Hampstead Architecture and Planning

LONDON RESIDENTIAL PRACTICE

Hampstead residential architecture and planning for London homes

From Hampstead, we design extensions, loft conversions, refurbishments and planning applications for houses and flats across London. Fixed fees start at £395.

Book a Free ConsultationGet your fixed-fee packageor call 020 8054 8756

Introduction

From first ideas to buildable drawings

We help London homeowners move from early ideas to clear drawings, approvals and buildable technical information. Our work covers residential design, planning applications, conservation-area projects, listed-building support, building regulation drawing packages and coordination with the consultants often needed on London homes.

Illustrative section through a London house and rear garden extensionIllustrative
Illustrative study — not a completed client project

What we do

Architecture, planning and technical drawings

Eight core areas of work for London houses, flats and heritage properties.

Illustrative floor plan of a mansion flat, for a Licence to Alter drawing packIllustrative

Leasehold & Licence to Alter

Licence to Alter Packages

Altering a London flat usually needs freeholder consent. We prepare the drawings and information managing agents ask for, from structure to acoustics and fire.

Explore service
Illustrative rear elevation of a Victorian terrace with a glazed single-storey extensionIllustrative

Extensions & Renovations

House Extension Architects

Rear, side-return, wraparound and two-storey extensions — designed, drawn and coordinated through planning, building regulations and the consultants each scheme needs.

Explore service
Illustrative cutaway of a Victorian roof with a dormer and stair, loft-conversion studyIllustrative

Extensions & Renovations

Loft Conversion Architects

A loft can add a bedroom or studio without extending the footprint. We design dormer, mansard and hip-to-gable conversions, resolving stairs, head height and fire escape.

Explore service
Illustrative existing and proposed ground-floor plans for a whole-house refurbishmentIllustrative

Extensions & Renovations

House Refurbishment Architects

A whole-house project is the moment to fix layout, light and circulation together. We plan it room by room, then coordinate the approvals and technical drawings.

Explore service
Illustrative floor plan of a London mansion flatIllustrative

Extensions & Renovations

Flat Refurbishment Architects

Refurbishing a London flat means working within a lease as well as a layout. We design the reconfiguration and prepare what the freeholder and building control need.

Explore service
Illustrative existing and proposed elevations and plans for a householder planning applicationIllustrative

Planning & Consents

Planning Drawings

Existing and proposed plans, elevations, sections and site drawings, prepared to the standard a London planning authority will validate and assess.

Explore service
Illustrative construction detail of a wall, steel beam and floor, building-regulations studyIllustrative

Technical & Building Regs

Building Regulations Drawings

Planning drawings are rarely enough to build from. We produce the technical package building control and contractors need, with structure and services coordinated.

Explore service
Illustrative front elevation and plan of a London townhouseIllustrative

Architecture & Design

Residential Architects

We take houses, flats, townhouses and period homes across north, north-west and central London from first brief through planning to a buildable technical package.

Explore service
View all services →
Prime London residential architectsKitchen extension architectsSide return extension architectsBasement architectsConservation area architectsListed building consentLuxury home architects

Fixed-fee packages

Answer a few questions, get your fixed-fee package

The package finder matches your property and planned works to the right drawings package — from a £395 review to full planning and Licence to Alter packages.

Find my package →

Why clients choose us

Design that considers planning, buildability and budget

London residential projects rarely depend on drawings alone. Planning sensitivity, leasehold approvals, party wall matters, structural changes, building control, fire safety and contractor coordination can all affect the success of a project. Our approach is to design with those constraints in mind from the beginning, so clients have a clearer route from concept to approval and construction.

The practice

Hampstead Architecture and Planning is a director-led London practice combining residential design, planning strategy and technical coordination. Every project runs through a single accountable point of contact, with structural, surveying and construction input brought in from an established consultant network as each scheme requires.

Planning-aware design

We design with conservation, leasehold and neighbour constraints considered from the start.

Technical drawing packages

Building regulations and tender drawings coordinated with structural and other consultants.

Clear fixed fees, no surprises

Every project starts with a transparent, fixed price and a free first conversation. No vague hourly rates and no surprises — just honest advice from the start.

Coordinated delivery

We can coordinate surveyors, engineers and builders through related group services.

