Stage Four: The Application

Dillon: Our success comes down to the process we’ve refined over time. By following our five-stage approach, you have the tools to get the right result. We increase your chances of securing planning permission and reduce the risk of having to apply for changes later. 

Dillon: We shape the project to the site's constraints rather than work against them. At each stage, we build in clear points where we can stop and assess the project, ensuring it complies with legislation, guidance and policy. There’s no guesswork involved.

We also future-proof every project at the planning stage, building in flexibility for real-world or technology changes. The planning process is already slow. The last thing developers need is to spend more time amending or resubmitting planning applications if things change.

Dillon: Future-proofing is about going for the maximum: the tallest solar panel, the biggest substation, the noisiest wind turbine. It’s easier to scale down a design than go back and seek permission for something larger. By securing consent for the upper limits, we give clients the flexibility to adapt as project details – such as equipment or grid connections – become clearer.

Dillon: The more we know early on, the better our decisions will be. Our approach is proactive, not reactive. We identify risks and constraints before they become problems.

To put this into context, when we reviewed the initial design for a recent BESS project, it was clear it wasn’t viable – so we had to redesign it. The site levels made construction impractical without significant cost; key fire safety requirements had been missed; and the lease boundary didn’t accommodate the required access routes.

This triggered knock-on effects – particularly legal changes to the land agreement – that caused additional costs and delays.

The lesson here: involve us when you have an idea, not once you have a plan.

Dillon: Skipping stages might feel like a shortcut, but it usually creates the problems we’re here to fix: refused applications, redesigns mid-survey, and rising costs. Our five-stage process exists to give you clarity from the start of your planning journey. When it works – and it does 97.5% of the time – you reach the end of the planning process with permission granted, flexibility built in, and no surprises waiting for you.