Better yet, for Penny and Will, the Tree Tent didn’t require a planning application at all. With it being so low-impact all that was required was a land use change application for the glamping site as a whole, which they already had.
They did have to get planning permission for their larger tree cabins, however, as they have formalised drainage. For this they offer two pieces of advice: first, submit a pre-application, and second, use someone local who knows and understands the project, area and the planning department process and people!
Submitting a pre-application allowed Penny and Will to work closely with the planning office to get their application up to speed and get to know the people at the planning office before the formal submission. As part of this, the planners came to the site where they showed them some of its amazing features, like the rare spotted orchids, that they were really keen to protect.
Completing a pre-application also gave them the opportunity to explain how important it was to them to use sustainable, locally sourced materials and local people. Working like this gave everyone the opportunity to understand the project and they were able to take on advice and make amendments to the application before it was submitted. And it worked as they passed with flying colours first time!
Secondly, they found a very experienced local architect to complete the drawings. His knowledge of the planning process, the people in the department and the local areas turned out to be invaluable in contributing to their planning application’s success.
While many people find their new Tree Tent falls under existing planning permissions, this is valuable advice for those who do need to apply.