Email: peterscott@webbking.co.uk
Administrative Email: info@webbking.co.uk
Peter Scott is a Corporate Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and is the current Chair of the Independent Consultants Network at the Royal Town Planning Institute. Peter is a professional town planner with a wide range of development experience based on some 34 years of practice in both local government and private planning sectors.
Peter entered the planning profession following a career in the Royal Marines, initially with Basildon District Council. Later, Peter gained considerable experience in both urban and rural planning in other local planning authorities, culminating as an Area Planning Officer with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. During his 20 years of service with local planning authorities Peter gained his Batchelor of Arts Degree in Town Planning from the University of the South Bank, London and was, subsequently, elected a Corporate Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Since ceasing to work within local planning authorities, Peter has operated in private practice dealing with a wide range of proposals and specialising in planning appeals, including providing advocacy at Informal Hearings. Peter has been keen to ensure that his professional knowledge has been kept up to date through continued professional development, including training in planning mediation.
Peter has been involved with the Royal Town Planning Institute as part of their continuing initiative to strengthen networks formed from members operating in similar fields. In this respect Peter has been the Chair of the Independent Consultants Network for more than 11 years. During this time Peter has increased the overall membership and improved their continued professional development opportunities through arranging training events and a yearly conference.
Recent work has included:
- Preparing and carrying through planning and enforcement appeals by way of Written Representations, Informal Hearings and Public Inquiry, including instructions to Counsel.
- Preparing, lodging and carrying through planning applications for developments for residential housing, rural buildings, commercial sites, changes of use to residential and commercial developments in both urban and rural areas, including the provision of live/work units.
- Providing written opinions on development proposals.
- Representations to Local Development Frameworks.
- Dealing with works to listed buildings including listed building enforcement action.
Practice areas:
Planning Applications.
- Pre-application discussions with clients and local planning authorities. Preparation of planning applications including instructions to supporting professionals, e.g. site surveyors, highway consultants, ecologists, etc. Submission of design and access statements, monitoring the progress of applications, including negotiations with local planning authorities and speaking to proposals at Planning Committees. Advising clients on the implementation of planning permissions and, when appropriate the opportunity for an appeal.
Enforcement Matters.
- Planning enforcement matters are often of great sensitivity and require careful handling if the client’s situation is not to be made worse. In such cases every effort is made to establish a working relationship with the local planning authority with a view to seeking alternative means of resolution. Should matters proceed to enforcement a robust defense is provided to minimise the impact on clients, especially when clients are under caution.
Planning Appeals.
- Undertaking evaluations of the likelihood of success on appeal to the Secretary of State and on the best method of proceeding, including the potential for submitting a fresh application to the local planning authority. Preparing, lodging and carrying through appeals and, if appropriate, advising on the potential for a judicial review. When necessary instructing Planning Solicitors or Counsel.
Project Appraisals.
- Project appraisals can be undertaken on a wide range of projects to establish whether they are viable in planning terms and the best means of proceeding. Considering the commercial objectives of the client and reviewing alternative options. Such appraisals can include bringing in other professional consultants to form a development team.