UK Property Planning Consultants

Unlock value from the planning system with proactive planning partners renowned for being commercially astute, strategic and committed to your best interests.

We combine insight, influence and experience to help clients navigate complexity, manage risk and deliver successful outcomes in a constantly evolving planning environment. With a strong national presence, Rapleys offers comprehensive planning expertise across the UK, with offices in: London, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Huntington, and Manchester.

We are expert property planning consultants helping developers, landowners, investors, operators, and housebuilders unlock value from the UK planning system. Our proactive, commercially driven approach ensures your proposals are effectively and robustly represented at every stage of the planning process. We recognise that planning decisions have a direct impact on land value, investment performance and delivery certainty, and we shape our advice accordingly to support informed, commercially sound decision-making.

Rapleys has extensive experience supporting local authorities and other public sector organisations in the formulation of planning policy and the preparation of robust evidence bases. Our team provides specialist advice on policy development, research, strategic planning matters and policy drafting, helping public bodies develop sound, deliverable and defensible planning frameworks. We also have considerable experience supporting authorities throughout the Local Plan process, including the preparation and review of evidence, responding to representations, and assisting at Local Plan Examinations. Our expertise helps ensure that plans are sound, well-founded in evidence, clearly justified and capable of successful adoption.

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Our Planning services:

We provide commercially focused planning advice across the full development lifecycle, helping clients unlock value, manage risk and secure successful outcomes. Our services include:

• Planning Policy Submissions: Promoting client interests through consultations on emerging planning policy.
• Local Plans: Securing site allocations and influencing planning policy through the Local Plan process, including examinations.
• Planning Applications: Preparing, managing and negotiating planning applications across all development sectors.
• Section 73 & Section 96A Applications: Delivering amendments to approved schemes through the appropriate planning mechanisms.
• Discharge of Conditions: Securing approvals to enable developments to progress on programme.
• Planning Appeals: Representing clients in appeals against planning refusals and disputed conditions.
• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA): Managing EIA processes and coordinating specialist technical teams.
• Section 106 Agreements: Negotiating planning obligations to achieve viable and deliverable outcomes.
• Planning History Audits: Reviewing planning histories to identify opportunities, constraints and development risks.

Regardless of scale or complexity, we are adept at securing commercial planning permissions within demanding timeframes. We understand the importance of momentum and work collaboratively with professional teams to progress applications efficiently and effectively. Our experienced team works across the entire real estate and development lifecycle, from site appraisal and early-stage strategy through to applications, appeals and policy engagement. We combine technical expertise with creative thinking, bringing clarity to even the most complex planning challenges. From urban regeneration and strategic land promotion to mixed-use and specialist development, our advice is tailored, proportionate and outcome-focused.

Our proven track record demonstrates our ability to deliver positive results across a wide range of sectors and development types, even in challenging policy or political contexts. With insight at both industry and local levels, combined with the creative energy that comes from broad experience across the real estate landscape, we act as true planning partners. We excel at influencing decisions in our clients’ favour, unlocking value from the planning system and delivering permissions that support long-term commercial success.

If you are seeking planning consultants who understand both the commercial realities of development and the practicalities of securing planning consent, we are exceptionally well placed to support you.