We advise on a wide range of commercial and hospitality premises, including:

• Pubs and restaurants

• Takeaways and food businesses

• Shops and commercial units

• Offices and mixed-use premises

• Rooftop and outdoor hospitality

• External seating and covered areas

• Shopfronts, signage and external fixtures

• Plant, extraction and ventilation

• Opening hours and operating restrictions

• Noise and neighbour amenity

• Changes of use

• Retrospective planning applications

  Planning enforcement

Hospitality businesses can face particular planning challenges.

Planning permission may be needed for a change of use, external seating, shopfront alterations, extraction, plant, operating hours or other changes to the premises.

We look at how the business will actually operate and consider issues such as customer areas, noise, servicing, opening hours, extraction and the impact on neighbouring properties.

Where noise or amenity is a concern, we can help develop practical mitigation measures and coordinate supporting evidence, including acoustic assessments where appropriate.

Planning and licensing are separate legal regimes, but they can have a significant impact on each other.

For pubs, restaurants, takeaways and other hospitality businesses, we consider the proposed operation alongside the planning position. Where necessary, we work alongside licensing advisers to help ensure that the overall strategy is consistent.

Some commercial uses can be challenging because of local planning policies or concerns from neighbouring properties.

We do not simply take policy objections at face value. We look at the specific planning test, the circumstances of the site and the available evidence to identify the strongest case for the proposed use.

Our experience includes securing permission for restaurant and takeaway uses where local policy presented a significant obstacle.

If your business is already operating and the Council has raised concerns, early advice can be important.

We advise on planning enforcement, retrospective planning applications and unauthorised development, including issues involving:

• External seating

• Structures and covered areas

• Changes of use

• Unauthorised alterations

• Operating arrangements

• Shopfronts and external works

Depending on the circumstances, the best approach may be a retrospective planning application, a revised proposal, discussions with the Council or an appeal.

We can review the position and explain your options.