Published13 July 2026Updated6 October 2026
We Built an App That Keeps You in the Room
Every JSA client now gets a login to their own project: latest drawings, your brief, where planning's got to, and what we did this week. Datum is our own in-house app, free on every project.
The best client experience we could possibly give you would be a permanent chair in our studio. You'd watch the drawings change, hear what the council said the moment we did, and never once wonder what happened on your project this week. It's not practical: you have a job, and we'd need considerably more chairs. So we built the next best thing. It's called Datum, it's been running quietly behind every JSA project for months, and today it goes on the record.
Your Whole Project, Open All Hours
Every JSA client now gets a login to their own project. Not a summary of it, not a monthly PDF that's out of date by the time you open it. The real thing, connected live to where the work lives.
Your drawings, current version, rather than the one marked FINAL_v7. Your brief, written down from the first proper conversation and kept there, so nothing drifts off course without you noticing. The surveyor's report, the engineer's calcs, the planning approvals, the quotes and the invoices. Which stage you're at, the last thing we did, the next thing we're doing, and a running feed of everything that's happened.
Our office shuts. Yours shuts at roughly the same time, which is the scheduling joke sitting underneath every client-architect relationship. Datum doesn't. Check it at 11pm on a Sunday, which is generally when the wondering happens anyway.
And “I'm fairly sure I asked for that months ago” stops being a conversation. You did ask. It's dated, you approved it from your inbox, and it can't evaporate somewhere between a phone call and a drawing.
If you'd rather never log in at all, a plain-English email lands in your inbox whenever something changes. Some clients live in Datum. Some have never opened it and would sooner ring us. Both are entirely fine.
Almost 25 Years of Hearing the Same Complaints
We've always called ourselves a client-first practice, putting your brief and your experience ahead of our own portfolio. Which is precisely what every other firm calls itself, so on its own it's worth about as much as the paper it's printed on. The question is what you do about it after twenty-four years of listening?
We have listened, and it's the same handful of frustrations nearly every time. The wait for the case officer, with no way of telling whether anyone's chasing or whether your file is under a pile. The quiet doubt about whether your architect wrote the brief down properly, or is running on memory and good intentions. The change you asked for last week that may or may not have landed anywhere. And the teeth-grinding business of hunting for the latest drawing in an inbox with four thousand unread emails.
None of that is a design problem. It's an information problem, and for two decades we solved it the way everyone solves it: phone calls, good memories, and luck. That works right up until the week it doesn't.
So we went shopping for software. Everything for sale is built for generic businesses, firms that sell a thing, invoice for the thing, and move on by Friday. An architecture project doesn't move like that. It moves in stages, drawing issues, planning applications, and long silent stretches where the council has your application and everybody stares at the ceiling. Nothing on the market had a field for the stare.
So we built our own. And it works beautifully.
Yes, We Chased Them. Here's the Receipts.
Planning is where you feel most in the dark, because for weeks on end the honest answer is “we're waiting.” From your side of it, waiting and being ignored look idl. They aren't the same thing, and now you can see which one you're in.
Datum logs the case officer's name, every time we rang, every time somebody picked up, and what they said when they did. It won't make the council move faster. Nothing makes the council move faster. But you'll never again have to take our word for it that we've been on their case.
Logging every chase also logs the weeks we didn't chase. That's occasionally humbling. It's also the entire point.
It Designs Nothing. That Part's Still Us.
Datum doesn't design anything. It won't ring the case officer, sketch a kitchen, or work out whether your ceiling can go up without meeting a steel. We still do all of that: the same people who answer the phone and sit at your kitchen table arguing about bricks and the building program.
Datum is the filing cabinet with a very good memory, not the architect. It holds no opinions on your extension. It makes sure nothing gets lost, forgotten or quietly fudged between the people who do.
