Jessica Nugent
Nationwide expansion
Nationwide expansion
Jessica Nugent
Planning team additions
Planning team additions
Jessica Nugent
Little Village Christmas Drive
Little Village Christmas Drive

Fourth planning permission submission

Our fourth major planning application submitted in the past two months!!

We are extremely pleased to announce that we have today made a significant contribution towards Chichester’s emerging Local Plan with the submission of an Outline Planning Application for a residential-led mixed use development of up to 370 dwellings, including an element of affordable housing; together with a neighbourhood centre (comprising flexible units suited to Use Class E, Sui Generis uses, community uses and residential care home), land for a two form entry primary school, open space, allotments, footpaths, cycleways, associated landscaping, utilities and drainage infrastructure, and associated infrastructure and groundworks with all matters reserved except for access junctions to the B2144.

The site comprises the eastern part of draft Strategic Site Allocation A8 - Land East of Chichester, as identified in the draft Chichester Local Plan 2021-2039 (January 2023)

The proposals are the product of several years’ engagement with planning officers at Chichester District Council and extensive community engagement. We are now also looking forward to building on this extensive amount of work with an agreed Planning Performance Agreement with the Council to progress with the determination of the application.

This has been a team effort from all in the Land and Planning Teams, with special mention to Stephanie Walker, DWD, Carter Jonas, Aspect Ecology Ltd., Glanville Consultants Ltd, fabrik, RSK Group, Local Dialogue, Quod, Savills, Green Tiger Sustainability Ltd, i-Transport, Tetra Tech, Visual Jjam, DFL-UK. Out thanks also to Lynne Evans on behalf of the landowners and to 39 Essex Chambers.

Obsidian are very acquisitive and the land team would be pleased to speak anyone who can introduce commercial and residential land opportunities. Iain Welsh, Peter Ryan, Northern Region Jake Sprague, South West and Anthony Madden, Central and Eastern and Anna Page, South East.

Wavendon Exchange

We are delighted to announce we have exchanged on a Regulation 18 Draft Allocation in Milton Keynes City Council.

 

Forming part of the of the wider East of Wavendon Strategic City Extension the 12 acre site can accommodate around 100 much needed new market and affordable homes which we look forward promoting through the emerging Local Plan. 

 

Many thanks to our landowners and their advisors, @Andrew Wright and Alex Jenden at Kirkby Diamond for their outstanding efforts on behalf of the landowner, Anthony Madden and Iain Welsh and Jack Frier from Trowers and Hamlins  LLP who acted for Obsidian.

Obsidian are very acquisitive and the land team would be pleased to speak anyone who can introduce commercial and residential land opportunities. Iain Welsh, Peter Ryan - Northern Region, Jake Sprague - South West, Anthony Madden - Central and Eastern and Anna Page - South East.

Outline planning application submitted!

And another outline planning application submitted!

Our vision for Sires Hill is to support the sustainable growth of Didcot, by creating a natural extension to the existing Garden Town, directly adjacent to the North East Didcot development.

The proposals are for a mixed-use expansion of the existing community, including up to 200 new homes at a modest net density of 35 dwellings- per-hectare, extensive areas of accessible public open space, and a new community facility in the form of a Special Educational Needs School or a community building - be that a community centre, medical centre, or other.

A range of new homes are proposed, with up to 80 affordable homes and 120 market homes, built to a policy compliant mix. Affordable homes will include first homes, properties for social and affordable rent. A number of self-build plots are also proposed. In this way the new community will provide for a broad demographic of residents, including M4/2 and M4/3 accessible homes.

Thanks to the Obsidian Strategic team lead by Luke Garrett and Ben Johnson and our core consultants Carter Jonas, Aspect Ecology Ltd., Air Quality Consultants Ltd | Part of Logika Group, Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd, Glanville Consultants Ltd, fabrik, Emery Planning Partnership, Green Tiger Sustainability Ltd, Tetlow King Planning, Savills, RSK Group, Visual Jjam

We are actively seeking new opportunities across the country, please contact our Land Team if you have any strategic land sites Iain Welsh, Anna Page, Anthony Madden, Jake Sprague, and Peter Ryan.

