Marrons Planning provided strategic planning advice for and co-ordinated the multi-disciplinary team on behalf of Charles Street Buildings Group for a £60million major mixed-use development in Leicester’s Waterside area (Great Central Square).

Marrons Planning advised the client and worked alongside Leicester City Council to assist in the regeneration of the eight-acre site which links the Waterside area to the City Centre.

The scheme was delivered in early 2020 and includes a new, vibrant quarter in the city centre and features two major hotels.
Marrons Planning prepared a pre-application enquiry and attendance at pre-application meetings with Leicester City Council as local planning authority and other key stakeholders. Marrons Planning’s role was co-ordinate and lead the project team.

The site had a significant number of constraints, including being partly situated on former railway sidings and Roman ruins, which were identified at the outset and involved (amongst others) the early appointment of ULAS Archaeological Services for one of the most significant programmes of pre-determination archaeological work carried out in the East Midlands (financed by Charles Street Buildings Group).

Marrons Planning identified and agreed with Leicester City Council the precise scope of reports to support a fit for purpose planning application, and co-ordinated the multi-disciplinary project team to ensure agreement with Council counterparts on required content.

This entailed multiple tenders required to complete the overall assembly of the planning application, and quality control of draft technical reports to ensure a competently prepared full planning application. Prior to submission of the planning application Marrons Planning requested a Screening Opinion from the local planning authority to establish if the application should be accompanied by an Environmental Assessment (EA).

The Local Authority shared Marrons Planning’s opinion that it was not required. Marrons Planning led the relationship with Leicester City Council. Planning permission was delivered in good time under delegated authority and Marrons Planning worked with the Council to manage the discharge of all conditions.

This required weekly liaison with the appointed contractors for part of the project (Morgan Sindall), the client (developer for the station refurbishment) and the LPA to deliver the single most significant regeneration investment in Leicester City in recent years.

Marrons Planning maintained a conditions tracker for the client and co-ordinated with multiple community, heritage, statutory and non-statutory organisations towards delivering a lawfully implementable planning permission, which is now also lawfully occupied following completion in March 2020.

Highly commended in the category for Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy

The award for ‘Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy’ recognises projects that support and promote a successful prosperous economy.

On awarding Marrons Planning and Leicester City Council with the commendation the judges said:

“They were impressed by the development of this long standing brownfield site in the Leicester city centre. The project kept multiplier value in the local area by keeping the majority of investment within a 30 mile radius of the site and provided apprenticeships, employment and training. The judges were impressed by the community benefit of the project.”

Commenting on the recognition, Brian Mullin, head of Marrons Planning, said:

I’m absolutely thrilled that the team has been endorsed by our RTPI peers, especially at national level, and being up against some excellent projects. This achievement is a fantastic acknowledgement of the contribution that Marrons Planning and Leicester City Council has made to the city, as well as recognising the value of working partnerships with the public sector. “The team are worthy winners and we are all very proud of the positive difference our work makes to help transform local communities, environments and economies.