It also isn't artificial intelligence, and won't be. Everyone and their accountant launched an app this year, and most are the same five features in a new logo with “AI” bolted to the roof. That's not a disclaimer, it's a decision. Software that remembers things is useful. Software with ideas about your house is a liability we've no interest in shipping.
Free, and Not in a Suspicious Way
Datum costs nothing. No fee, no tier, no “contact us for pricing.” Every JSA client, every project, every budget, and it stays that way.
The reason isn't generosity. The less time we spend hunting our own paperwork, the more we spend on your project. You get a better experience, we get a quieter Tuesday. Everybody wins, which is suspiciously rare in construction.
It's been quietly useful for months. As of today it's official, and every new client gets a login on day one. The full rundown lives on the Datum page if you want the lot rather than the highlights. Or ask on the next call. We're the ones who pick up.
Areas We Cover
JSA Architects Across the Midlands
We work with homeowners, developers, and landlords across the Midlands. Fees, planning authorities, and project types vary by location — find local insight and project examples for your area:
Architects in Derby → — Quarndon, Kirk Langley, Duffield, Allestree, Darley Abbey, Mickleover, Littleover
Architects in Nottingham → — The Park Estate, West Bridgford, Edwalton, Mapperley Park, Wollaton, Bramcote
Architects in Lichfield → — Shenstone, Little Aston, Four Oaks, Streetly, Aldridge, Walsall, Tamworth, Whittington
Architects in Solihull → — Knowle, Dorridge, Hampton in Arden, Shirley, Dickens Heath, Olton
Architects in Sutton Coldfield → — Four Oaks, Wylde Green, Boldmere, Mere Green, Streetly, Little Aston
faq's
Common Questions
Your current RIBA stage, what's happened, what's next, your drawings at their latest version, your brief, your documents, your quotes and invoices, and a full timeline of everything logged against your project. Including the planning chases, with dates.
No. It's free to every JSA client, on every project, at every budget. No tier, no upgrade, no catch. The less time we spend chasing our own paperwork, the more we spend on your project, which is the whole arrangement.
No. Some clients live in it. Some have never logged in and would rather have a phone call, which is a perfectly good way to run a project too. Datum is there when you want it, not another thing you're made to learn.
No app store, no software. Datum runs through a secure login in your browser.
Your project sits behind your own login, visible to you and your JSA team. Nobody else gets a look.
No, and it won't become one. Datum doesn't design, decide, or replace anybody on your project. It's a project-tracking app that keeps everything logged in one place. The people you speak to are the same people who've always done the work.
No. Datum is the bit in between: the filing cabinet with a very good memory, not the architect. Chris and the studio still do the designing, the calling, and the kitchen-table conversations.
Articles
News & Insights
Project updates, practice news, and useful guidance from JSA Architects.
Planning submitted for a 25-room co-living scheme in Derby: deep, dark and full of rules
Deep footprints, dark middles and three sets of rules that don't always agree. What it takes to design co-living studios, and our 25-room scheme in Derby.
Bat Surveys and Building Projects: Seasons, Licences and Costs
Bats can hold up homes, commercial sites and listed buildings for most of a year. Survey triggers, council rules, permitted development, licences and costs.
A new appointment in Allestree: refurbish or replace?
A new Allestree appointment prompts a practical guide to refurbishing or replacing a house, with a worked cost example, surveys, fees and planning questions.
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.
Planning submitted for a 25-room co-living scheme in Derby: deep, dark and full of rules
Deep footprints, dark middles and three sets of rules that don't always agree. What it takes to design co-living studios, and our 25-room scheme in Derby.
Bat Surveys and Building Projects: Seasons, Licences and Costs
Bats can hold up homes, commercial sites and listed buildings for most of a year. Survey triggers, council rules, permitted development, licences and costs.
A new appointment in Allestree: refurbish or replace?
A new Allestree appointment prompts a practical guide to refurbishing or replacing a house, with a worked cost example, surveys, fees and planning questions.
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.
