“Malcolm Scott Consultants are a multi-disciplinary professional company dedicated to giving the client outstanding service in the fields of Town Planning and Landscape Design. Established for over 25 years, with a wide-ranging portfolio of projects throughout the UK, Europe and the World, we have unrivalled experience and understanding of the garden centre market.”
Getting your planning right will add value to your business. Any planning breaches can impede changes you may wish to make in the future, including selling your business. Use this page to answer many of the often asked questions, or to send us a question:
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MSC’s leading Town Planners answer your planning questions |
 Malcolm Scott
DipTP MA
MRTPI MLI
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 Helen Scott
BA(Hons)
DipTP MRTPI
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 Chris Primett
BA(Hons) MTp
MRTPI
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 Tracy Hubbard
BSc(Hons) MA
MRTPI
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We answer common questions… |
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Extra Information
I have submitted a planning application for an extension to my garden centre shop building and car park, had the plans properly drawn up by a local architect, and the planners have said they won’t register the application without a long list of extra information that will take weeks to get together and cost a fortune. Is that reasonable?
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Tree Storage
I read recently in the trade press of a situation where a nursery growing and selling container grown trees was in trouble with the planners. They told him to remove the trees or get planning permission for change of use to "storage". We grow large trees in containers and sell them to landscapers, park departrments, the public and in fact anyone who wants to come to the site and buy them. We deliver the trees, or the customers can take them away where they have the right transport. I am worried that we will get into trouble in the same way, especially as we are in the Green Belt. We don't have a "storage" use planning permission.
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Agricultural Tie Bungalow
We would like to purchase a bungalow that we have been to view, with 0.4 acres of land, but it has an agricultural tie. However, the present owners do not want to sell the 15 acres of land which go with the bungalow. Surely the 15 acres of land have to be sold with the bungalow as 0.4 acres which the bungalow sits on would not fulfil the agricultural tie.
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Agricultural Dwelling Application
We are working 1.5 acres with two 20m by 30m greenhouses as a self-sufficiency enterprise but also sell surplus produce through local shops. We live two miles away and want to keep livestock, mainly goats and pountry, so need to live on site. We have been refused permission for a temporary agricultural dwelling and told that we provided insufficient information. We clearly need professional advice - are we too small an enterprise for you to help?
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Opening Private Garden & Woodland to Public We are looking to seek advice in relation to whether planning permission is required to open our private grden and woodland to the public. We are considering converting our wooden garages into a tea room/WC. We would also like to offer for sale a small selection of home-grown plants.
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Tourist Attraction at Caravan & Camping Park
I have a caravan and camping park, it is licensed for 15 touring caravans, no particular area is specified for siting positions. The land is rated as a commercial venture. Would tents need planning permission? I would like to use some of my land for a water garden selling fish, plants etc. Would I need permission to do so? My local authority also inform me that I must become a tourist attraction in order to successfully apply for permission to site more caravans. What would constitute a tourist attraction and would a water garden constitute an attraction?
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Are these concessions under the umbrella of the garden centre?
We are considering buying a garden centre/nursery and cattery which has planning for these businesses. The present owner has erected three sheds with power and let them out to three people who run them as a wild bird food shop, a marine aquarium and a child's garden climbing frame supplier. The vendors say they do not need planning as they are under the umbrella of the garden centre. Please could you advise if this is correct, or do we need planning permission?
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Starting a Garden Centre from Scratch
Our current busienss is due to end next year. We want to start a garden centre from scratch. Is it possible to buy a field and simply apply for planning permission for a garden centre/nursery? Apart from a large greenhouse for sales and cultivation, we don't intend to build anything but a toilet for use of staff and public and site a log cabin, roughly 5m square, to use as a tea room. We will also need a road stone car park for 20 cars.
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Siting a Home within a Garden Centre We are in the process of buying a garden centre. Currently the owner lives 5 minutes from the business, in housing not connected to the business. We would like to apply to build a residential home within the property.
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Signage Our planning application, put in at the request of the local planning authority to cover new signs we recently put up by the main road, has been turned down. What can we do? Is it worth appealing? The signs were expensive and our customers like them.
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Car Parking Do I need planning permission to extend my car park? It's only opening up a field.
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Retrospective Planning Permission
Is it better to build first and apply for planning permission later?
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Turning Farm Buildings into a Garden Centre
Do I need planning permission to turn my farm buildings into a garden centre?
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Planning Permission Time Constraints
I've got planning permission but I think it may have expired as I haven't built anything.
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Double Planning Permissions Gained for Ambitious Development at Forest Lodge Garden Centre and Birdworld
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gain double planning permissions and pre-empt a second call in at the 14-hectare Forest Lodge and Birdworld site. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below:  more details...
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Keep Your Planning Permission Live!
An important change to the planning system came into force on 1 October 2009. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Planning Permissions Success for Sefton Meadows Garden Centre and Frosts Garden Centre at Woburn Sands
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permissions during Autumn 2009 on behalf of the Green Belt Sefton Meadows Garden Centre site at Maghull near Liverpool and Frosts Garden Centre at Woburn Sands, where consent was obtained for a new Pet Centre. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd Green Belt Garden Centre Planning Appeal Success
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd has won a planning appeal for the redevelopment of Klondyke’s Garden Centre on one of its Green Belt sites outside Leeds. For further information and the Inspector's decision, please click on "more details" below: more details...
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Planning Permission Success for Stewarts
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission on 10 April 2008 on behalf of Stewarts Garden Centre, Christchurch, Dorset for 1,437m² of new shop including food court, café, restaurant extension, and florist shop; 132m² of opening roof for the café terrace; and 369m² of tensile canopy to form entrance. For further planning news and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on "more details" below: more details...