Exmouth Boat Day

Obsidian’s South West region led by Jake Sprague  and Land Director Iain Welsh were delighted to host a number of guests at the ‘Boat Day’ experience won at last year’s Lord Taverners charity lunch. The team were fortunate enough to have fantastic weather, great food and even better company. With huge thanks to Paul Scott for kindly skippering us down to the Cary Arms at Babbacombe and taking us around to nearby Ansteys cove for sundowners! Thanks to all our guests for a great afternoon on the water and we hope to be able to do something similar next year!

Another week, another planning application submitted

We have today submitted an outline planning application for the development of up to 100 much needed new homes in Tandridge.

The development will be led by the unique landscape qualities of the site and its wider setting by creating a richly biodiverse network of green spaces achieving in excess of 55% biodiversity net gains, within which the new homes are carefully positioned to respect the existing settlement of Bletchingley and the wider AONB setting.

The development will deliver around four hectares of publicly accessible green space, including two children’s play areas located to provide easy access for the new and existing communities, recreation space and areas of biodiverse habitat including wetland, meadow grassland, trees and hedgerows.

Tandridge is in severe need of housing! The scheme proposes to help meet this need with up to 50% of the new homes being affordable. New housing will be designed to reflect the local architectural character, massing and form of Bletchingley, including the use of locally distinctive materials, ensuring that the visual setting of the village is protected.

The pre-planning work has been led by Luke Garrett and Ben Johnson.

We look forward to working with the LPA through the determination period over the coming months.


Obsidian Strategic are actively seeking new opportunities across the country, please contact our Land Team if you have any strategic land sites.

We have joined the LPDF

Obsidian are delighted to have signed up as full members to the Land, Planning and Development Federation (LPDF). We recognise the significant impact the group has had in lobbying Government whilst providing up-to-date advice and knowledge to the wider land promotion industry.

The Obsidian team look forward to actively supporting the Federation and engaging with members at up-coming events.

https://www.lpdf.co.uk/

Planning application submitted in Tunbridge Wells

Obsidian have submitted an outline planning application at Hubbles Farm, Pembury, Royal Tunbridge Wells for the demolition of existing residential and farm buildings and associated equestrian facilities and a phased development of up to 99 dwellings, open space, landscaping, expansion area for cemetery and associated infrastructure including new access road onto Hastings Road. All matters being reserved except for access.

The proposals are a result of extensive pre-application engagement with key stakeholders and the local community that has included multiple meetings with the council’s planning officers, meetings with the Parish Council, local advertising and village wide consultation flyers, a public exhibition, online webinar and ongoing follow-up meetings and communication with residents.

The site is a proposed site allocation AL/PE2 within the Submission of the emerging Tunbridge Wells Local Plan.

Thanks to the team lead by Ben Johnson and Stephanie Walker.

We look forward to working with the LPA through the determination period over the coming months and bringing these high quality homes forward for the community of Pembury.

We are actively seeking new opportunities across the country, please contact our Land Team if you have any strategic land sites Iain Welsh, Anna Dick, Anthony Madden, Jake Sprague, and Peter Ryan.

Mid-Devon Exchange

We are delighted to announce we have exchanged on a promotion agreement in Mid-Devon in line with our business strategy for growth in our South West Region.

 

Situated on the edge of Willand near Cullompton, the 14 acre site can accommodate around 120 much needed new market and affordable homes. We will be promoting the site through the emerging Local Plan and our planning team look forward to engaging with the council, the community and wider stakeholders.

 

With thanks to Jake Sprague for overseeing the transaction for Obsidian, our landowners and their agents Nigel Jones and Jamie Willis at Chesters Harcourt and Jack Frier and Nicholas Burt for legal advice on the agreement.

