Line illustration of a house elevation with a single-storey rear extension

Residential extensions, conversions and planning permission

I am an ARB-registered architect and I work with homeowners on projects of every size, from a single-storey rear extension to a whole new home. Every project starts with a design consultation, where we set the brief together and I get to understand how you want to live, both now and in the years ahead.

From there I prepare initial design sketches for you to review, develop the scheme around your brief and your budget, and advise on the planning route that fits the work. I stay involved through each stage, liaising with your local authority from the first application through to the building regulations drawings.

What I cover

Home extensions: single-storey rear, side, wrap-around and two-storey extensions.
Loft conversions, including dormer, hip-to-gable and mansard layouts, and roof-level balconies.
Garage conversions, on their own or combined with an extension and roof alteration in the same scheme.
Basement conversions.
Internal layout reconfiguration, open-plan kitchen-diners and new mezzanine levels.
Garden rooms and annexes.
New porches and facade improvements to lift your home’s kerb appeal.
Conversions and change of use, including flats to houses and commercial buildings to homes.
Roof terraces and roof alterations.
New build homes and replacement dwellings.
Extensions and alterations to period and character homes, including in conservation areas and National Landscapes (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

How I approach it

Not every project needs a full planning application. Depending on the work, the right route may be householder permitted development, a prior approval application, or a lawful development certificate (LDC) to confirm what is already allowed. I advise on which route fits and why, then prepare the drawings and documents for it. In practice that has meant explaining when a new roofline, a side extension or a different external material tips a project from permitted development into a householder application, so there are no surprises later.

I am used to designing with site constraints rather than around them. I have designed and taken schemes through planning in a National Landscape and in a town-centre conservation area, handled a Flood Zone 3 site with a flood risk assessment, worked through loss-of-privacy and right-of-light issues on a dense Central London street, and pursued a full householder application where permitted development rights had been removed. Where a buried drain or an awkward roof pitch threatened a scheme, I have commissioned a below-ground drainage survey and specified a roofing detail that satisfied building control.

I can take a project from the first sketch through to the detailed drawings and specification for building regulations, and I keep both you and the local authority updated at each stage. When it helps, I produce visuals such as a watercolour impression so you, and the planning officer, can picture the finished design. I cannot promise a particular planning decision, but I will give you an honest view of the prospects and put forward the strongest, well-evidenced case for your home.

Where I work

Most of my residential work is across Kent and the South East, with projects in London (including Westminster and Southwark), Surrey, Buckinghamshire and the West Midlands, and I have also designed a home remodel for a client overseas. Planning expectations differ from one council to the next, and I factor that into the design and the application from the start.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do I need planning permission for an extension?

Not always. Many home extensions fall under permitted development, but it depends on the size, the position, whether you are introducing a new external material, and whether those rights have been removed from your property. I check the right route before any drawings are prepared.

Can you help with a loft conversion?

Yes. I work on loft conversions of every type, from dormer and hip-to-gable to mansard layouts, including roof-level balconies, and I prepare both the planning and the building regulations drawings.

Can I extend in a conservation area or a National Landscape?

Often, yes, although these settings are more sensitive and the design has to respond to them carefully. I have designed and taken schemes through planning in a conservation area and in a National Landscape, and I manage the extra detail this involves.

Do you handle building regulations and the build, not just planning?

Yes. I take projects from the first design consultation through planning to the detailed building regulations drawings, and I can support you during construction, as I did for a client whose extension was built through the first COVID lockdown.

This is a starting outline. I expand each project with the detail relevant to your home and area.