New house, Ascot

Construction has now finished on a fine new house situated in a prestigious road in Ascot. The site presented a number of challenges, with protected trees, a varied character and nearby neighbours. Planning permission was negotiated with the Council to achieve a large increase in the size of house on the site, and an improvement to the poorly designed house that existed before.


Client: Nightingale Developments Ltd

Lansdowne Walk, Kensington

Work has been completed on extensions, rear basement addition and internal refurbishment of a modernist property in a conservation area in Kensington. This followed a complex series of applications to the Council and an appeal to secure the changes at the rear of the house, where it was demonstrated to the Inspector that there would be no harm to the amenities of neighbours, to the conservation area or to trees from the changes. The architects for this scheme, with whom we worked very closely, were VW+BS

Client: private client

Phillimore Gardens, London W8

After detailed discussions with the Council, and the submission of comprehensive information on numerous topics, planning permission has been granted for extensive alterations and a large basement extension to a house on the Phillimore Estate, Kensington.

Client: private householder

Health centre, Barnes

We have secured a change of use of offices in the LB Richmond to a medical centre. This was a complex proposal involving the co-ordination of a number of specialist consulants. The Council's normally restrictive policies relating to preserving office space in the Borough had to be overcome, and the sensitive issue of traffic generation and parking were handled through detailed negotiations. Extensive pre-application discussions were held both with the Council and with local residents to reassure everyone that this new facility would be acceptable in this tightly built-up residential area. The application was approved under delegated powers.

Client: private company

Extensions to house

Planning permission has been granted for extensions to a terraced house in Kensington, including a new mansard roof. The application was approved under delegated powers within 8 weeks, allowing the family who owns the house to have extra room for their growing clan!

Client: private individual

Appeal for extensions to house

Planning permission was refused for a modern extension to the rear of, and basement beneath, a locally listed building in a Wimbledon conservation area. We submitted an appeal on behalf of the householder, to demonstrate the design of the modern extension would be a suitable addition to the house and the area. We also had to show there was no harm to protected trees and the basement could be safely constructed, and coordinated professional evidence on those matters. The appeal was allowed.

Client: Private householder

Theatre School

Planning permission has been granted for the change of use of an office building to a school. Corona Theatre School is a long-established performing arts school who needed to find new premises urgently due to an end on their lease in their previous premises.

Their desired new building fell into the restrictive policies of LB Richmond. We coordinated the professional team to provide evidence on employment policy, traffic and parking issues, and the suitability of the premises as a school. Detailed discussions were held with Officers at the Council and the application recommended for approval to Committee, despite a recognition that the scheme was not entirely consistent with the Council's policies. The application was approved unanimously.

Client: Corona Theatre School