A company bought a retail unit in a shopping parade and opened an estate agency. The council pointed out that they needed permission to change use from A1 to A2. But their retrospective application was refused both by the council and on appeal. The company then approached us and we advised a twin track approach: a High Court challenge to the Inspector's decision and a revised application with additional background information about the viability of the shopping parade and the different uses. Permission was granted and the company was able to carry on its successful business.
A company was in breach of a requirement in a planning obligation to carry out works by a given date and was in difficulties because it had let out the property and passed on the obligation to do the work to the tenant. The tenant wanted to assign the lease and the assignee had asked for more time to do the works. The company felt it couldn't agree to this because of its obligations to the council. The company's agent was embarrassed about the situation they had got into and did not want to approach the council for an extension of time. The end result was a stalemate and a continuing breach. We explained the practicalities of the situation to the council, namely that if the assignment went ahead this would mean that the works that the Council wanted actually would get done, and on this basis they agreed to an extension of time and everyone was happy.