 

We are actively seeking new opportunities across the country, please contact one of land team if you have any strategic land sites Iain Welsh, Anna Dick, Anthony Madden, Jake Sprague and Peter Ryan.

UKREiiF

UKREiiF 2024 was brimming with optimism that was echoed by Olly Myerson, Ben Johnson, Luke Garrett, Stephanie Walker, Anthony Madden and Peter Ryan of Obsidian Strategic, who attended the UK’s largest property event for 2024 last week in Leeds. 

It was an extremely busy week engaging with long-standing friends and colleagues across the industry and meeting new contacts who we are looking forward to working with on a number of our existing projects and exploring some of our new opportunities across our regions. 

It’s certainly going to be a busy 12 months for Obsidian Strategic and we expect the mood and attendance to be even bigger for UKREIIF for 2025! 

If you missed us and would like to meet-up, please do get in touch. 

Maple Cross Site Exchange

Obsidian are delighted to have entered into a Promotion agreement in Maple Cross, Hertfordshire.
 
The site is located in Three Rivers District who currently have a 1.9 year housing land supply and have historically struggled to deliver sufficient housing across private and affordable tenures. We look forward to promoting the site through the emerging Local Plan to deliver up to 100 much needed dwellings.
 
Many thanks to our landowners and their advisors and agent Iwan Jones, and well done Iain Welsh and Anthony Madden in the Obsidian Land Team for securing another excellent addition to the portfolio.

Now over to Ben Johnson and Stephanie Walker to secure planning 😊  
 
For additional commercial and residential land opportunities please contact one the land team Anna Dick, Peter Ryan, Jake Sprague and Anthony Madden.

Resolution to grant planning secured in Cherwell

We are very pleased to announce we have secured a resolution to grant planning for up to 60 homes and a doctor’s surgery (with ICB support) on the edge of Cropredy, in Cherwell District!

Many thanks to all the team:  Steven Sensecall (Planning), Ian Francis Gaskin (PR), Johnny Clayton (Design), John Birch (Transport/Drainage), Mark Ross (PR), Ross Dryburgh (Trees), Philip Evans (Heritage),Sally Clague (Ecology), Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd.


We’d also like to note our thanks to the officers at Cherwell District Council, and the statutory consultees, who worked positively with us through to determination - recommending the application for approval.

Quarry works start

Works are progressing well at our site in Faringdon. Using our contractors Soilfix Ltd we are undertaking a comprehensive regrade of the site to take it from a redundant quarry to a workable development platform, with outline PP already having been secured for 95 units and 1500sqm of commercial space.

Mockbeggars Farm appeal allowed

We are pleased to announce that our appeal at Land at Mockbeggars Farm, Uckfield was allowed following a hearing in February 2024—a big thank you to the appeal team for your assistance and support. What a win for all involved!

The outline planning permission will provide 60 much-needed new homes (including 35% affordable) in Wealden.

Thanks again to the project team:

Mark Bewsey, Lauren Sinden, Simon Moon, John Litton KC, Dan Simpson, Chris Jenkinson, James Morton, John Birch, Ross Standaloft, Ian Francis Gaskin, Mark Ross, Ross Dryburch, Philip Evans, Oliver Robinson

Shooting at Royal Berkshire

Obsidian enjoyed hosting a fantastic morning shooting followed by a delicious lunch at the Royal Berkshire Shooting School. Thank you to all those who joined, it was great to have a break from the rain and discuss the impact of the NPPF!

Planning team additions

We have bolstered the depth of our planning team with the appointment of Ben Johnson (Planning Director) and Stephanie Walker (Associate Planning Director) from housebuilder Inland Homes. The pair will support the continued growth of the business following the recent launch of our southwest region and with aims to open a northern region later in 2024.

A massive welcome to them both!