Mark Harris

Recent Work

• Strategy advice and secured a comprehensive full planning permission for the redevelopment of a Town Centre Shopping Centre in Hertford.  In a sensitive riverside Conservation Area location, this introduced new uses to the site including a hotel, residential apartments and restaurants as well as right-sizing the retail offer and enhancing the public realm and wider environment.  The scheme included significant public and stakeholder consultation.
• Secured a hybrid planning permission for the redevelopment of a strategic employment site in Ipswich to provide 16,000 sq.m of retail floorspace including a supermarket and non-food units and up to 46,000 sq.m of B1, B2 and B8 floorspace as part of an overall masterplan.  This included an appearance at the Core Strategy Examination to promote the site-specific allocation.  Since been involved in the implementation of the scheme.
• Successfully obtained planning permission for a new Sports Centre building for the University of Portsmouth.  The scheme extends to 11,000 sq.m and is the first phase of the University’s estate masterplan.  It is also designed to be the first building of this nature to achieve BREEAM ‘Outstanding’.  The scheme involved working closely with the City Council on design, heritage, open space and highways related issues on a parkland site next to a Conservation Area and arterial highway network.
• Strategy advice and negotiation of a planning permission for the redevelopment of a vacant Distribution Depot in Guildford for a purpose-built Student Accommodation scheme.  This included negotiation on the loss of employment floorspace and the design and height of the building.  Also advised on the strategy and submitted a Planning Application for a Phase 2 Student Accommodation and Co-Living scheme on an adjacent site which has been approved.
• Acted on behalf of the landowner, Imperial College London, in advising and securing planning permission for residential development on surplus Halls of Residence land in Notting Hill, London.  The scheme was promoted in a sensitive Conservation Area context adjacent to a Listed Building involving the loss of some protected trees.  The scheme was devised in close partnership with the Local Authority and local stakeholders to address third party objections.
• Advised on the promotion of a new Food & Non-Food Retail Warehouse and Restaurant unit scheme on an out-of-centre site in Basingstoke.  This involved working closely with the Local Planning Authority, Highways Authority and stakeholders to address issues raised by previous historic schemes on the site and successfully securing Planning Permission for the scheme.  This included the preparation of the necessary retail justification and robustly addressing objections made by third-party landowners and interests.
• Secured a hybrid planning permission for a comprehensive residential masterplan on a brownfield former employment site in Beeston, Nottinghamshire.  This included inputting into the formation of the masterplan and public consultation via an Enquiry by Design with the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community.  The scheme was promoted closely with the Local Planning Authority and local stakeholders to address key issues such as design quality, the relationship with surrounding uses, highways and drainage.