Derby | architects
Derby architects who design to your budget, not their portfolio
You've got a budget, a plot or a house, and a fairly clear sense of what you want from it. What you haven't got is a year spare to learn how planning works the hard way. Good news: that part's ours. You make the calls that matter, and we handle the drawings, the council and the detail that keeps a project moving.
local proof
From city extensions to the biggest house in the village
Here's a sense of what that covers.
Take Brooklands, a replacement dwelling in South Derbyshire that ended up the biggest and best house in its village. Or Windy Rise at Little Eaton, where the new home quadrupled the one it replaced and still came away with unanimous committee approval, which doesn't happen by accident on a Green Belt plot.
It isn't all houses, either. There are apartment schemes for developers who've done it before, and co-living HMOs for the ones still finding their feet. Derby answers to Derby City Council, but a lot of the work crosses into South Derbyshire, Amber Valley and Erewash, and each reads an application a little differently.
the part everybody dreads
Around Derby, it depends which council you're standing in
Cross the right boundary and the same extension meets a different mood. Derby City Council handles the urban applications, but step into South Derbyshire, Amber Valley or Erewash and you're dealing with different officers, different local plans and different ideas about what fits. We've got work in all of them, which helps when a project sits awkwardly between policy and common sense.
The city has its own conservation areas and listed streets, where the bar on materials and proportion sits higher than people expect. Most refusals aren't a verdict on your idea, though. They're the answer to a question the application never got round to addressing.
architectural services in Derby
Whatever the scale, start with the idea.
House Extensions
More room without the upheaval of moving. Extensions designed to add space and value, with the Derby City Council side carried for you, so the forms aren't your problem.
New Build & Developer Schemes
One plot or a site full of them. We design apartment schemes for established developers and co-living HMOs for newer ones, built for the planners and the numbers alike.
Green Belt & Replacement Dwellings
Much of Derbyshire is Green Belt, and replacing or extending a home out there is a specific case to argue. We've made it, and won it, more times than we can count.
3D Visualisation
See it before you commit to it. Renders that help you, your family or a planning committee picture the finished thing before you spend on it.
What to expect
What working with us looks like.
Free consultation
We come to you, in person or on a call, and start by listening. The site, the budget, and what you want standing there at the end.
Design & feasibility
Options on paper, an early read on what the council will wear, and a direction you agree to before the formal drawings begin.
Planning submission
We put the application together, submit it, and deal with the case officer's questions so you don't have to.
Building Regulations
The technical layer: specifications, details and schedules, packaged so your builder and the inspector have what they need.
Site support
We stay reachable once the build's on. A call, a site visit, a quick answer for you or your builder when something comes up.
JSA Appointed for Listed Building Extension in Amber Valley
JSA is appointed to design a sensitive extension to a Grade II listed stone building in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, going to pre-application with CGI support.
Good Architectural Drawings Matter More Than You Think
Poor architectural drawings create assumptions, delays and cost. See why clear, accurate information matters to homeowners and commercial clients.
HMO or Flats? Why Modern Co-Living Falls Between the Rules
When does an HMO become flats? See how planning, licensing, building regulations and fire safety diverge, and how co-living developers can reduce risk early.
The New NPPF Is Here: What the 2026 Rewrite Means for Your Project
The new NPPF landed on 17 August 2026 and applies to decisions now. What changed for extensions, garden plots, small sites and Midlands projects.
We're Revisiting Our Leisure Portfolio
Twenty years of Midlands pub, bar and restaurant projects, plus a decade behind the bar. What a busy summer tells you about the building you trade from.
We Built an App That Keeps You in the Room
Datum is JSA's own project app. Every client gets a login: latest drawings, the brief, where planning's got to and what we did this week. Free on every project.
Biodiversity Net Gain: A Quick Guide for Anyone Who Isn't an Ecologist
What Biodiversity Net Gain requires for new developments in England: the 10% target, who's exempt, and how to plan for it from day one.
A 1960s Bungalow Gets a Contemporary Rethink in Lichfield
A modest 1960s bungalow in Lichfield is being extended and reconfigured for downsizing clients. Planning is submitted to Lichfield District Council.
Little Eaton Dormer Bungalows Approved, No Amendments Needed
Two backland dormer bungalows in Little Eaton have been approved by Erewash Borough Council with no amendments needed. Here's why that's rarer than it sounds.
JSA Appointed to Design 'The Forest': 73 Apartments for T&T Asset Group in Derby City Centre
T&T Asset Group has appointed JSA to design The Forest, a 73-apartment conversion in Derby city centre, covering architecture, interior design and planning.
The Grange, Finished: A Georgian Villa Restored, Warmed and Handed Back
See the finished restoration of The Grange, a Georgian villa in South Derbyshire. JSA acted as both architect and project manager throughout.
Burley Lane Site Progress Update: Quarndon Home Now Taking Shape
Site progress at Burley Lane in Quarndon: stair structure, basement golf simulator, MVHR routes, full-height glazing and November 2026 completion.
