If you have found a site potentially suitable for development or if you are at the start of your project home remodelling project, we can provide initial advice to get your project off the ground. Drawing on our experience from the past 20 years of working in the architectural industry, we can advise on the planning process and take you through what is feasible from a cost perspective.

We build on initial advice provided and take early thinking about a potential project to the next level by producing site appraisals sketch schemes and capacity plans. At this stage we will take on board opportunities and constraints that the site or project has to offer, producing basic or more detailed presentation drawings depending on the clients’ needs and on what type of drawing will help the project to progress. For example, a straightforward appraisal which has a function to determine how many flats may fit at a particular site may be a relatively simple drawing although a capacity plan designed for Local Authority land promotion is likely to be more emotive in its presentation to its intended recipient.

Once you have instructed Marlow, we will take great care in understanding your project’s requirements and what you want to achieve from the process. We take the briefing process extremely seriously as we fundamentally want to deliver a successful design that responds to and builds on the initial aspirations that you describe to us. We use and gather this information to start the design process and initial concept designs are useful to present ideas and design solutions to our clients before the design goes further. In this way, our clients feel connected to the design process and will have the ability to contribute as much or as little as they wish to the process. We thrive on listening and acting accordingly with our designs. Even at the early stage on concept design we think about planning arrangements, furniture layouts and the 3D form of the design. 

To help present our design ideas to you we enable you to visualise our concepts with a variety of 3D media. We produce concept 3D imagery and can supply photorealistic visualisations to aid with planning or marketing a scheme by working with our partners in this field, Make Believe.

At Marlow we have a specialist background knowledge in the planning process, invaluable in ultimately securing a planning consent. Depending on the circumstance, it may be appropriate or advisable to submit a Pre-Application prior to developing a full planning application. Pre-Application documents are individually created depending on what the project needs to best promote it to the Local Authority. Demonstrating to the council that the design has been conceived based on an in-depth understanding of the site’s constraints, opportunities and the development characteristics of the character and context of the area is extremely important and through our unique process of site analysis we can effectively demonstrate this to the Local Authority.

Our Planning Application drawings are tailored specifically to present your scheme in a way that gives it the absolute best chance of securing a planning consent. The presentation of each drawing is considered at length and each drawing is optimised for the intended viewer: a planning officer. Understanding in detail how planning officers read and interpret drawings and how they assess a scheme, is vital in tailoring drawings for the planning process. Our drawings go a step further, often including in depth analysis of proposed street scenes and site plans explaining to the planning officer ultimately why the scheme is acceptable and why it should be approved.

At Marlow we base design proposals on an in-depth understanding of the specific plot, the character of the area that the plot is a part of and upon analysing the constraints and opportunities that the project presents. Presenting this narrative to planning officers and other key decision makers is vital and when the design process is fully understood, even ambitious schemes and ones which push the boundaries of development are often granted. Our Design and Access Statements are designed to impart our thought process to the reader. Our statements are not overloaded with repetitive text copied from previous documents but are concise and individually crafted. We create bespoke diagrams and analytical drawings designed to explain, justify and persuade.

Once a planning application is submitted to the Local Authority we do not sit back and await a decision. At Marlow we actively engage in the panning application process and with the case officer assigned to the application by the council. We have developed highly tuned communication skills in dealing with planning officers and know and understand how to negotiate your scheme through the planning maze. Often understanding a situation and knowing how to handle certain issues with planning officers, can be key to achieving the correct decision. Fundamentally, planning officers like working with us. We are approachable, honest and ready to listen. We are often able to find solutions to disagreements or statements where no solution is obvious. Our clients have delighted in this frequently.

We want your scheme to get through the planning process and we work extremely hard to make this a reality. It is a fact of the industry, however, that not every application is granted, and some schemes will need to be resolved through the appeal process. For smaller projects this is dealt with via the written representations process. For larger schemes that may involve complex planning issues concerning heritage or a fine planning balance, hearings or public inquiries may be the appropriate route to follow. At Marlow we have considerable experience in all routes and working with the best Town Planners we can advise on the best course of action. We have a solid track record at defending schemes at Public Inquiry and are highly confident in our ability to provide professional evidence and act as a key expert witness.

We are able to deliver Building Regulation packages and construction drawings for your project ensuring that the intent of our initial design is brought to reality. We want to be involved until the completion of the project and relish the opportunity to see and experience the finished building.

Our fees are calculated on a bespoke basis for each and every project. We do not charge on a percentage basis of the build cost or project value but rather explore with our clients the optimal service that your project requires. Fees are discussed openly and are based on the type and complexity of the project. We focus on quality and charge fairly for the value that we can bring to your project. We offer free of charge consultations and will help to explore initial concepts, brief developments and development appraisals at no initial cost.