Planning, building regulations & conservation

Expertise where it matters — and straightforward where it doesn't

Planning

Planning risk is often highest where the design looks simple. A rear extension, roof alteration or internal reconfiguration can be caught by conservation-area controls, listed-building status, an Article 4 direction or a freeholder requirement.

Overlooking, daylight, neighbour impact and trees matter too. We prepare planning drawings with those issues considered early rather than answered late.

Building regulations

Planning drawings are not usually enough to build from. A building regulations package adds the technical information needed for structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, drainage, stairs and waterproofing.

We coordinate those drawings with structural engineers, so one set of information serves approval, pricing and the work on site.

Conservation & heritage

Many homes across north and central London sit in a conservation area, on a sensitive street or in a historic setting. What is acceptable there is judged on the building and its context, not on precedent alone.

Proposals need a design response that respects scale, materials, neighbours and views. We set out those constraints with clients before anything is submitted.

Where we work

Areas we cover

From our Hampstead base across the London neighbourhoods we serve.

Illustrative street elevation of red-brick Victorian houses in HampsteadIllustrative

Camden

Architects in Hampstead

Period houses, flats and conservation-area properties, with Camden as the planning authority. We take a project from design through the application to building regulations drawings.

View area
Illustrative street elevation of tall Italianate villas with columned porches, Belsize ParkIllustrative

Camden

Architects in Belsize Park

Belsize Park's terraces and mansion flats sit under Camden conservation and Article 4 controls. We check what applies to your address, then design and draw to it.

View area
Illustrative front elevation of a stucco villa with a portico and front gardenIllustrative

Westminster / Camden

Architects in St John's Wood

We work on St John's Wood villas and mansion-block flats — refurbishments, reconfigurations and extensions — coordinating planning, building regulations and consultants.

View area
Illustrative street elevation of modest Georgian brick houses, Highgate villageIllustrative

Camden / Haringey / Islington

Architects in Highgate

Highgate projects can fall under Camden, Haringey or Islington — we confirm the authority and conservation position first, then design and prepare the drawings the application needs.

View area
Illustrative street elevation of cream stucco terraces climbing a hillIllustrative

Camden

Architects in Primrose Hill

Rear extensions, loft conversions and whole-house refurbishment on Primrose Hill terraces, drawn and taken through Camden's conservation-area requirements.

View area
Illustrative street elevation of terraces and a mansion block, Swiss Cottage characterIllustrative

Camden

Architects in Swiss Cottage

Around Finchley Road the stock is mansion blocks, converted flats and Victorian terraces. We design the alterations and prepare the Camden planning and building regulations drawings.

View area
Illustrative street elevation of a modest Victorian bay-fronted terrace, West HampsteadIllustrative

Camden

Architects in West Hampstead

Whether an NW6 address sits in a conservation area or under an Article 4 direction is a matter of Camden's records, not the postcode. We check first, then design to what applies.

View area
Illustrative front elevation of an Arts and Crafts house, Hampstead Garden SuburbIllustrative

Barnet

Architects in Hampstead Garden Suburb

One of London's most tightly controlled residential areas. Schemes here answer to Barnet planning and the Suburb's own scheme of management, and we prepare for both.

View area
Illustrative front elevation of a red-brick Edwardian mansion block, Maida ValeIllustrative

Westminster

Architects in Maida Vale

Mansion blocks and stucco terraces around W9 and Little Venice. We design the reconfiguration or extension and prepare what Westminster planning and building control require.

View area
View all areas →

How we work

A clear process from first call to completion

Each stage can be appointed in turn, so commitment stays proportionate to progress.

  1. Initial call

    We discuss the property, your objectives and the likely approval route.

  2. Site review and brief

    We review existing information and agree a clear design brief.

  3. Feasibility and planning strategy

    We test what is achievable and flag planning sensitivities early.

  4. Concept design

    We develop the design against budget, buildability and approvals.

  5. Planning submission

    We prepare and coordinate planning drawings and supporting documents.

  6. Building regulations and technical drawings

    We produce construction-stage information and coordinate consultants.

  7. Tender, contractor coordination and construction support

    We support pricing, selection and queries through to completion.

Our approach

Design with planning, leasehold, party wall and construction realities considered from the first conversation — so the home you imagine is the one that gets approved and built.

Guides

Helpful guides for London homeowners

Clear, cautious explanations of planning, drawings, fees and approvals.

Costs

Planning Application Fees and Costs in London (2026)

The council's statutory fee and the professional fee for drawings are separate — this guide sets out both.