Planning Approved for Bramble Street Office-to-Flats Conversion in Derby
A vacant period office on Bramble Street, Derby, has approval for three flats. Now the unglamorous part: stairs, acoustics, flood notes and drawings.
Justin Smith Architects Is Now JSA Architects
Justin Smith Architects is now JSA Architects. Here’s the story, in Justin’s own words, and what the rebrand means for our clients and the practice.
Welcome to JSA, Joao Bravo
Joao Bravo joins JSA as our 3D artist and visualiser. A University of Derby graduate and qualified architectural technologist, originally from Lisbon.
Light at the End of the Terrace: Contemporary Rear Extension to a Victorian Townhouse in Sutton Coldfield
A contemporary rear extension brings light and space to a Victorian townhouse in Sutton Coldfield, and leaves the period terrace out front exactly as it was.
JSA Architects and British Living Group: Working Together on Derby Co-Living Development
JSA is working with British Living Group, one of the Midlands' most commercially minded developers, on a 27-room co-living conversion in Derby.
Lichfield’s Local Plan Might Be Delayed to 2029. If You’re Thinking About a Project, Here’s What That Means for You
Lichfield District Council may delay its 2043 Local Plan. If that sounds like a reason to pause your project, read this first. It probably isn't.
5,500 Homes Are Coming to Walmley. If You’re Already Living There, This Is Your Cue to Stop Putting Off Your Own Project
Birmingham City Council has approved the groundwork for 5,500 new homes near Walmley. If your own project's been on the back burner, this is your sign.
Planning Approved for Brooklands Luxury Dwelling
Golden Brook Developments had a permission for Brooklands and didn't rate the design. We redesigned it, and South Derbyshire has now approved the new scheme.
Planning Submitted: Brooklands' Redesign Heads to South Derbyshire District Council
The design's done and the application's in. Here's what JSA has proposed for Brooklands, a new home in Weston-on-Trent, South Derbyshire.
JSA Architects Appointed to Redesign Brooklands, a Luxury New Build in Weston-on-Trent
A permission existed and a design was on the table. Golden Brook Developments decided it wasn't good enough. They were right, and they called us.
Two Stand-Out Self-Builds Submitted for Full Planning in Little Eaton
Two bespoke self-build homes in Little Eaton designed for standout architecture and smart investment returns.
Major Family Home Remodel Proposed in Repton, South Derbyshire
Modern extension and full internal remodel proposed for character home in sought-after Repton, South Derbyshire.
Planning Appeal Secured for Bold New Home in Quarndon’s Green Belt
A new home in the Quarndon Green Belt, won at appeal. How strategic planning and a strong design got a Green Belt house over the line in Derbyshire.
Windy Rise, Little Eaton: JSA Architects Appointed and Planning Application Submitted
The Windy Rise plot in Little Eaton lost its bungalow to arsonists in 2017, then spent a decade rewilding. Our design for the hillside is now with the council.
Windy Rise Gets the Green Light: Erewash Borough Council Approves the Hillside Home That Made Councillors Say 'Thunderbirds Are Go'
Planning approved at Windy Rise, Little Eaton. Erewash Borough Council approved this Green Belt replacement dwelling 11-1. See how JSA Architects made the case.
Derby Assembly Rooms - Future of City Centre Development
Why Derby's new Assembly Rooms masterplan validates the mixed-use approach JSA has advocated since 2015.
Welcome to the Lichfield Studio, Olivia Hunt
Olivia Hunt joins our Lichfield studio as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant: NTU graduate, a year in practice across the Atlantic, now designing Midlands homes.
England Has a Height Complex. I’ve Spent A Decade Watching It Cost People Homes.
After 20+ years and 700+ buildings, JSA’s Chris Wood on why Britain’s instinctive fear of height is quietly making the housing crisis worse.
JSA Appointed for Listed Building Extension in Amber Valley
JSA is appointed to design a sensitive extension to a Grade II listed stone building in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, going to pre-application with CGI support.
Good Architectural Drawings Matter More Than You Think
Poor architectural drawings create assumptions, delays and cost. See why clear, accurate information matters to homeowners and commercial clients.
HMO or Flats? Why Modern Co-Living Falls Between the Rules
When does an HMO become flats? See how planning, licensing, building regulations and fire safety diverge, and how co-living developers can reduce risk early.
The New NPPF Is Here: What the 2026 Rewrite Means for Your Project
The new NPPF landed on 17 August 2026 and applies to decisions now. What changed for extensions, garden plots, small sites and Midlands projects.
We're Revisiting Our Leisure Portfolio
Twenty years of Midlands pub, bar and restaurant projects, plus a decade behind the bar. What a busy summer tells you about the building you trade from.
We Built an App That Keeps You in the Room
Datum is JSA's own project app. Every client gets a login: latest drawings, the brief, where planning's got to and what we did this week. Free on every project.
