Ms Jane Rarok > Paris Smith LLP > Southampton, England > Lawyer Profile

I am a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with 20 years’ experience in both public and private sector planning.   I have a wide breadth of planning experience and knowledge in all aspects of urban and rural planning.

I have gained extensive experience of rural planning while at Winchester City Council and South Downs National Park in areas such as housing, agricultural development and diversification, tourism development, equestrian and viticulture developments.

I’m experienced in all stages of the planning process from providing vital planning advice at the early stage through to post decision discharge of planning conditions. I am a proven negotiator with excellent communication and project management skills.

I provide clients with support and expertise in the following areas:

• site assessment and planning appraisals;
• pre-application planning advice;
• preparing, submitting and co-ordinating planning applications;
• advice on material and non-material amendments to approved schemes;
• permitted development right prior approvals (residential, commercial changes of use and agricultural prior approval development);
• planning appeals;
• third party letters of representation; and
• planning due diligence.

Over the years, I have been involved in a variety of development proposals including residential schemes, town and edge of centre commercial expansions and redevelopments, conversions and changes of use.  Outside towns and cities, I have experience of rural planning for housing, agricultural development and diversification, equestrian and viticulture developments as well as holiday and tourism development.  

I have successfully secured prior approval office to residential changes of use with additional floors of accommodation and extensive external alterations.  I have secured planning consent for clients in the charity sector, which includes mixed use schemes and affordable housing.  

I have specialist knowledge of planning in National Parks, where Government guidance places great weight on protection of the landscape and scenic beauty, and experience of planning in an historic environment.