Fabric Building Planning & Site Surveys

Toro Shelters are experts in fabric building planning, design and site surveys for tensile fabric structures. As a result, we have a vast amount of experience that we can share with our clients at each stage of the project. Furthermore, we are able to offer fundamental advice and support right at the start of your project and even before planning and site surveys have commenced.

Planning Perfection

Is planning permission needed?

The short answer is YES. A large structure erected for more than 28 days – that is NOT a permitted development on the site will need planning permission. To this point, the key variables considered when applying for planning permission are:

  • Size of the structure
  • Use of the structure
  • Siting of the structure

Your Toro Project Manager will work together with Planning Consultants so that Planning Authorities may fully understand the proposed structure. Consequently, during the fabric building planning stage, they’ll outline design features including cladding colouring, profile and foundation requirements.

fabric building planning meeting toro shelters
fabric structure poured foundation toro shelters
Consider these two different examples…
  1. A small shelter, in an industrial area, which is proposed to be used for the medium-term storage of equipment (i.e. few associated trips to and from the building, no emissions associated with its use);
  2. A large shelter, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, close to residential properties, which is proposed to be used for a transport-intensive, smelly activity (say the interim storage and transit of waste, manure, or some other organic matter).

Clearly one of the above examples is going to encounter more challenges within the planning system, owing principally to its size, use and situation. Therefore each case requires a tailored discussion with the relevant Planning Authorities, and this is where the experts at Toro can step in and provide any assistance needed.

Toro has the experience to help with all your planning requirements.

Toro has many years of success working together in partnership with Clients and Local Councils and Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). Consequently we regularly help clients with issues that are likely to arise on fabric building planning applications when erecting a tensile fabric structure.

We are talking about relatively substantial structure covered in tensioned fabric, which will be very visible in certain circumstances. The visual impact is going to be an issue for applications,  different structure designs and colours of the exterior fabric will help to reduce the impact of the shelters. Our structures can be designed and covered with coloured membrane specifically to lower the visual impact we have discussed. For example, Toro has designed a salt barn for the Central Bedfordshire Council in RAL colour 6005 (see below), which was a stipulation from the local council Planning Department.

From buildings that have an effect on the amenity of the local area, such as noise and smell, are going to prove problematic in certain circumstances. For instance, that can happen when you have sensitive receptors close to the site of the proposed building such as residential development. That’s why Toro Shelters has developed temporary buildings that protect bulk material such as wood and salt. Their purpose is to keep odours and dust in and the weather and pests out. For example, our salt barns are designed to keep salt dry and to prevent salt contaminating the environment.

This ties in with the effects on amenity point above, any proposals that see (relatively) high volumes of transport to and from a building will struggle to obtain LPA sign off, subject to adequate mitigation being put in place. The other aspect to this subject in consideration of the access to the proposed.

Tensile Fabric Structures could sometimes be viewed as temporary structures (meaning they can be moved and often do not require a permanent foundation). Consequently authorities may grant restricted planning permission (to a period of say three/five years), in favour of the application and that added flexibility may allow Toro structures to be moved onto areas of a site that would otherwise not be open to normal buildings in the future.

It is sometimes possible to erect a tensile fabric structure on owned property without getting full planning permission as the rights to do so are derived from a general planning permission granted by Parliament. With this in mind, if you have a particularly complex situation, that is business-critical or of significant financial consequence, Toro can help connect you with a specialist for advice in this area.

If you’re unsure on anything at all, the Toro team can offer friendly and knowledgeable advice at any stage of your project. Therefore, feel free to to sound us out with a quick call or email.
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Toro is an award-winning company. We consistently deliver the highest levels of innovation, quality and service in the industry.

New Building Site Survey

What are the key objectives of a site survey?

A new building site survey typically consists of determining current site conditions for future above-ground and in-ground infrastructure. Consequently site surveys are inspections of an area where building work is proposed, to gather information for a design  and where an estimate to complete the build can be conducted. As a result it can determine the best precise location, access and orientation for your structure and assess any challenges in the immediate area.

Most site surveying services are provided by local companies or companies with local offices. They typically have some prior knowledge of the area to be surveyed, including its history, soil& water conditions, sensitive areas, habitats and protected species. This not only reduces the time to get to the designated site, but also provides the client valuable area insight upfront, from which decisions may be made and plans designed.

tensile fabric structure site survey toro shelters
fabric structure poured foundation toro shelters
Toro Knowledge and Expertise

Surveying services can include due diligence with regard to the size, use or siting of your structure. For example, bulk storage can exert enormous loading pressure on the ground below and if due diligence is not taken in the design stage, this could result in differential settlement and slab failure. Therefore Toro has a civil design service to ensure you have a foundation to sustain the loads exerted. As a result, in the case of bulk salt storage, the foundations and base slab are rigorously designed to prevent failure from heavy usage and prolonged saline attack.

In another example, Highways Maintenance Depots are often built on poor or reclaimed ground that is or was on the edge of town. Because of this, it is common that the soil beneath is either ‘made ground’, marsh, or poor ground and therefore are not suitable for sustaining high loads. Consequently, Toro’s design team has developed several different ground improvement techniques into its slab and foundation design to contend with this issue.

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Let’s Talk…

Too busy to talk right now?

In short, we’d love to chat about your temporary or permanent fabric shelter requirements. However, we understand if now isn’t the right time. Therefore, please leave your contact details here. We’ll arrange a call back at a time that suits you.

Toro’s philosophy puts clients at the centre of what we do. Therefore, our Sales Team will provide clear and informative advice. Above all, we’ll guarantee the very best return on investment. We’ll also guarantee industry leading service.

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    Let’s get the ball rolling on your tensile structure. We just need a few details, and we can give you a ballpark costing.