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When 'Good Enough' Isn't Good Enough: A Developer's Design Rescue
A developer approached us recently with an approved design for a new countryside home near Derbyshire's Golden Valley. The planning permission was secure, but the design? Not so much.
'Approved'. But not Amazing
The original design had done its job—secured planning approval in what can feel like navigating a minefield blindfolded. But as our clients Matt and Gary got closer to actually building, they realised they wanted more than planning department approval. They wanted something they'd be proud to build.
Naturally, the thought of staring down the barrel of another planning application filled them with dread, so we sharpened our pencils and made sure they didn't have to.
The Elephant in the Planning Department
Here's the uncomfortable truth: we're seeing this everywhere, from Leicester to Lichfield and everywhere in between, developers and homeowners are watering down their designs to keep planning officers happy. The goal has shifted from "create something brilliant" to "don't rock the boat."
The irony is, most planning officers aren't architects or building designers. They're administrators interpreting policy documents. Yet we're collectively creating a blander built environment because everyone's terrified of getting knocked back.
We get it. Planning rejection is expensive, time-consuming, and soul-destroying. But playing it painfully safe isn't the only way forward. Our 97% planning success rate proves you can push boundaries and still get approved—you just need to know how to present ambitious design properly and when the fight is worth having.
From Rescue Mission To Reality
Our client was pleased enough with the transformation to hand us the whole project. We're now delivering the complete technical design package, and construction is underway with a client who'll end up with something genuinely special rather than just approved.
We've even created some pretty good renders of the new proposal so they can market the plot early and generate interest from buyers.
Working with developers and house-builders all over the Midlands for over 20 years, we've learned that planning permission is just the starting line. The real work is creating buildings people really want to live in, work in, or show off to their mates on the golf course.
Got planning permission but a design that doesn't light your fire? Let's have a chat about what's actually possible.
