Profectus was established in 2024 by Steve Renshaw as a responsive, commercially focused and creative town planning consultancy. Profectus has experience of working across a range of property sectors for a variety of clients but has particular experience in retail, leisure and town centres.
Steve has worked for a number of commercial planning consultancies over a 16-year career along with working for a specialist retail and leisure developer for a number of years. This gives Profectus a particular insight into the requirements of developers, investors, occupiers and landowners so that planning advice is provided in a clear and concise manner but is appropriately evidenced and researched.
Profectus understands that planning permissions need to be delivered that are acceptable to occupiers and funders within relevant time constraints. This is achieved by adopting a collaborative approach with local planning authorities, adopting creative planning strategies and being responsive to the needs of clients.
This provides developers and landowners with a clear understanding of the planning characteristics and prospects of their sites and where development proposals are taken forward, this maximises the prospects of securing planning permission within the required timeframes and with a Decision that is acceptable to occupiers and investors.
Tommy is a third-year student at Newcastle University studying a BA in Urban Planning. Tommy has a particular interest in sustainable development and active travel projects and has completed modules including Strategies into Action, Planning Processes, Economics of Development and Researching Local Economies. Tommy is also currently undertaking a dissertation research project on the legacy of mega event venues on local communities using the case study of the 2002 commonwealth games in Manchester. Tommy’s work at Profectus involves defensive planning and monitoring along with supporting on a range of projects and proposals.
Profectus offers a wide range and scope of high-quality town planning and related services across a range of sectors. A summary of these services is provided below. If you are unsure if Profectus provide the services you require, feel free to discuss you requirements with us by contacting Steve Renshaw on: steve@profectustownplanning.com or on 07415 021 411.
Profectus is able to undertake background planning reviews of sites including analysing relevant planning policy and guidance, planning history, environmental constraints, heritage factors and providing an understanding of the local political context to assess the prospects of securing planning permission for a particular type of development or advising on the likely most favourable land uses from a planning perspective. The approach Profectus takes is to provide clear advice including percentage prospects of success wherever possible so that the planning appraisal can be used to make well-informed decisions regarding the progression of development proposals on a site.
Profectus has a track record of formulating innovative and creative planning strategies for development proposals that integrate technical and political aspects to secure support from planning officers, local councillors, members of the public and other key stakeholders wherever possible. This maximises the prospects of unlocking the true development potential of a site often overcoming restrictive planning contexts through the use of a collaborative approach to working closely with local authorities.
Profectus is able to prepare and submit a variety of planning applications across a variety of sectors and at a range of scales. Profectus can assemble and manage technical teams to ensure that robust and co-ordinated application submissions are prepared that progress through the planning system quickly and maximise prospects of success.
All sectors are covered with the exception of minerals and waste and large infrastructure projects. Once planning permission is secured, Profectus can also manage any variations and changes to permissions required as proposals progress through the RIBA stages and to reflect any adjustments to accommodate occupier and funder requirements.
With extensive experience of undertaking retail assessments in support of planning applications and of reviewing these assessments on behalf of local planning authorities, Profectus is able to prepare standalone quantitative and qualitive impact assessments, sequential assessments or town centre health checks. These can be in support of planning applications or to inform the future development potential of sites for retail, leisure or office use. Profectus is happy to work alongside other planning consultancies to prepare these assessments where required to provide the technical expertise that is required to support planning applications for these types of use.
One of the areas Profectus performs strongest is the formulation and implementation of creative planning strategies to secure favourable planning policy allocations or Decisions. This can be on behalf of individual sites, existing assets or portfolios of sites to maximise their development potential and value. The strategic planning advisory role can include a suite of different services including Development Plan promotion, defensive planning, planning strategy formulation and day to day development management and planning application preparation.
Profectus has experience of promoting potential development sites through the Development Plan process to secure favourable allocations either for the disposal of sites prior to securing planning permission or to maximise the prospects of subsequently securing permission. This involves working closely with local planning authorities to provide the best opportunity for allocation at all stages including initial representations, preparing examination hearing statements and appearing as an expert witness at development plan examinations.
