Local Expertise
Twenty years working on Derby and Derbyshire projects.
JSA has had a Derby studio since 2002, so your application benefits from two decades of Derby City Council planning experience, not a generic process applied to a new postcode for the first time. That's the kind of local knowledge that's hard to fake and hard to rush.
You won't find a Derby City Council extension story here that's been through a contested committee, because we haven't run one that makes a good story yet, and we'd rather tell you that than invent one. What you can see instead is work across the wider county your project will be judged alongside: a Green Belt replacement dwelling in Little Eaton that went to committee at Erewash Borough Council and was approved 11 votes to one, and a new build in Weston-on-Trent that South Derbyshire District Council's design officer called exciting on first submission.
That same planning approach gets applied to streets across Allestree, Mickleover, Littleover, Chellaston and Spondon. If your project is the one that finally gives you a Derby City Council extension story worth telling, we'd like that as much as you would.
Thinking about extending in Derby?
Get a free, no-obligation consultation with our team.
OUR APPROACH
From first sketch to finished extension.
Your project moves through four stages, with us managing each one. You get a single point of contact throughout, so you're never chasing different people for different answers about your own project.
Free consultation
We visit your house (or video call if that suits you better) to understand your space, your budget and what you need from the extra room.
Design & feasibility
We sketch options, check what Derby City Council is likely to accept on your specific street, and agree a direction with you before any formal drawings begin.
Planning submission
We prepare and submit your application, and handle any questions from Derby City Council's case officer on your behalf, so your project keeps moving without you having to chase anyone.
Build support
Building regulations drawings, contractor tender support, and site visits through to completion, giving you one team to call from start to finish.
start the conversation
Let's talk about your extension.
Book a free, no-obligation consultation and find out what's possible for your house in Derby, with a realistic plan for your budget and timeline before you commit to anything.
We swapped to JSA after a disappointing experience with another firm and are relieved that we did. Chris and the team restored our confidence with their professionalism and enthusiasm for our home's renovation. Their design has brought us everything we hoped. In addition JSA made our building process less stressful and more controlled than many builds. We continued using their expertise throughout the build (planning, tendering process, contracting with the building firm, handling the inevitable tensions, agreeing the payment vs completion process). He is wise, fair and outcome focused, and we recommend Chris and the JSA team wholeheartedly.
Long Family, Homeowners
COMMON QUESTIONS
The question everyone asks first.
Before cost, before timeline, most people want to know if they even need to apply. Derby City Council doesn't require permission for every extension, and knowing which category yours falls into changes the whole shape of your project.
LIKELY PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT
No application needed
A single-storey rear extension that stays within set depth and height limits, on a property outside a conservation area, typically doesn't need planning permission at all. You can start building once Building Regulations are signed off.
- Single-storey rear extensions within set depth limits
- Property sits outside a conservation area
- Materials and roofline broadly match the existing house
YOU'LL NEED AN APPLICATION
Full planning permission
Two-storey extensions, anything pushing past permitted development limits, or a property in one of Derby's conservation areas, all need a full application to Derby City Council. It takes longer, but a well-prepared application rarely becomes a problem.
- Two-storey, side, or wrap-around extensions
- Properties in Strutt's Park, Darley Abbey, or other conservation areas
- Listed buildings, or extensions exceeding permitted limits
We tell you which category your project sits in during your free consultation, before you've spent anything on drawings.
Part of every free consultation
services
How we can help in Derby.
House extensions are our most requested service here, but they're rarely the only thing a project needs.
House Extensions
Rear, side and wrap-around extensions designed around how your family lives, with planning handled for you.
New Build Homes
New homes across Derby and Derbyshire, from tight infill plots to larger countryside sites, designed around the brief and the budget.
3D Visualisation
See your extension before it's built. Helpful for getting the whole household on the same page before work starts.
Thinking about extending in Derby?
Get a free, no-obligation consultation with our team.
FAQ's
Common Questions
It depends on the size, position and type of your property. Many single-storey rear extensions fall under permitted development rights and don't need full planning permission, but there are limits on height, depth and proximity to boundaries. Larger extensions, and anything affecting a property in one of Derby's conservation areas such as Strutt's Park or Darley Abbey, will usually need a full application to Derby City Council. We check this for you at no cost before any design work starts.
A national firm designs your extension once and moves on to the next city, often without ever having worked with Derby City Council before. Your application benefits from work going back to 2002, so you're getting the kind of detail this council expects on a submission, and an understanding of what tends to slow an application down here specifically. That experience doesn't reset every time you'd be a new client to a firm working in your city for the first time.
Architect fees for a house extension are usually charged as a fixed fee based on the complexity and scale of the project, rather than a percentage that fluctuates with your build cost. We agree this with you before any work begins, so there are no surprises later. For a detailed breakdown of how fees work, see our pricing guide.
Yes. We work across Derby and the surrounding area, including Allestree, Darley Abbey, Mickleover, Littleover, Chellaston and Spondon, all of which fall under Derby City Council for planning purposes. We also cover the wider county through our Derby studio, including Amber Valley, South Derbyshire and Erewash.
LOCAL TO YOU
Covering Derby and the surrounding area.
Derby City Council handles planning for the city itself, but the studio's reach goes wider, into Amber Valley, South Derbyshire and Erewash. Whichever side of the city boundary your property sits on, we know which authority you're dealing with and how they tend to assess a scheme.
Derby City Centre - Allestree - Darley Abbey - Mickleover - Littleover - Chellaston - Spondon
