Rigby & Rigby is celebrating another success as planning permission is secured for the renovation and extension of a country house in the picturesque landscape of Warwickshire. The family home currently exists as a 1960s bungalow sited within expansive grounds. Our client seeks to update the existing dwelling to reflect the history of the estate and create a sustainable and energy efficient home for their growing family.

The planning process proved formidable as the property is located within a greenbelt where proposed development is impacted by additional policy designed to protect the area. Rigby & Rigby Architecture considered several solutions to provide the ideal family home and navigated the planning complexities by seeking pre-application advice prior to making a full planning application. During these early consultations, Warwickshire County Council communicated that they would only grant permission for a replacement dwelling if it exhibited a marginal increase in size of no more than 3-4%. Such a limitation carried the risk of making the project economically unviable for our client and would prevent a return on investment.

Demonstrating resourcefulness and a strategic mindset, our team instead embarked on a series of applications under Permitted Development Rights securing Certificates of Lawfulness for extensions to the existing building. Leveraging a change in legislation made in 2020, one of these applications encompassed the addition of an extra storey to the property. Obtaining the Certificates of Lawfulness for the extensions to the property provided a fallback position for a dwelling that would see an increase in size of 135%! This figure starkly contrasts the modest allowance of 3-4% initially expressed by the local authority. With this fallback in place, Rigby & Rigby Architecture led by Associate Director and Architect, Dave Ellis, were able to make an application for a dwelling that addressed the unattractive 1960s aesthetic by instead expressing a neo-classical style inspired by the original manor house that once stood on the estate. This largely new home will retain the 20^th century bungalow, recladding, extending, and refurbishing it to meet contemporary building standards.

The design, presented in a meticulously prepared full planning application, garnered resounding support from support from the planning authority. Illustrating the exemplary architectural capabilities of the design studio, the planning officer of Warwickshire County Council acknowledged the proposal’s uniqueness and is quoted as saying that the scheme is “truly exceptional”.

What had initially appeared to be an arduous journey through the bureaucratic intricacies of the UK planning system became a testament to Rigby & Rigby’s adeptness in negotiation, strategic planning, and creative design. The outcome has exceeded our client’s expectations of what could be achieved, and we are proud to evidence our capability in supporting and delivering their vision.