Blackmores Planning & Development Consultants
Ian Shorrock -
Blackmores owner
Blackmores Planning & Development Consultants provide specialist planning advice to investors and land owners, and we boast an outstanding track-record of enabling our clients to achieve optimal returns on a wide range of commercial and residential schemes.
We facilitate profit maximisation through the entire value chain, from initial site assessment, through to development designs that fully exploit commercial opportunities – often far beyond the scope of conventional thinking.
Adding value from the ground up
Speculative property investment involves a degree of uncertainty, and it’s our job to identify and accurately assess all relevant risks, and to devise innovative ways to overcome challenges.
Early-stage viability assessment is a critical foundation of any successful development, as this process can reveal the true extent of the financial opportunity. And our experience has shown that with the right planning advice, it’s often the least attractive projects that ultimately become the most profitable.
Unrivalled insight and expertise
Our associate network encompasses nationally-renowned heritage consultants, flood-risk analysts, consulting engineers, remediation contractors, environmental and arboriculture consultants, acoustic engineers and planning lawyers. By combining their expertise with our own insight and experience, we’ve positively influenced developers’ S106 and CIL obligations, and helped our clients to overcome all kinds of planning obstacles – from heritage and conservation issues, to ground contamination.
We have particular expertise in acquiring planning permission for hard-to-develop sites, transforming low- value real estate into ambitious developments that deliver spectacular returns – and turning unproductive land into vibrant commercial and residential space that rejuvenates and revitalises local communities.
Blackmores works with a diverse range of clients, including financial institutions, construction companies, private investors and high net worth individuals. And each client benefits from a suite of services tailored to the precise requirements of their project.
Established in 2008, Blackmores is wholly owned by Ian Shorrock. Ian combines vast knowledge and know- how with extraordinary tenacity to consistently overcome planning obstacles, reveal new profit opportunities, and gain consent for ambitious new developments.
Recent Projects
Blackburn
Although this site had been designated for industrial use, bank-funded developers had acquired the plot, seeking permission for a residential scheme. But after failing to gain planning consent, and having a subsequent appeal declined, the site was repossessed by the lender, who then approached Blackmores seeking a profitable solution.
Our main challenge was to overcome the precedent set by the earlier planning refusal and appeal failure. However, after engaging with council officers to gain insight into their objections, we designed a high- density scheme that included open public space, which both satisfied the council’s concerns and enhanced the local environment. The design was subsequently granted planning consent by Blackburn with Darwen Council.
Stranraer
This repossessed greenfield site was subject to a tangle of ecological, flooding and access problems, yet gaining consent for a substantial housing development was a necessity if the owning bank was to avoid a significant loss on the asset. However, the prospect of further residential development in the area instantly mobilised a large and well organised group of local objectors.
By working closely with planning officers and progressive local councillors, we were able to devise a scheme that promised to alleviate the pre-existing flood risk to nearby homes. And once presented with the innovative plans, Dumfries and Galloway Council consented to a development of 158 houses, 30 of which were immediately sold to a housing association.
Swinton
This small infill site had been owned by our client for a considerable time, and without permission for any kind of development (due in part to the vocal objections of nearby residents), the plot had become a wasteland and dumping ground.
With the land bordered by a terrace of houses and a large Victorian church, our challenge was to create a scheme that worked in harmony with the adjacent architecture, and also made optimal use of available space. Our subsequent proposal was granted planning consent by Salford City Council, and the distinctive new apartments in this strategic location proved to be extremely popular.
West Byfleet
Development of this site was hampered by three significant obstacles: potential loss of town centre parking space, proximity to nearby railway line and station, and necessary interference with the emergency escape routes for the adjoining office block.
By commissioning one of the UK’s leading rail consultants, and creating innovative solutions to each of the physical challenges, we were able to design a scheme that satisfied the concerns of all affected parties. And by incorporating a ground floor retail unit plus additional green roofs, we succeeded in gaining support and consent from the local council.