Read guide

Basements

Basement Impact Assessment: What London Boroughs Require

What a Basement Impact Assessment covers, and how the trigger and scope change from borough to borough.

Read guide

Planning

Planning Drawings Validation Checklist for London Homes

A checklist for getting an application validated first time, drawn from published borough requirements.

Read guide
View all guides →

Journal

Perspective on London architecture

Short, considered pieces on design, planning and process.

Process

Basements in Blackheath: which borough decides?

A Blackheath address can sit in Greenwich or Lewisham. Establishing which one applies comes before any lightwell or temporary works is drawn.

Read

Process

Basement projects beside Hampstead Heath

A dig near the Heath is a slope, tree and two-borough problem. Treating it like a flat village rear extension is where these schemes come unstuck.

Read

Planning

Hampstead Garden Suburb: Trust consent and Barnet planning

In the Suburb, Barnet planning and Trust consent run as parallel tracks. Designing for only one is how redesign starts after a grant.

Read
Read the journal →

Related group services

A coordinated property team when your project needs more than drawings

Many London projects need architecture, measured surveys, structural engineering, party wall advice, leasehold approvals, fire-safety input, building control coordination and construction delivery. Where appropriate, we can coordinate with related surveying, engineering and renovation teams so the design is practical, compliant and buildable.

Surveying, engineering, party wall, construction and specialist consultancy appointments may be provided separately and are confirmed in writing before work begins.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an architect for a London house extension?

Not always legally, but most London extensions benefit from design and drawing expertise: testing what the property and planning context allow, preparing planning and building regulations drawings, coordinating the structural engineer, and producing information a party wall surveyor and builder can work from. A simple permitted-development scheme may only need a technician; a conservation-area, leasehold or contested scheme usually needs fuller design input.

Do all extensions need planning permission?

No. Some house extensions may fall under permitted development rights, but this depends on the property and restrictions. Flats, maisonettes, listed buildings, conservation areas, Article 4 directions and planning conditions can change the position. The safest first step is to check the property and proposed works before assuming permission is or is not needed. Our free planning checker and address review help you confirm the likely route before you spend on full drawings.

What is the difference between planning drawings and building regulations drawings?

Planning drawings show the proposed design for planning assessment — existing and proposed plans, elevations and sections that explain scale, appearance and neighbour impact. Building regulations drawings provide technical information for building control and construction: structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, drainage and weatherproofing. Most projects that need planning also need the technical package before a builder can price and build safely.

Can you help with a flat Licence to Alter?

Yes. We prepare or coordinate the drawings freeholders and managing agents typically request for leaseholder alterations — layouts, structural openings, acoustic and fire-stopping notes, and wet-area waterproofing intent. Structural, fire, acoustic or surveying input may also be needed depending on the works. Licence to Alter is separate from planning permission; many flat projects need both.

Can you help after planning permission is granted?

Yes — and that is when many projects stall if technical work is left late. After permission we prepare building regulations drawings, coordinate structural engineering, support tender information and help with contractor queries so the approved design can be priced and built without redesign. Pre-commencement planning conditions and freeholder consent still need sequencing before site start.

How much do your fixed-fee packages cost?

We publish fixed-fee packages rather than open-ended hourly rates. Many owners start with a £395 route review, credited in full if you proceed, which confirms the drawings and approval path for your property. Planning drawings packages and fuller householder packages are listed on our packages page with what each includes; specialist fees, council charges and build cost sit outside those design fees.

What should I send for a first response?

Address, property type (house or flat), a short description of the works, photos if you have them, and any previous drawings or planning decisions. Lease or freeholder notes help if the building is multi-unit. With that we can usually confirm the likely approval route and which drawing package you need before you commit to a full fee.

Which areas of London do you cover?

We focus on north, northwest and central London, including Hampstead, Highgate, Belsize Park, Primrose Hill, St John’s Wood, Maida Vale, Marylebone, and central areas including Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Kensington — with local service pages for the main project types in those areas.

Tell us about your project

Tell us where the property is, what you want to change and what stage you are at. We will review the information and advise which architectural drawings, approvals or consultant inputs are likely to be needed.

Book an Architectural ConsultationGet your fixed-fee packageor call 020 8054 8756

Local project pages

Prime North London

South West London

Other London

Call 020 8054 8756Send Details