Architectural approvals and planning permissions for home extensions in Essex, designed by Kirkwood.

Approvals and planning permission service

Providing expert guidance on building permission for home extensions and renovations across Essex

Architectural approvals and planning permissions for home extensions in Essex, designed by Kirkwood.

Approvals and planning permission service

Providing expert guidance on building permission for home extensions and renovations across Essex

What is planning permission and why does it matter?

A planning permission service ensures your home extension meets local regulations and gains approval without unnecessary delays. It involves assessing your project, preparing detailed applications, and liaising with local authorities to secure permission. Getting planning permission right from the start prevents costly mistakes and ensures your extension is legally compliant. In areas like Essex, expert guidance helps streamline the process and improves your chances of approval the first time around.

Expert Planning Permission Service for Home Extensions

A professional planning permission service ensures your home extension meets all regulations and gets approved without delays. Experts handle applications, prepare accurate drawings, and liaise with the council to prevent costly mistakes. Whether you’re planning a single story extension, loft conversion, or double story extension, the right guidance helps streamline the process and improves approval success.

The importance of good design in planning permission

A well-designed planning permission service application increases approval chances and prevents costly revisions. Clear, accurate plans help councils assess compliance with regulations, reducing delays. Good design ensures your home extension meets both aesthetic and legal requirements, creating a smoother approval process.

Our planning permission service and approved projects in Essex

We've left some good impressions

See what our customers in Essex are saying on

Boris
19:35 12 Nov 23
Kirkwood Design and Build Builders, Wickford did a fantastic job on our extension in Billericay. They helped with planning permission, design, and build. Professional company through and through. Given that we haven't done such a large project before, we were a bit nervous and had a lot of questions. Jamie and his team from Kirkwood Design and Build Builders was good putting us at ease and now that we are fully complete with all our work, we further appreciate how professional this company is. Would highly recommend.
Holly Luckin
09:29 11 Nov 23
Nothing was to much hassle and Jamie is lovely!
john rocke
11:33 09 Nov 23
Great company and very professional. Nothing was a problem, very helpful and will definitely use them again. Have already given their details to a friend of mine.
Dave Lynch
19:32 08 Nov 23
Work carried out to a very high standard, very pleased with the results.
Sharon Gormer
13:06 07 Nov 23
Very professional company, helpful and friendly staff.
Aaron Tutton
11:15 07 Nov 23
Great builders, very professional and perfectionists! Thank you for such an amazing job
Olly Tait
13:28 21 Apr 23
Jamie and his team were so profesional from start to finish and made the job a joy to watch our dream come together.Very knowledgeable and contactable throughout the process.Couldn't ask for a better outcome and value for money.Will definitely be recommending and 100% will use again!5 star!!!
Sandie
20:03 20 Jan 23
I highly recommend the Kirkwood team! Exceptional workmanship, clear communication, Jamie & his team have provided the utmost as a polite & professional team! Very satisfied customer, looking forward to planning our loft conversion this year with you guys! Many thanks!
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Why choose our services for approvals or planning permission.

Even if your home extension falls under permitted development, it still requires approval to confirm compliance. A Certificate of Lawfulness provides official confirmation that your project meets regulations, preventing issues when selling your home. Without it, you may face legal complications or costly delays. Our planning permission serviceensures you get the right approvals, whether through a full application or permitted development confirmation, giving you peace of mind and protecting your investment.

Years of Planning Experience

With decades in the industry, we’ve seen it all. If planning mistakes were trophies, we’d need a bigger shelf. Luckily for you, we’ve already learned the hard lessons, so your planning permission service is handled the right way from the start. We take pride in setting the standard, offering honest and transparent guidance to get your project approved.

Tailored Advice for Every Home

No two homes are the same, and neither are their approval needs. The first step is understanding your plans and seeing what’s possible. Whether it’s permitted development or full planning permission, we advise on the best approach to get your home extension approved while making the process as smooth as possible.

Support Beyond Approval

Getting planning permission is just one step. Once you’ve got the green light, we don’t just disappear. We can connect you with reliable builders and guide you through the next stages. If you’ve got questions, we’re always at the end of the phone—no endless email chains, just straightforward support when you need it.

Our Planning Permission Process

In our eyes, there’s only one way to do the job—the right way. We treat every project as if it were our own. If there’s a way to save you money and hassle, we’ll let you know and guide you towards the best approach for your needs. A planning permission service shouldn’t be stressful—it can be a straightforward and even exciting process with the right support.

Initial Consultation and Site Visit

If you’ve already received a quote from us, you’ll know how competitive we are. To keep costs down, we provide 90% of the answers upfront before visiting your property. Using Google Earth, we assess your home and review neighbouring extensions to understand your planning permission service options. This gives us a strong insight into what’s likely to be approved.

Concept Development and Drafting

Once you give us the go-ahead, we start the survey. We measure everything down to the smallest detail so we can first draft the existing layout. From there, we develop designs for the proposed work. We keep refining until you’re completely happy—most of the time, we get it right in the first or second draft.

Planning Permission and Regulations

With regulations constantly changing in Essex, it’s worth working with a company that stays ahead of the curve. We make sure every project complies and always gain some form of approval from the council for peace of mind. Although not always required, we can offer building regulation drawings. If you don’t want to leave it to your builder to decide how your home extension is constructed, we can handle it for you. A planning permission service shouldn’t stop there—we also provide structural calculations where needed.

Honest Reviews from Our Customers

We ask every customer to leave us an honest review. Not everyone gets around to it, but for those who do, we appreciate it. It’s not just about 5-star ratings—it’s about helping future customers navigate this sometimes tricky industry. If you have a moment, we’d love to hear your feedback.

Modern rear extension in Braintree, Essex, designed by Kirkwood Architects, featuring an open-plan layout with large windows and a seamless connection to the garden.

frequently asked question

Please complete an enquiry form and submit your details. We will call you within 1 working day. If we can get through we will email you instead.

We are based in Wickford but we cover the whole of Essex and some part of London. 

Prices start at £1,195.00 and go up to £2,995.00

Permitted development for house extensions allows homeowners to build specific types of extensions without needing planning permission, provided they meet government-defined size and location criteria. As part of our architectural design service in Essex, we ensure your extension complies with these regulations. Additionally, we assist in obtaining a certificate of lawfulness, giving you legal confirmation that your project falls within permitted development rights

Get in contact with usb either calling, emailing, requesting a callback or completing an enquiry form. We are very quick at responding to enquiries.

Use ours is the short answer. We don’t have many as they are hard to come by, but the ones we do, won’t let you down.

Always the architect first if you want sound advice on what steps to take first. Kirkwood will advise on build costs in Essex as part of our service.

A certificate of lawfulness (COL) for a house extension is an official document that verifies the legality of a proposed or existing extension. It is also referred to as a lawful development certificate (LDC).

Here are some of the areas we cover for our architectural design service

Braintree

Colchester

Danbury

Epping

Frinton-on-Sea

Grays

Harlow

Ingatestone

Kelvedon

Laindon

Loughton

Latchingdon

Maldon

Mountnessing

Ongar

Pitsea

Rochford

Safron Walden

South Woodham Ferrers

Stansted

Shoeburyness

Southminster

Shenfield

Tilbury

Tiptree

Thundersley

Waltham Abbey

Westcliff-=n-Sea

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