Word was received that the Highways Agency had blocked planning permission because of a lack of visibility to the east along Over Road. Their concern was for the safety of drivers leaving the site. The Agency contended that visibility was blocked by a white house at 10 Over Road whose front wall sat next to the narrow pavement.
This was a significant and wholly unexpected development. At no time during multiple discussions with the planning department and other interested parties had this been flagged, and it now threatened to derail the whole project.
YDP had a fall-back position, of course - a safety net it attempts to build into all new ventures - but one that would merely protect the capital invested thus far, rather than producing the projected profits of the original scheme.
The fall-back was simply to demolish the existing buildings, clear the site and build a large single dwelling with landscaped grounds, the sale of which would recoup construction and purchase costs to that date.
However, Paul Ashley, YDP's MD, prefers to adopt a flexible approach to problem solving and is reluctant to abandon projects at the first hurdle, so he set about looking for other, more creative answers.
To this end he approached the owners of 10 Over Road with a view to acquiring the property freehold and remodelling the front to provide the necessary visibility. The owners were willing to sell and so YDP then discussed the proposal with the Highways Agency, who confirmed that they would allow planning permission to proceed on that basis. YDP then bought the house and began work on it.
In consultation with Dan Hardingham at George Laurel & Partners, structural engineers and Building Control, 10 Over Road was redesigned and modified, with the front wall being moved back and the upper storey 'jettied' (a style where the upper storey overhangs the lower) to provide maximum space on the first floor and maximum visibility at ground level. The full account of this rebuild is available here.
The Highways Agency approved the modification and allowed planning permission to proceed, so full planning permission for three detached houses was finally granted in August 2015, two years after the site was first proposed.
The construction phase could now begin...