Our services
Planning applications, prepared and managed for you
Householder applications for extensions and loft conversions, full applications for new homes and changes of use, and the supporting statements councils ask for. We prepare the whole package, submit it and deal with the council until you have a decision.
Most refusals we see come down to the same few things: a design that ignores the street, an extension that takes too much light from next door, or an application that arrives without the documents the council's validation list asks for. We design to the council's own policies from the first sketch, so the scheme has the best chance of approval first time.
We know the local plans and validation checklists for Reading, Wokingham, West Berkshire, Bracknell Forest and South Oxfordshire well, and work regularly with other councils across the Thames Valley and London.
Typical projects
- Householder applications: extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings, porches, fences and dropped kerbs
- Full applications: new dwellings, replacement dwellings, conversions to flats and HMOs
- Change of use applications, including commercial to residential
- Variation of conditions (section 73) and non material amendments
- Discharge of planning conditions after approval
What's included
- ✓
Measured survey and existing drawings: Floor plans, elevations and a site plan of the property as it is today.
- ✓
Proposed drawings: Plans, elevations, sections, roof and block plans drawn to scale for the council.
- ✓
Location plan: An up to date site location plan with the red line boundary.
- ✓
Application forms and certificates: Completed on the Planning Portal, including ownership certificates and notices.
- ✓
Supporting statements: Planning, heritage, sustainability, BNG and other statements where the council requires them.
- ✓
Council liaison: We deal with the case officer, answer queries and agree amendments through to the decision.
- Householder drawings plus the planning application
- Prior approval applications
- Certificates of lawfulness
Fixed fee agreed before we start. Council application fees are paid separately. New dwellings, conversions, appeals and consultancy are quoted per project.
Our work
Planning Applications: recent projects
20 Culver Lane
Replacement two storey dwelling · Earley, Reading RG6
5 Gould Road
Additional storey & two-dwelling scheme · Feltham TW14
24 New Lane Hill
Roof raising & loft conversion · Tilehurst, Reading RG30
Popescroft Lodge, Popeswood Road
First floor front extension · heritage setting · Binfield, Bracknell RG42
19B The Paddock
Two storey side & single storey rear extensions · Longworth, Abingdon OX13
20 King Street Lane
Roof extension, dormers & rear extension · Winnersh, Wokingham RG41
15 Monks Way
Single storey rear extension · Reading RG30
Southend Cottage
Garage conversion to guest annexe · Ogbourne St George, Marlborough SN8
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does a planning application take?
Councils have a statutory target of 8 weeks for householder and minor applications and 13 weeks for major applications, counted from the date the application is validated. Allow a week or two for validation, and longer if the council asks for amendments.
Is the council's application fee included?
No. The council's planning fee is paid separately when the application is submitted. We tell you the exact fee before we submit.
Do I need a planning application or is it permitted development?
Many extensions can be built under permitted development, but the rules have limits on size, height and materials, and some homes (flats, listed buildings, some estates and conservation areas) have reduced rights. We check this first, and if a prior approval or a certificate of lawfulness is the better route we will say so.
What happens if the council asks for changes?
We negotiate with the case officer and prepare the amended drawings as part of the service, so a request for changes does not have to end in a refusal.
Where we work
Local planning guides
How the councils we work with most handle applications, with their key policies and our projects there.
Extension and conversion projects by type
Other services
Ready to get started?
Tell us about your project for a free, no obligation quote.