be in accordance with the design parameters of the scheme.
Iceni Projects advised on planning, housing needs, sustainability, heritage, transport and flood risk.
Planning permission was granted in December 2021.
Introduction Our Projects Our People Added Value
Andrew Gale Chief Operating Officer
T: 020 3640 8508
M: 07875 672 061
E: agale@iceniprojects.com
Clients value Andrews’ balanced approach and trust him to obtain the best outcome.
Andrew was schooled in the ‘art’ of town planning whilst working for two local authorities, Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury, in Kent. This experience taught him early and valuable lessons in how the UK planning system and development industry interact. He has continued to develop his professional and commercial skills having worked as a planning consultant in several large multi-disciplinary firms.
His previous role was as a Partner at Drivers Jonas Deloitte, where he led a team focusing on large-scale residential and mixeduse developments. He acts for landowners and local authorities through to niche-developers and national house-builders.
Complex and demanding projects, where clients’ expectations and requirements have to be judged against both policy and political influences, is where Andrew thrives most. He brings many years’ experience from both a public sector and large-corporate perspective and leads the planning side of the Iceni business.
James Bompas Director, Planning
T: 020 3640 8508
M: 07736 314 143
E: jbompas@iceniprojects.com
James combines his planning and project management skills to deliver results.
James principally works on site promotion, the co-ordination of planning application submissions and, where necessary, appeal work. Clients include housebuilders, strategic funds, property companies, and landowners. Recent successes include: approval for the first custombuild scheme at planning inquiry; consent for 31 custom-build homes in Thurrock, and the identification and promotion of several custom-build schemes across England.
Before joining Iceni, James began his planning career working for the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, whose remit was to help with the largest regeneration project in Europe. This included managing the production and implementation of six area action plans and successfully challenging the East of England Plan, which culminated in its formal revision.
James has over 14 years of planning and project management experience which is supported by an MRTPI accreditation and a PRINCE2® practitioners qualification. James has also completed an MBA with distinction at Henley Business School. James is also a board member of the National Custom and Self-Build Association (NaCSBA).
Introduction Our Projects
Our People Added Value
Iceni Futures
The Iceni Futures team was set up in response to the rapidly changing world and the acknowledgment that more than ever, we need to create futureproofed and sustainable development. The teams role is to assess, predict and influence change across the development industry. In practice that means exploring how places and people will function in the future, analysing existing barriers and providing strategic advice which aligns with clients goals and aspirations to ensure development is fit for the future.
The team doesn’t claim to be experts in every new discipline or product, but they understand the existing barriers and outdated development processes that persist across the industry and the importance of working innovatively and smarter to deliver client visions and change that actually works. It’s understood that each client will need tailored advice and the Futures team look to work collaboratively to provide advice which is tailored to a specific site, company strategy or product. Essentially, if you’re looking to plan for or capitalise on the future, Iceni Futures can be there to support you and drive that ambition.
Iceni Futures: Smarter Sustainability
Added Value: iSite
iSite pulls together a number of services to enable the promoter of a project – but equally the respective consultant, local authority, consultee, local community and wider interested party – to gain the knowledge and understanding of a site or location that historically has only been possible from an in-depth site visit. Moreover, many projects are of the size and scale that even a physical site visit renders difficult to comprehend.
The key focus of iSite is to provide an intelligent digital design and consultation tool. This incorporates the use of drone photography, 360° camerawork (think Google Street View for buildings), interactive, virtual consultation halls and project web sites that can pool together all of the information for effective file management and sharing. So whether you need to initiate an initial site survey appraisal, team site visit, pre-application meeting, public consultation event or committee presentation, iSite can help.
iSite wont be for everyone. We understand that. But if you are looking for cost-effective ways to progress with your proposals, it could be the answer.
To discuss iSite please email isite@iceniprojects.com
The Sustainable Development Scorecard
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has running throughout it the ‘golden thread of sustainable development’. In spite of this, there is no clear-cut, NPFbased assessment criteria to consider a site or project’s sustainable development credentials, making current assessment processes both tricky and subjective.
The Sustainable Development Commission was established to address this recognised issue with our planning system. Made up of a balanced cross-section of industry professionals, the Commission has debated the issues and found solutions, culminating in the creation of the Sustainable Development Scorecard.
The Scorecard website is free to use and accessible to anyone with a vested interest in development, including developers, architects, planners, community groups and members of the public. By crystallising the NPPF’s guidance into a simple, online analysis tool, the Commissionaims to provide a more consistent approach to sustainable development, leading to a more sustainable built environment.