Householder Planning
Planning support for extensions, alterations, replacement dwellings and one-off residential projects.
Services
Planning Consultancy
Planning advice shaped around context, opportunity and deliverability. We support homeowners, developers, rural clients, businesses and public sector organisations with clear strategy from early appraisal through to application, appeal or wider planning support.
Key contact
Richard Pigott
Director – Chartered Town Planner
Planning projects rarely sit in isolation. Policy, design, heritage, landscape, viability and local context all influence what is possible. Our planning consultancy service helps clients understand that bigger picture early, shape the right strategy, and move forward with a clearer route.
We advise on a wide range of work, from householder proposals and planning applications through to site appraisals, rural planning matters, appeals and more complex development strategy. Because we work alongside architecture, urban design and heritage specialists, our advice is joined up from the outset.
Our planning services
Planning for Developers
Advice on land, sites and development proposals, from early strategy through to application support.
Planning Appraisals & Feasibility
Early-stage assessment of site constraints, potential and likely planning prospects.
Planning Applications
Support with preparing, coordinating and submitting planning applications.
Planning Appeals
Advice and representation where a proposal has been refused or needs to be challenged.
Enforcement & Retrospective Planning
Practical guidance where development has already taken place or planning issues have arisen.
Rural Planning
Planning advice for countryside sites, agricultural buildings, rural diversification and estate-related proposals.
Sector-focused planning advice
While every site and brief is different, our role is always the same, to provide clear, practical planning advice shaped around the context, the opportunity and the realities of the decision-making process.
Homeowners
Support for home extensions, alterations, replacement dwellings and one-off residential projects. We help homeowners understand the planning position early, identify likely constraints and move forward with clearer advice on the most effective route.
Developers
Planning strategy for sites, applications, development potential and delivery. We work with developers on appraisals, planning submissions, appeals and wider development proposals, helping shape schemes that are realistic, policy-aware and commercially informed.
Rural & Estates
Advice on rural development, agricultural change, diversification and sensitive countryside proposals. We support rural clients with planning matters that often require a careful balance between policy, landscape, heritage, access and the longer-term future of the land or estate.
Commercial
Support for business premises, change of use, redevelopment and operational planning needs. Whether the priority is adapting an existing building, improving a site or progressing a new proposal, we help businesses navigate the planning process with greater clarity.
Public Sector
Planning input for public bodies, communities and policy-led or place-based projects. We contribute clear, considered planning advice to projects where public value, local context and long-term outcomes all need to be carefully balanced.
How we work
A clear planning process
No two projects follow exactly the same path, but a clear process helps reduce uncertainty and shape the right next step.
We begin with early appraisal, review the planning position, then help move the project forward in a way that is proportionate to the site and brief.
For a broader look at the wider planning and design journey, see our series of blog posts, Demystifying the planning and design process Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
Understanding the brief
Initial appraisal
We begin by understanding the site, your aims, budget and the practical context around the project. At this stage we identify any obvious issues, constraints or risks, share initial thoughts based on similar work, and advise whether planning, heritage or wider specialist input is likely to be needed.
Testing the planning position
Planning feasibility
Where planning risks are higher, we can carry out a formal planning feasibility study before detailed design work begins. This gives a clearer view of the policy position, planning history and likely prospects of the proposal, and can provide more certainty before further time and cost are committed.
Shaping the right route
Strategy and next steps
Once the planning position is clearer, we help define the right route forward. That may include pre-application advice with the local authority, identifying the right level of supporting information, or advising whether the next step should be further design development, a planning submission or a more strategic review.
Building a clear case
Submission preparation
As proposals move forward, we help bring the right material together into a clear and proportionate planning case. Depending on the project, that can include drawings, planning statements, supporting reports and any third-party information needed to properly understand the site and support the application.
Supporting the next stage
Ongoing support
We stay involved through submission, consultation, officer feedback, negotiation or appeal where required. If the wider project continues beyond planning, our multidisciplinary team can also help carry that process forward into later design and delivery stages.
Typical planning projects
Planning support for extensions, remodelling and alterations to existing homes, helping clients understand whether permission is needed, what constraints may apply, and how a proposal can be shaped to respond positively to its setting.
Advice on one-off homes, infill opportunities and replacement dwellings, with early input on site prospects, local policy context, design considerations and the issues most likely to influence decision-making.
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Strategic planning advice for sites with development potential, including early-stage appraisal, planning strategy, site promotion and support in shaping proposals that are realistic, policy-aware and commercially informed.
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Planning guidance for projects in rural locations, including agricultural sites, diversification schemes, conversions and proposals where countryside policy, landscape setting or access constraints need careful consideration.
Support for businesses seeking to adapt, repurpose or intensify the use of a site or building, with advice on planning requirements, likely risks, and the most effective route for progressing a proposal.
Planning input for projects involving listed buildings, conservation areas or historically sensitive settings, helping ensure proposals are supported by the right strategy and aligned with wider heritage considerations.
Advice where an application has been refused or concerns have been raised, including review of decision notices, likely reasons for refusal and whether a revised submission or appeal offers the stronger next step.
Practical support where development has already taken place or planning compliance issues have arisen, with measured advice on the planning position, potential risks and the most appropriate way to respond.
Featured projects
Why choose Planning & Design
Joined-up thinking
Planning advice shaped alongside architecture, heritage and wider site considerations.
Clear, practical guidance
Advice grounded in what is realistic, not just what looks good on paper.
Breadth of experience
Support across residential, commercial, rural and public-sector contexts.
A structured approach
Clear next steps, clear communication, and a process that keeps momentum.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Early advice can be one of the most valuable stages in the process. We can review the site, the planning context and any likely constraints before detailed design work begins, helping you understand whether a proposal is realistic and what route is likely to be most effective.
No. We support clients at every stage, from early planning appraisals and pre-application advice through to planning applications, appeals and enforcement matters. We can tailor our input to the site, the location and the level of support needed.
Yes. If planning permission has been refused, all is not lost. We can review the decision, assess the reasons for refusal and advise whether the strongest next step is a revised application, negotiation with the council or a formal appeal.
Yes. We work across a wide range of project types, from home extensions, replacement dwellings and one-off homes through to development sites, commercial proposals and wider strategic projects. The approach is always shaped around the specifics of the site and the client brief.
Yes. Rural sites and heritage assets often need particularly careful handling. We regularly advise on countryside proposals, agricultural and diversification projects, listed buildings, conservation areas and other sensitive settings, drawing on wider heritage and design expertise where needed.
Yes. We have strong experience across Derbyshire, the Peak District and surrounding areas, and we also work more widely across the UK. Our team combines knowledge of national planning principles with practical understanding of how individual councils, planning officers and committees approach decision-making.
Get started
Need planning advice on a project?
Whether you are assessing a site, preparing an application or responding to a planning issue, we can help clarify the next step.
