A visit from the Planning Office

And on we roll into May. The Hive team booked in a visit from the Monmouthshire Council Planning Office to get the lay of the land (figuratively and literally) from a legal perspective.

In official language, this was a Pre-Application Consultation, where we can get advise on what probably will and probably won't be approved when we set down all our plans in stone

And it was on a beautifully sunny day that shined with optimism, we met with the very helpful Planning Officer, Helen E.

And, indeed, we all have much to be optimistic about! Alongside a general thumbs up that The Hive was a worthy project, there was a huge helping of advise, pointers and considerations.

One of the current challenges is knowing what going on inside the current building waiting to be demolished. We already know about the panels of asbestos but are there gasworks waiting to leak out? Is there electrical supply to cause a nuisance?

And then there are all the other questions. Is there enough room to get emergency vehicles through, if needed? Will we need a SAB survey to ensure adequate drainage? Can we leave a shipping container to store things in after the site is clear? (That last one seems to be contentious even within the planning office!)

So what's next?

Once we've gathered our collective thoughts, we're discussing our findings with the amazing architect helping us out with The Hive design - Sarah Browne.

We'll then be pulling together more details to send in our Pre-Application to Monmouthshire Council Planning Off

ice.

Wish us luck!