Planning Approval: How We Achieve 97%

A strong proposal begins with an accurate survey and a review of planning history, local design guidance, designations and nearby relationships. Establish what is possible before investing in a preferred appearance.

Do not assume a neighbour's extension proves the same proposal will be acceptable. Orientation, windows, boundaries, original building form and policy timing can differ.

The portfolio describes a dormer conversion with materials and detailing intended to respect the existing roofline and local architectural character. The broader renovation also uses skylights and light wells to bring daylight into several levels.

The transferable lesson is to consider the roofscape and the quality of the internal accommodation together. The public project description does not publish officer comments, a conservation assessment or an approval route, so those are not attributed to it.

The Ewell project combines a flat roof, roof lantern, open-plan kitchen and sliding garden doors. It offers a specific example of designing for everyday use and daylight rather than discussing additional square metres in isolation.

For another site, those choices still need neighbour-impact, scale, energy and planning assessment. The example is not evidence that copying its roof or footprint guarantees permission.

The Purley conversion creates five 1–2 bedroom apartments through a coordinated combination of a two-storey side extension, rear addition and loft work. It illustrates why a multi-part scheme needs a consistent set of plans and a coherent accommodation strategy.

We do not publish an invented refusal-and-redesign story or claim that a particular report secured its permission. Ask the practice what case-specific records and experience it can discuss for a comparable brief.

Choose the correct route, meet the council's validation requirements and ensure every drawing shows the same proposal. Provide proportionate evidence for the actual policy issues, and respond constructively where a design concern can be addressed.

A realistic adviser should explain remaining risks and alternatives. Council decisions, policy changes and site constraints remain material even where a practice has a strong record. No historical rate guarantees your own consent.