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.

Free consultation

Tell us about your project

Free and no obligation. We review every enquiry personally.

Have plans or photos? Use the full enquiry form to upload them.

At a glance

Residential design, planning applications and building regulation drawings for houses, flats and heritage homes across Hampstead and Greater London.

Fees
Fixed fees run from £395 to £4,950, including VAT. Council and consultant fees are separate.
Consultation
The first consultation is free and there is no obligation.
Planning
Planning permission cannot be guaranteed. The decision rests with the local planning authority.
Practice
Hampstead Architecture and Planning provides residential design, planning and technical drawing services. Professional appointments, scope, responsibilities and insurance arrangements are confirmed in writing before work begins.
Joined-up group team
In-house architectural designers, architects, and structural engineers working alongside sister companies Hampstead Renovations and Hampstead Chartered Surveyors & Building Consultancy under one roof.
Group insurance cover
Backed by comprehensive group insurance cover including £5M Public Liability, £10M Employers' Liability, and Contractors' All Risks (CAR) insurance.
Legal entity
Hampstead Architecture and Planning Limited, company number 17320100.
Registered office
Unit 3 Palace Court, 250 Finchley Road, London NW3 6DN
Phone
020 7101 3168
Email
contact@hampsteadarchitecture.co.uk
Office hours
Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm
Google Business Profile
The public Google Business Profile matches this name, address and phone number.

Start here

What are you planning?

Choose the work and the consultation form opens with it already selected. The first conversation is free, and there is no obligation.

Or describe it in your own words

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.

Section through a London house and rear garden extension

What we do

Architecture, planning and technical drawings

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

Mansion-flat floor plan marked up with a proposed wall removal and new steel beam, for Licence to Alter

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
Rear elevation of a Victorian terrace with a glazed single-storey extension

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
Cutaway of a Victorian roof with a dormer and stair, loft-conversion study

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
Existing and proposed ground-floor plans for a whole-house refurbishment

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
Existing and proposed floor plans of a London flat, opened up into a kitchen, dining and living room

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
Householder planning drawing set: site plan, existing and proposed elevations and ground-floor plans

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
Construction detail of a steel beam on a padstone in a brick wall, with insulated floor joists, building-regulations study

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
Front elevation and ground-floor plan of a London Victorian townhouse with a two-storey bay

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

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.

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 in-house architectural designers, architects, and structural engineers working alongside sister companies Hampstead Renovations and Hampstead Chartered Surveyors & Building Consultancy under one roof.

Backed by comprehensive group insurance cover — £5M Public Liability, £10M Employers' Liability, and Contractors' All Risks (CAR) insurance — we take schemes from initial feasibility and planning through to structural engineering, compliance, and build.

In-house multidisciplinary team

In-house architectural designers, architects, and structural engineers working under one roof from feasibility and planning through to technical drawings.

Sister-company group delivery

Joined-up delivery alongside Hampstead Renovations (construction, renovation, and refurbishment) and Hampstead Chartered Surveyors & Building Consultancy (party wall, building regulations, surveying, and compliance).

Comprehensive group insurance cover

Backed by comprehensive group insurance cover including £5M Public Liability, £10M Employers' Liability, and Contractors' All Risks (CAR) insurance.

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.

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.

Street elevation of red-brick Victorian houses in Hampstead

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
Street elevation of tall Italianate villas with columned porches, Belsize Park

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.

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Front elevation of a stucco villa with a portico and front garden, St John’s Wood

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.

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Street elevation of Georgian brick houses, Highgate village

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.

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Street elevation of cream stucco terraces climbing a hill, Primrose Hill

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
Street elevation of a turreted Victorian mansion block beside a stucco terrace, Swiss Cottage

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.

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Street elevation of a Victorian bay-fronted terrace, West Hampstead

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
Front elevation of an Arts and Crafts house, Hampstead Garden Suburb

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.

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Front elevation of a red-brick Edwardian mansion block, Maida Vale

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.

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Case studies

Recent North West London project outcomes

Anonymised planning and technical case studies across Hampstead, Belsize Park, St John’s Wood, Highgate, Primrose Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, West Hampstead and Maida Vale.

Hampstead · Camden

Rear and side-return extension to a Victorian terrace, Hampstead

A single-storey brick and slim-framed glazed side-return infill to a four-storey red-brick Victorian terrace in NW3, stepped behind the rear outrigger line to protect neighbour daylight and garden character.

Approved with conditions →

Belsize Park · Camden

Internal reconfiguration of a Grade II listed stucco villa flat, Belsize Park

Reinstatement of principal reception room proportions and sensitive relocation of a 1970s kitchen partition within a raised-ground-floor flat in a Grade II listed Italianate villa in NW3.

Approved with conditions →

St John's Wood · Westminster

Structural opening and kitchen relocation in a mansion flat, St John's Wood

Coordinated architectural, structural, acoustic and wet-area waterproofing package for a third-floor red-brick mansion flat in NW8, securing freeholder Licence to Alter and Westminster Building Control sign-off.

Approved →

Highgate · Camden

Rear dormer and roof-slope conversion to an Edwardian house, Highgate

A lead-cheeked rear dormer and conservation rooflight conversion to a red-brick Edwardian family house in N6, designed to sit subordinately within the Highgate roofscape.

Approved with conditions →

Primrose Hill · Camden

Lower-ground floor reconfiguration and garden opening, Primrose Hill

Reworking of a dark lower-ground storey in a stucco-fronted Primrose Hill terrace in NW1, lowering the internal slab locally and replacing late twentieth-century uPVC doors with timber-framed garden glazing.

Approved with conditions →

Hampstead Garden Suburb · Barnet

Single-storey rear addition to an Arts and Crafts house, Hampstead Garden Suburb

A pitched-roof handmade-brick and leaded-casement rear garden room in NW11, securing both London Borough of Barnet planning permission and Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust consent.

Approved with conditions →

West Hampstead · Camden

Upper-maisonette loft conversion and recessed roof terrace, West Hampstead

Conversion of the roof space above a first- and second-floor Victorian maisonette in NW6, incorporating a rear dormer and a screened inset terrace with no overlooking of neighbouring gardens.

Approved with conditions →

Maida Vale · Westminster

Lower-ground and basement excavation with front lightwell, Maida Vale

Single-storey sub-basement and garden-level remodelling beneath a semi-detached stucco villa in W9, compliant with Westminster basement footprint, soil-depth and tree-root protection rules.

Approved with conditions →

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.

Joined-up group & insurance cover

One joined-up team under one roof — design, engineering, surveying and build

Our in-house architectural designers, architects, and structural engineers work alongside sister companies Hampstead Renovations (construction, renovation, and refurbishment delivery) and Hampstead Chartered Surveyors & Building Consultancy (party wall, building regulations, surveying, and compliance) — taking projects from initial feasibility and planning through to structural engineering, compliance, and build.

Comprehensive group insurance cover

Backed by comprehensive group insurance cover including £5M Public Liability, £10M Employers' Liability, and Contractors' All Risks (CAR) insurance.

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.

Free consultation

Tell us about your project

Free and no obligation. We review every enquiry personally.

Have plans or photos? Use the full enquiry form to upload them.

Call 020 7101 3168Enquire