DLBP Ltd
DLBP is a leading (top-50) UK town planning consultancy, established in London since 2010. We advise on town planning requirements, then implement that advice, typically through preparing planning applications and securing planning permission.
We provide advice and support that takes away the uncertainty of town planning risk.
CITY OF LONDON OFFICE
20 St Dunstan’s Hill
London EC3R 8HL
United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 3713 8500
contact@dlbp.uk
Also now open in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
www.dlbp.us
DLBP is delighted to be nominated for Planning Consultant of the Year at the upcoming LaingBuisson Awards 2024. We are also delighted to have been a finalist for Planning Consultancy of the Year at the Planning Awards 2024 and HealthInvestor Senior Housing Awards 2024.
This follows us having been proud finalists for Planning Consultancy of the Year at the Planning Awards, Small Planning Consultancy of the Year at the RTPI London Planning Awards for Excellence, and Property Consultant of the Year at the LaingBuisson Awards in 2023.
Our Track Record
We Deliver Certainty
We are town planning consultants, who are dedicated to helping our clients realise their property development visions, advocating for their projects and making them a reality through collaboration, creativity and taking responsibility for delivering our clients’ instructions.
We have a track record of hundreds of projects, with planning permission secured in 97% of cases.
Our flexible approach allows for a highly personalised planning advice service which can react quickly to client and project needs.
We have high-profile long-term current clients, such as Royal Hospital Chelsea, Columbia Threadneedle, Patron Capital (Hamberley Development), Care UK, Jewish Care, Artemis Land and Agriculture, Ramsbury Manor Foundation, Upspace, Salon Privé, Treasure House Fair and Leap24.
We are trusted by property owners and developers, both large and small, institutions, individuals, often high profile, as well as those wishing to protect their property assets.
We specialise in providing town planning advice for:
Elderly care/senior living - Changing demographics and a wider recognition of the importance of accommodation for older people is making this an increasingly notable sector we work in.
We have secured planning permission for over 2,726 care and nursing bedrooms at 34 sites across England and Wales, making DLBP the leading planning consultancy for securing planning permission for elderly care and nursing homes.
Since January 2021 alone we have achieved planning consent for 1,169 care and nursing bedrooms (Use Class C2). DLBP also has 1,258 new care and nursing bedrooms in the pipeline to be determined or submitted in the coming months.
We have an in-depth understanding of the care sector and the deficiencies of existing care stock, as well as the Care Quality Commission and operator-specific requirements which influence the siting, layout and design of a care/nursing home. It is this in-depth understanding that allows us to maximise the prospects of success in achieving consents for high-quality care accommodation that is fit-for-purpose, allowing elderly people to continue living dignified lives in their local communities, close to their families.
High value new homes via extensions, infill and conversions – DLBP has secured permission or local plan allocations for over 7,600 new homes. We have been at the forefront of airspace development as well as office to residential conversions. Our team are adept at negotiating and advising on the intricacies of the planning challenges raised by these types of sites.
Green belt and country homes – DLBP has a deep understanding of policies relating to development in the green belt and countryside and has deployed inventive strategies to secure additional properties and floorspace despite these restrictive designations.
Temporary events – DLBP has the speed and flexibility to quickly secure planning permissions and advertisement consents for large-scale temporary events. Over our 14 years in business, we have secured 138,500 sq m of floorspace and regularly advise on updates and amendments to recurring events (including the best way of securing changes and discharging planning conditions).
New villages and urban quarters – the team at DLBP has extensive experience securing planning permission for new villages and urban quarters, through both planning applications (and appeals) and through the plan making process. The team have worked on proposals from 100 – 5,500 new homes, often with commercial and other uses.
Our Experience
Through 14 years of business in London, we have served and continue to serve a wide range of blue-chip clients and have been responsible for the delivery of many hundreds of planning permissions.
We prepare and facilitate all planning documentation, evidence and applications, including any appeals. We provide an after-care service through construction and/or sale, to ensure town planning compliance is fully documented and to deal with changes or additions as the project progresses.
Services we provide include:
Town Planning:
Achieving planning permission is a complex process. We work with our clients to ensure that the process runs as smoothly as possible by staying up to date with local and national planning and development regulations.
Temporary event permissions:
We help our clients to secure permission and advertisement consent for recurring large-scale temporary events ranging from flagship car shows to world class art fairs in prestigious locations.
Consultant management:
We work hand-in-hand with other disciplines such as architects, landscape architects, master planners, transport planners, engineers, ecologists, archaeologists, historic building advisors, and other technical consultants to make certain the project requirements are being met. When the client brings in another consultant, our team makes sure to bring them up to speed and provide them with all necessary information they need to complete their work. And when necessary, we can recommend professionals we have worked with in the past; reputable professionals who we trust.
Due diligence and feasibility research:
When our clients come to us with a vision for their project, our first step is to conduct a site appraisal, consisting of a policy review and researching the planning history of the site to establish the feasibility of the project and its prospects for success. We use this research to develop a strategy for our clients to achieve their vision or to suggest alternative schemes which would likely have a greater prospect of success for the site in question.
Public engagement:
We represent our clients at public hearings and community meetings where necessary, especially for larger and more controversial schemes, advocating for schemes right through from initial consultation to approval. We ensure all stakeholders are kept abreast of changes and updates and that they understand any project implications.
Testimonials
"Dominic Lawson Bespoke Planning truly live up to the 'bespoke' in their name. They provide a highly focused, efficient and responsive service which combines sound strategy with careful attention to detail, delivered by people who really know and care about what they are doing; they are as far from a soulless corporate machine as one can get. I enjoy working with them hugely and am very impressed by them. Every member of the team is first class and Dominic is an excellent expert witness. I cannot recommend them too highly. I commend them to you." - Christopher Katkowski KC, Kings Chambers.
“Thank you all so much for your determination to see this across the line on behalf of the Royal Hospital and Salon Privé.” - Nicky Mott MBE, CWIFM, MCMI, Director Estates, Facilities (Quartermaster) at Royal Hospital Chelsea.
"Such welcome news and thank you for all of the support (and teaching) you have given to me over the past 5/6 months. It is a great relief to have this approval." - Masterpiece.
“I was very impressed with your comprehensive, diligent and knowledgeable approach.” - Private Client.
“Throughout, I found you great to work with: very easy and open exchange of ideas, never felt rushed, great suggestions and quality of writing, always available and responsive.” - Private Client.
“This is awesome and great news, which I wasn’t expecting so is even better news. Many thanks for your work on this.” - Hamberley Development and Hamberley Care Homes.
“I am hugely grateful to your company, as working with you gives me a sense of confidence on the planning front, which for me is incredibly important.” - Jewish Care.