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Green Belt Planning Permission for Poplars
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission on 3 April 2008 on behalf of Poplars Garden Centre, Toddigton, Bedfordshire for 1,445m² of new shop space including pet shop, spa centre, new furniture/Christmas department and visitor education centre, all in the Green Belt. For further planning news and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on "more details" below: more details...
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Eastfield Garden Centre Planning Win
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission in March 2008 on behalf of Eastfield Garden Centre, Bridlngton, East Yorkshire for 665m² shop extension and 878m² new open-sided canopy. For further planning news and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on "more details" below: more details...
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Planning Permission Gain for Singletons Nurseries
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission in March 2008 on behalf of Singletons Nurseries, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire for a new three-bedroom detached house with agricultural tie in the Green Belt. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Green Belt Planning Success for Ausonia Nurseries Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission in late 2007 on behalf of Ausonia Nurseries, Corringham, Essex for extensive new development: a new two-bedroom bungalow with agricultural tie in the Green Belt; 317m² new shop/canopy; 900m² nursery polytunnels; parking for 42 cars; as well as a change of use from growing to retail (940m²). For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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3 Planning Permissions for Frosts
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained a number of planning permissions during 2007 on behalf of Frosts Garden Centre, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes: firstly for 2,037m² of new shop including farm shop, café, florist shop, gardening department, offices and new canopy space; secondly, for farm shop marquee, and thirdly, for extension to the restaurant. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Green Belt Planning Success for Victoria Garden Centre Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission in late 2007 on behalf of Victoria Garden Centre, Wakefield, West Yorkshire for a new 670m² retail canopy in the Green Belt. |
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Farm Shop Planning Success for Hazelfield Garden Centre Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained panning permission in July 2007 on behalf of Hazelfield Garden Centre, Newent, Gloucestershire for a new Farm Shop. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Planning Success for Tillage Plant Centre Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission in February 2007 on behalf of Tillage Plant Centre, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire for a new plant centre shop, with canopy and car parking. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Concessions in Garden Centres Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd is a keen supporter of concessions in garden centres, but there are limits on the range of concessions which can be considered appropriate by local planning authorities. |
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Planning Success for Tickhill Garden Centre, Bawtry Road, Tickhill
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd have obtained three Certificates of Lawfulness and planning permission for a structure on behalf of Tickhill Garden Centre. |
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Lowden Garden Centre, Shaw, Melksham
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd are pleased to have gained three Certificates of Lawful Use at Lowden Garden Centre, Shaw, Melksham. Following a complaint from a local, the Council questioned whether the garden centre was operating lawfully. It suggested that the operator should not be selling such a wide range of goods, nor be operating the attractive café. Together the Certificates firmly put such a suggestion to rest. In addition, the lawful retail use now gives the site a much higher value than horticulture does. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Wyevale Garden Centre, Gloucester Following tough negotiation with the planners, Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd gained planning permission for buildings, open-sided structures, open sales area and further improvements at the highly successful Wyevale (formerly Blooms) Garden Centre, Gloucester. First, a Lawful Use Certificate for an open retail use was gained to prove that more than just basic horticultural goods could lawfully be sold. Controversial traffic generation issues were then overcome by carefully constructed arguments. Finally, detailed negotiation with the planners resolved any issues on the goods to be sold. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Bicester Avenue
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd successfully gained planning permission on behalf of Blooms Garden Centre in April 2005 at Bicester for what is now the highly successful Wyevale Garden Centre and associated retail units known as Bicester Avenue. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: |
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Planning Approval for 4 Garden Centre Extensions Malcolm Scott Consultants obtain four planning approvals for garden centre extensions: · Bell Plantation, Towcester, Northamptonshire · Dents of Hilgay Farm Shop and Garden Centre · Marsden Nurseries, Ashtead, Surrey · Wentworth Garden Centre, Rotherham For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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Haskins Roundstone
Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd gain planning permission for the entire 15 hectare Roundstone site to operate as a retail garden centre. For further planning news, and information on Malcolm Scott Consultants, please click on “more details” below: more details...
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GENERAL DISCLAIMER
1.1. Malcolm Scott Consultants Limited makes no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to this site or its contents and disclaims all such representations and warranties. In addition, Malcolm Scott Consultants Limited makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness or suitability for any purpose of the information and related graphics published in this site. The information contained in this site may contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. All liability of Malcolm Scott Consultants Limited howsoever arising for any such inaccuracies or errors is expressly included to the fullest extent permitted by law.
1.2. Neither Malcolm Scott Consultants Limited nor any of its directors, employees or other representatives will be liable for loss or damage arising out of or in connection with the use of this site. This is a comprehensive limitation of liability that applies to all damages of any kind, including (without limitation) compensatory, direct, indirect or consequential damages, loss of data, income or profit, loss of or damage to property and claims of third parties.
1.3. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the exclusions and limitations set out above are intended to limit any rights you may have as a consumer under local law or other statutory rights which may not be excluded nor in any way to exclude or limit the liability of Malcolm Scott Consultants Limited to you for death or personal injury resulting from our negligence or that of our employees or agents.
Malcolm Scott Consultants
Grove House
1 Loves Grove
Worcester
WR1 3BU
t: 01905 726 353
f: 01905 611 221
e: inmail@malcolmscottcons.co.uk
w: http://www.malcolmscottcons.co.uk
Malcolm Scott Consultants Limited: Registered in England and Wales No. 1992131
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