Luton Hoo Estate

Development planning

AZ Urban Studio has successfully completed a number of planning commissions for the Luton Hoo Estate, encompassing general rural planning and estate management matters, as well as estate diversification projects.

Located immediately south of Luton and covering some 1,500 acres of greenbelt designated land and its own conservation area, the Estate has remained in the same family ownership for more than a century.

AZ Urban Studio secured planning permission for a new commercial (B8) building in the greenbelt upon the Estate, to accommodate the expanding Hoo’s Foods food hub business. Our planning team successfully argued very special circumstances for inappropriate development in the greenbelt, based upon the net reduction in physical development following removal of some agricultural buildings increasing openness, and the contribution the proposed use would make to a sustainable rural economy.

Also, AZ secured permission for an off-road driving course on the Estate to be operated as a Land Rover Experience Centre. Our planning team managed the project, including pre-application meetings with the local planning authority, commissioning and managing specialist consultants (noise, ecology, arboriculture), preparation of all planning material (including visual impact assessment), and negotiation with all relevant statutory bodies. Planning permission was granted in November 2010.

The projects at Luton Hoo Estate demonstrate the depth of our team’s knowledge of rural planning and estate diversification in a heritage environment context, and our ability to manage the planning process on behalf of clients.

AZ Urban Studio is advising on further projects and estate management matters upon the Estate.