Biodiversity Net Gain: A Quick Guide for Anyone Who Isn't an Ecologist
What Biodiversity Net Gain requires for new developments in England: the 10% target, who's exempt, and how to plan for it from day one.
A 1960s Bungalow Gets a Contemporary Rethink in Lichfield
A modest 1960s bungalow in Lichfield is being extended and reconfigured for downsizing clients. Planning is submitted to Lichfield District Council.
Little Eaton Dormer Bungalows Approved, No Amendments Needed
Two backland dormer bungalows in Little Eaton have been approved by Erewash Borough Council with no amendments needed. Here's why that's rarer than it sounds.
JSA Appointed to Design 'The Forest': 73 Apartments for T&T Asset Group in Derby City Centre
T&T Asset Group has appointed JSA to design The Forest, a 73-apartment conversion in Derby city centre, covering architecture, interior design and planning.
The Grange, Finished: A Georgian Villa Restored, Warmed and Handed Back
See the finished restoration of The Grange, a Georgian villa in South Derbyshire. JSA acted as both architect and project manager throughout.
Burley Lane Site Progress Update: Quarndon Home Now Taking Shape
Site progress at Burley Lane in Quarndon: stair structure, basement golf simulator, MVHR routes, full-height glazing and November 2026 completion.
Planning Approved for Bramble Street Office-to-Flats Conversion in Derby
A vacant period office on Bramble Street, Derby, has approval for three flats. Now the unglamorous part: stairs, acoustics, flood notes and drawings.
Justin Smith Architects Is Now JSA Architects
Justin Smith Architects is now JSA Architects. Here’s the story, in Justin’s own words, and what the rebrand means for our clients and the practice.
Welcome to JSA, Joao Bravo
Joao Bravo joins JSA as our 3D artist and visualiser. A University of Derby graduate and qualified architectural technologist, originally from Lisbon.
Light at the End of the Terrace: Contemporary Rear Extension to a Victorian Townhouse in Sutton Coldfield
A contemporary rear extension brings light and space to a Victorian townhouse in Sutton Coldfield, and leaves the period terrace out front exactly as it was.
JSA Architects and British Living Group: Working Together on Derby Co-Living Development
JSA is working with British Living Group, one of the Midlands' most commercially minded developers, on a 27-room co-living conversion in Derby.
Lichfield’s Local Plan Might Be Delayed to 2029. If You’re Thinking About a Project, Here’s What That Means for You
Lichfield District Council may delay its 2043 Local Plan. If that sounds like a reason to pause your project, read this first. It probably isn't.
5,500 Homes Are Coming to Walmley. If You’re Already Living There, This Is Your Cue to Stop Putting Off Your Own Project
Birmingham City Council has approved the groundwork for 5,500 new homes near Walmley. If your own project's been on the back burner, this is your sign.
Planning Approved for Brooklands Luxury Dwelling
Golden Brook Developments had a permission for Brooklands and didn't rate the design. We redesigned it, and South Derbyshire has now approved the new scheme.
Planning Submitted: Brooklands' Redesign Heads to South Derbyshire District Council
The design's done and the application's in. Here's what JSA has proposed for Brooklands, a new home in Weston-on-Trent, South Derbyshire.
JSA Architects Appointed to Redesign Brooklands, a Luxury New Build in Weston-on-Trent
A permission existed and a design was on the table. Golden Brook Developments decided it wasn't good enough. They were right, and they called us.
Two Stand-Out Self-Builds Submitted for Full Planning in Little Eaton
Two bespoke self-build homes in Little Eaton designed for standout architecture and smart investment returns.
Major Family Home Remodel Proposed in Repton, South Derbyshire
Modern extension and full internal remodel proposed for character home in sought-after Repton, South Derbyshire.
Planning Appeal Secured for Bold New Home in Quarndon’s Green Belt
A new home in the Quarndon Green Belt, won at appeal. How strategic planning and a strong design got a Green Belt house over the line in Derbyshire.
Windy Rise, Little Eaton: JSA Architects Appointed and Planning Application Submitted
The Windy Rise plot in Little Eaton lost its bungalow to arsonists in 2017, then spent a decade rewilding. Our design for the hillside is now with the council.
Windy Rise Gets the Green Light: Erewash Borough Council Approves the Hillside Home That Made Councillors Say 'Thunderbirds Are Go'
Planning approved at Windy Rise, Little Eaton. Erewash Borough Council approved this Green Belt replacement dwelling 11-1. See how JSA Architects made the case.
Derby Assembly Rooms - Future of City Centre Development
Why Derby's new Assembly Rooms masterplan validates the mixed-use approach JSA has advocated since 2015.
Welcome to the Lichfield Studio, Olivia Hunt
Olivia Hunt joins our Lichfield studio as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant: NTU graduate, a year in practice across the Atlantic, now designing Midlands homes.
England Has a Height Complex. I’ve Spent A Decade Watching It Cost People Homes.
After 20+ years and 700+ buildings, JSA’s Chris Wood on why Britain’s instinctive fear of height is quietly making the housing crisis worse.
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