Defensive planning is a key part of the management of large-scale assets and development portfolios. Profectus is able to undertake planning application and policy monitoring across large geographic areas to advise of the submission of relevant planning application and publishing of relevant planning policy consultations. Advice can then be provided on the relevance of these applications and consultations to the client and their commercial interests and representations prepared in respect of the planning applications or policy consultations where these are considered to be in the interests of the client and their assets.
Profectus understands that planning is inherently political and that a recognition of this is fundamental to the success of securing planning permission for development proposals. Profectus has significant experience of undertaking and managing public consultation and stakeholder and political engagement processes to help navigate development proposals through the planning system. This can involve working with public relations consultants or undertaking these services directly where appropriate. A successful engagement strategy can significantly benefit a proposal by maximising prospects of securing planning permission by achieving support from local communities and stakeholders and in ensuring these groups are informed of development proposals and their characteristics.
Whilst Profectus aims to secure planning permission first time, it is sometimes necessary to submit appeals against refusal of planning permission on some projects. Profectus has experience of preparing and submitting appeals at a variety of scales and progressing these appeals through both the written representations and Public Inquiry Process. This requires a meticulous and considered approach to ensure all relevant matters are thoroughly assessed to maximise the prospects of an appeal being successful.
Profectus has experience of drafting and reviewing S106 Agreements in relation to a range of project scales. Whilst a solicitor is required to finalise a legal agreement, it can often be more cost effective for the initial document and/or Heads of Terms to be prepared prior to a solicitor’s involvement. Support in Community Infrastructure Levy calculations and reporting can also be provided as part of wider instructions on a project.
Profectus is able to draft, negotiate and finalise planning conditions attached to any planning permissions as part of the planning application process. Profectus understands that it is crucial that planning conditions are drafted in a way that ensures that a planning permission is acceptable to institutional investors and occupiers and that maximum flexibility is built into a permission wherever possible.
Following the receipt of planning permission, Profectus is able to discharge any pre-commencement or pre-occupation planning conditions to ensure development can progress quickly whilst keeping track of the progress with discharging planning conditions.
Profectus has experience of undertaking a number of Retail Studies for local planning authorities to form part of the evidence base for the progression of sound and appropriately evidenced Local Plans. The Studies can include an assessment of capacity for new retail, leisure and other town centre development over the plan period based on up-to-date market data and assessments of the health and vitality of the authority’s town centres. These studies can include a consideration of how housing projections within the authority will affect this level of capacity along with advice on the level of floorspace and new centres that may be required in new settlements or urban extensions.
Profectus is able to provide support to local planning authorities in their determination of planning applications for retail, leisure and other town centre uses through undertaking audits of the sequential and impact assessments accompanying these applications. This ensures a robust basis for the determination of planning applications and also ensures that the assessments comply with the requirements of local and national policy along with the methodologies outlined within the National Planning Practice Guidance. The advice within the audits is independent but is provided on a sound and commercially minded basis.
Profectus is currently looking to expand the team to assist in delivering the great range of projects in the pipeline. All levels of experience will be considered including Assistant/Graduate Planner, Planner, Senior Planner, Associate and Director level. If you would be interested in joining the Profectus team, please send a copy of your CV to the contact details below.
If you would like to work with us or if you have any questions or queries in relation to any of our services or projects, please contact Steve Renshaw on: steve@profectustownplanning.com or on 07415 021 411
Below is a selection of key projects Profectus has been involved in delivering along with relevant news and updates.
Below is a section of schemes that Profectus has been involved in that have appeared in the media along with the articles describing these projects. Further information on the particular projects detailed below can be found within the Projects and News section of the website.
BBC : Hotel set for demolition after bat fears allayed
BBC : Entertainment hub planned for city shopping centre
BBC : Theatre and brewery planned for shopping centre
BBC : Shopping centre go-kart track approved
Place Yorkshire : Axiom Yorkshire and Cas hopeful for green light
BBC : Castleford Tigers ground revamp and employment site given approval
Environmental, Social and Governance matters are important to Profectus and a key part of land use planning is the management of environmental and social impacts. To reflect this, a simple five-point ESG Plan has been adopted to help meet the Profectus ESG objectives:
The Profectus ESG Plan will help to provide clients with the comfort that in instructing Profectus to provide them with town planning consultancy services, they are contributing to the delivery of sustainable development and meeting their own ESG requirements.
We would be happy to discuss the above if required or to provide further information on our governance procedures and practices where this would be of assistance.