Planning Ahead: What Every Homeowner Should Know Before Building or Extending

At Grace & Morris, we believe the best homes begin long before ground is broken. Whether you're dreaming of a sun-drenched kitchen extension, a countryside new-build, or a sensitive renovation in a conservation area, early and strategic planning is essential. With the longer days of summer inspiring fresh ideas, now is the time to consider how planning shapes the possibilities.

Here are six key considerations to keep in mind as you begin your architectural journey.

1. Understand Your Planning Context
Every property comes with its own planning story. Are you in a Conservation Area? Is your home Listed or in a National Park or AONB? These designations affect everything from materials to massing.
We begin every project with a deep dive into your site’s planning history and status, ensuring your proposal aligns with both local policy and national guidelines from day one.

Summer Tip: Take advantage of the dry weather to walk your site or plot. Seeing how the sun moves across the space can influence orientation, layout, and glazing strategies.

2. Know What Requires Permission—and What Doesn’t
Some works fall under Permitted Development, while others require Full Planning Permission. Knowing the difference can save time, money, and frustration.
For example, modest rear extensions or outbuildings may not need a full application, but even internal changes in a Listed Building often do. We advise clearly and early, so nothing is left to chance.

3. Engage a Planning Consultant Early (We Can Help)
While our in-house design team has extensive planning experience, we also collaborate closely with consultants like Astrum Planning to provide specialist guidance.
This collaboration is particularly valuable on complex or sensitive applications, ensuring we present a watertight case—especially where neighbours, heritage assets or environmental factors are involved.

4. Design That Anticipates Objections
Our goal is always to design with vision and conviction—but also with realism. We anticipate likely objections—overlooking, loss of light, scale, and impact on character—and proactively address them through careful layout, materials, and articulation.
This not only increases your chances of approval, but it also protects your future resale value.

5. Factor in the Planning Timeline
Planning isn't fast. Even straightforward applications can take 8–10 weeks for a decision, and complex cases longer. Add design development, technical drawings, and tendering, and you're looking at several months before work begins.
That’s why summer is the ideal time to start if you’re hoping to build next year.

6. Be Future-Focused
Planning isn’t just about permissions—it’s about long-term potential. We often encourage clients to think beyond the immediate brief and consider how their home might need to evolve in 5 or 10 years:
• Will elderly parents need space?
• Could a ground floor bedroom be valuable later?
• Is this your forever home or an investment?

Our role is to design and plan with a flexibility that ensures your home adapts with you.

Closing Thoughts:
Planning can feel like a maze—but with the right guidance, it becomes a map. At Grace & Morris, we blend deep planning knowledge with architectural imagination to unlock what’s truly possible for your home.

If you're considering a summer project, now is the time to plan.
Let us help you take the first step with clarity and confidence.