how we work

On this page, we discuss what you can expect in working with Mosaic. It sets out the sorts of results that we can help you to achieve and the guiding principles which we follow. We then consider our approach to working with clients, at what stage we might become involved in your project and how we charge for our services.

We conclude by showing what distinguishes us in the market place and the value that we can bring to your project.

Results

By working with us, you can expect to minimise delays and abortive costs. We achieve this by:

• helping you to determine those projects which have a realistic chance of success
• advising on the most appropriate strategy
• submitting high quality planning applications and representations which will maximise the prospects of this being achieved. We can also free up time so that you can focus on what is important to you.

Our Philosophy

Planning is often about mediating between different interests. It will not always be possible to get everybody on board. However, any submission should minimise the areas of disagreement. It should anticipate and address potential areas of concern so that the balance of arguments weighs in favour of your proposal.

Our Approach

We provide a personal and adaptable service, which recognises that no two clients or projects are the same. Our clients share an interest in achieving results, but they have varying levels of knowledge of how the planning system works. We are friendly and approachable, and will provide you with clarity to show a way through often complex policies and procedures.

According to the individual case and the preferences of the client, our input might range from producing a single report to co-ordinating all of the professional inputs involved in a major planning application.

Your project will always be managed by a senior member of staff who will be available to discuss progress at any time. However, we work as a team and there will always be more than one consultant who is familiar with your project. We are reliable and responsive, and will not leave you guessing about when you might expect a reply or where your project is up to.

Our philosophy is to work in partnership with our clients and to develop long-term relationships. We are proud that most of our work is repeat business from clients who have appreciated our approach and the results achieved.

When Should You Involve Us?

There are clear benefits to involving us at an early stage in your project. This means you can:

• avoid abortive costs from proposals that are likely to fail without amendment
• anticipate objections that might be resolved
• address information requirements that could otherwise cause delay
• arrive at a scheme that will maximise the prospects of success

However, sometimes clients bring us in later in the process when a problem has already arisen. For example, a Council may have asked for evidence of compliance with a planning policy, or requested a financial contribution which could make the development unviable.

Alternatively, planning permission might already have been refused. We can then advise on whether to submit a revised application or on the prospects of a successful appeal.

Whether we are there at the outset or you have called on Mosaic at a later stage, you can benefit from our advice on the most effective strategy and the implementation of this.

What will it cost?

There is no charge for our initial consideration of your development issue. If we then believe that we can help you, we will then provide you with a written fee proposal.

We work to a fixed fee, which will apply to the tasks described in the written proposal. Certain expenses, such as travel costs to meetings, are recharged to clients at cost. Depending on the size and length of the project, there may be several stage payments which will be agreed at the outset.

If the future direction of a project is uncertain, we break it down into individual costed stages. After each stage, we can then agree with you on what basis to proceed.

We believe that our clients should be able to budget with certainty and so do not charge by the hour. There is no perverse incentive for us to spend more time on a project than is necessary, and our clients do not worry that a clock is ticking when they approach us for information or advice. The fixed fee takes account of the value which we bring to a project through the application of our professional skills and experience.

Why we are different

We can see the whole picture which others often miss. Our senior staff offer a rare combination of having worked in local government (covering both planning policy and planning applications), in the development industry, at a leading housebuilder and for a major property consultancy.

As we are independent and only deal with planning issues, our clients can be sure of impartial specialist advice. Our company has no direct financial interest in whether you buy or sell a site and we do not ‘cross sell’ other professional services.

However, we do have some excellent contacts with housebuilders, other developers and professional advisors who can add value to a project when a client needs some extra help. If you are looking to sell your site, we will usually be able to suggest end users who would be interested. Where architects' plans, transport assessments or ecology reports are required, we can suggest suitable specialists to help and then co-ordinate their input.

We will always give you a clear opinion about the prospects of success. Sometimes we might lose work from this, but our reputation is more important than short-term fee income. If we feel that we cannot add value, we will let you know.

We prefer to be judged by the quality of our advice rather than the weight of our reports. Our practical approach means that we always give recommended actions

Our pricing is predictable and transparent, allowing you to budget with more certainty.

Your next step

Now that you understand our results, approach and philosophy, you may like to read some more about the detail of our individual products and services.