|
Grand Designs in Groomsport
9yards has had fantastic success in Co Down by securing full Planning Permission for a unique 2,000ft2 house. Set into the cliffside overlooking Cove Bay the approach elevation blends with the local vernacular of seaside cottage style but on entering the house the layout opens out to a highly glazed frontage with elevated rooftop garden. The accommodation then uses the cliff gradient to fall away downstairs to 3 large bedrooms, all en-suite and all with superb views over the Irish Sea towards Scotland. Two of the bedrooms also have direct access onto the lower garden area whilst the Master Suite includes a luxuriant walk-in wardrobe.
The Client had originally bought the site with outline planning permission for a 760ft2 house with many onerous conditions and restrictions but having brought 9yards on board for a preliminary feasibility study we progressed to full planning with a much bolder, technically advanced design to provide a stunning family home.
 Negotiations and persistence through the planning process proved successful when permission was granted within 6 months and work has now commenced on site. Full marks not only to 9yards but also to the client for allowing us to take a totally unique design through the planning process - yet another example of 9yards more than doubling site value and therefore saving design fee costs many times over!
Listed Building Consent against the odds
9yards has secured Listed Building Consent for extension  and alterations to a Grade B2 listed Victorian house in East Antrim. The client had bought the house having relied on the advice of another practice which had optimistically assured them that Listed Building Consent would be a formality. Lengthy negotiations with Planning Service and NIEA proved this not to be the case. They then approached 9yards who progressed negotiations and took over the application process which resulted in consent being granted.
Another fantastic result for 9yards and another satisfied client with development permission they would otherwise have been denied!
Roofspace conversion in 4 weeks
Okay so of course you can’t actually convert your roofspace that quickly but 9yards has recently secured full Building Control approval for a client in just such a short timescale.
From the first telephone enquiry, our fee quotation, dimensional survey, design development, submission to and approval by Building Control enabled the client to commence works with fully approved drawings in just 4 weeks - that’s only 20 working days! And that included our appointment of and liaison with a structural engineer!
Of course our gratitude goes to Carrickfergus Building Control for their prompt assessment but we would still like to reserve the majority of the credit for our own efficiency, experience and expertise which enabled our drawings to be quickly assessed and approved first time..!
PPS21 poses no problems for 9yards
9yards’ latest success with ‘development in the countryside’ has culminated in the receipt of full Planning Permission and Building Control Approval for a 2250ft2 newbuild house in the hills above Carrickfergus.
At a time when the common perception is that all building in the countryside has been prohibited by Planning Service and the NI Assembly we would remind all potential clients that this is not in fact the case. The recently (1st June 2010) amended and adopted ‘Planning Policy Statement 21’ sets out 16 specific policies each of which presents an opportunity for development in the countryside. So whilst many developments will remain prohibited many other opportunities still exist.
9yards offers expert advice and a free initial design consultation for all of our clients, including those wishing to build outside of settlement limits - so just like our client above we could be turning your £2k agricultural land into a £100,000 development site!
Shop signs ‘R’ us
The lull in the construction sector seems to have driven Planning Service’s enforcement officers onto the streets! Whilst there they have taken the opportunity to issue many high street businesses with enforcement notices for ‘illegal’ shop signs.
9yards has helped many such enterprises gain retrospective planning consent for signage including two particularly lengthy negotiations for signs in Conservation Areas in Armagh and Londonderry - all with successful outcomes enabling business to continue uninterrupted at a time when advertising is more crucial than ever before.
If you have been served with an enforcement notice you should contact 9yards immediately for fully independent advice on your available options.
“Should’ve gone to 9yards...”
Two would-be developers are counting the costs of ignoring 9yards’ expert planning advice. The first site at Dillon’s Avenue, Jordanstown was identified by one client as a potential development site for apartments on the advice of another architectural practice. As 9yards had recently completed an 18- apartment scheme on the same road our advice was sought in relation to feasibility. Whilst we strive for positivity as a practice there are times when our experience simply tells us that the odds are stacked against a proposal and this was one such occasion. Unfortunately the client chose to be swayed by alternative advice and progressed with their purchase of the site and a planning application through another architectural practice which was promptly refused.
The second site was similar, this time in Greenisland, where our extensive experience of the specific area meant that again there really was no-one better placed to advise on potential. Again the client chose to ignore our advice and submitted a planning application with another practice for 4 apartments. When this was refused they then applied for permission for demolition of their large detached family home and replacement with two semi’s - another idea we had advised against from the purely commercial point of view that existing house value + demolition & construction costs would exceed the value of the completed semi’s - not a common developer tactic!
Whilst we ‘never say never’ we do not deal in false hope and like to think that our honesty in our intial consultations and feasibility studies is in the best interest of our clients - both of the above clients could have saved thousands of pounds by listening to the experts - that’s 9yards!
9yards joins Carrickfergus Chamber of Commerce
9yards, in a show of our commitment to the commercial locality in which we are based, has become a member of the Carrickfergus Chamber of Commerce and Trade. This is an exciting development for 9yards as we already provide architectural and fire safety services to many members of the Chamber including much of the committee.
We have also received a very complimentary write-up on the Chamber’s web site, www.carrickferguschamber.com, with a leader on the home page linked to extended news articles within the site.
We would like to thank all our fellow Chamber members for their very warm welcome and look forward to working together in the regeneration, growth and development of Carrickfergus.
Sports awards sponsorship
9yards is delighted to have been a sponsor of the joint Ulster Elks Basketball and Kasei Judo clubs at their end-of-season awards ceremony.
The awards dinner was held at the Clarion Hotel, Carrickfergus and a fantastic night was had by all, parents and children alike. We wish both clubs continued success in their excellent work in the development of youth sports.
|
