House Extension
Extending Your House
A house extension is a popular way to create additional living space, improve functionality, and increase the value of your home. However, navigating home extension regulations when it comes to planning permission in the UK can be complex, particularly when local policies, neighbours, design constraints, and budgets come into play.
At Henderson Planning & Design Ltd, we provide expert house extension advice and design consultancy to help homeowners secure planning permission and deliver successful extension projects with confidence.
Why Extend Your House?
Homeowners choose to extend their property for many reasons, including:
- Creating additional living space for growing families, home offices, or open plan living
- Avoiding the cost and disruption of moving house
- Adding value to your property with a well designed and fully optimised extension.
While extending can be a cost-effective alternative to moving, it is essential to consider your budget carefully. Every property has a ceiling value based on its location, plot size, and the local market. Over-investing may not always deliver a financial return.
Ultimately, the starting point for any extension project is a simple question:
What do you want your home extension to do for you?
From there, planning constraints, design options, and costs can be assessed to create a realistic and achievable proposal.
The process to achieving Planning Permission for a Home Extension.
Securing approval for a house extension can be broken down into clear, manageable stages.
1. Initial Consultation & Planning Assessment
We begin with an initial consultation to understand your requirements, priorities, and concerns. During this stage we assess:
- Planning Policy and Site constraints
- Site History
- Conservation area location or Listed Building status
- Neighbour relationships and areas for potential objection
- Whether the proposal can be considered Permitted Development
Not all house extensions require a planning application. Many smaller extensions can be built under Permitted Development rights, provided they meet specific criteria relating to size, height, materials, and other matters which are more site specific. This early assessment helps identify risks and opportunities before design work begins allowing you to understand what you need before spending time and money on unnecessary steps.
2. House Extension Design Process
There is plenty to consider and it can feel overwhelming.
We’ll help you achieve the space that will transform your home whilst balancing the compliance needed throughout the planning application process.
Beginning with initial floor plans, the design process can be both exciting and challenging. It is only through transparent dialogue that the right balance can be struck between size, layout, and finished materials. All of which has to achieve what you want it to.
3. Pre-Application Advice for a House Extension
For larger or more sensitive extensions, we may recommend submitting a pre-application enquiry to the Local Planning Authority. This is particularly useful where:
- The extension is large, prominent, or highly visible
- Contemporary or contrasting materials are proposed
- The property is in a historic or sensitive area
Pre-application advice provides early feedback from planning officers, highlighting potential issues and identifying changes needed before submission. This significantly reduces the risk of refusal and delays, and it can help provide applicants with valued time to make decisions and amendments at their own pace, instead of rushing before the determination date of their application.
Click here for our full article on Pre-Application Enquiries.
4. Submitting a Planning Application
Once the application has been fully prepared, all plans and necessary reports are submitted to the Local Planning Authority.
Local Planning Authorities aim to determine householder applications within 8 weeks of the application being considered 'valid', so it’s worth planning this into your timescales. During this time we liaise with planning officers and respond to queries or requested amendments to help keep the process moving smoothly and reduce unnecessary delays
A typical Householder Application for a home extension costs £613, which also includes the £85 service charge for use of the Planning Portal, so it's important to get it right first time!
What Happens After Planning Permission?
Once you have achieved your planning permission, you will be required to submit a Building Regulation application. A building regulation application ensures your home extension is structurally sound, safe, energy efficient, and legally compliant so that it can be built correctly and signed off. We can recommend trades and other professionals throughout the entire process.
Once this has been carried out, you will have a complete set of plans that will enable a builder to provide you with an accurate quote. It is imperative to utilise contractors that can be trusted and are transparent about likely costs from the start.
Why instruct a Professional for a House Extension?
While some homeowners try to submit and manage applications themselves, seeking advice from a planning consultant with design experience can greatly improve the likelihood of success with any house extension. We help you:
- Navigate site constraints
- Design extensions that align and reflect local architecture and character
- Identify and mitigate potential risks before submission
- Proactively respond to planning officers queries and objections
- Maximise your chances of approval & avoid costly refusals
For larger or sensitive extensions, professional planning advice can be the difference between approval and refusal.
Get Expert Planning Advice for your House Extension
Whether you are considering a small rear extension, a side return extension, or a large residential development, Henderson Planning & Design Ltd can guide you through the entire planning process.
We provide tailored advice, high-quality design, and full planning consultancy to ensure your house extension is compliant, achievable, and approved.
Blackberry Cottage Home Extension
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