The Practical Planning Company

The Practical Planning Company: residential design and planning across the East Midlands

The Practical Planning Company is a family-owned architectural design studio working with homeowners on residential projects in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. Its work centres on home extensions, conversions, listed building alterations, development in conservation areas and new-build residential design. The studio describes itself as award-winning and states that it has designed more than 800 home extensions, experience it presents as the basis for navigating the planning process.

Design packages are sold on a fixed-fee basis, and the studio offers a fee calculator for estimating the cost of plans. It presents its approach as hands-on, with a design team that talks clients through the options and can draw example layouts to help make the best use of a space.

Extensions, conversions and new-build projects

The studio's project types are grouped into several categories:

• Home extensions: rear, side or both, single or double storey, presented as an affordable and practical way to gain space.
• Loft conversions: aimed at adding a room by using unused space, with the studio noting that a well-executed conversion can add value to a home.
• Garage conversions: positioned as a way to make the most of existing square footage at a lower cost than building an extension.
• New builds: the studio acknowledges that new-build homes can be difficult to take through planning but considers them worth pursuing where approval is obtained.
• Other works: internal alterations, porches, boundary changes or treatments, multiple works and other conversions, quoted on request.

From design to building control

Beyond drawing plans, the studio covers the stages that follow. On design, it explains the considerations involved and can produce example layouts. On planning permission, it handles submissions to the local authority, an area it frames as tricky and time-consuming for homeowners. Once drawings are finalised and approved, the studio prepares technical plans, registers them with the client's chosen building control company and manages the process through to approval.

Two further services sit outside the fixed-fee packages. 3D renders are offered as optional high-quality visualisations, which the studio does not include by default because they are not required for planning permission or by builders. Build estimates are also available, intended to give a realistic figure for a project so that clients can judge whether a builder's quote is reasonable amid rising material prices and supply issues.

Team, awards and client feedback

The company describes itself as family-owned, with more than 15 years of experience in the construction industry and a stated focus on making homeowners and first-time renovators feel secure during a build. It reports having received national and local awards and finalist positions in programmes including the National Building & Construction Awards and Small Business Britain's 'The Small Awards'.

Testimonials published on the site describe side and rear extensions, help with planning applications and build-over agreements, and praise for named team members Ben, Jodie and Denise. Clients refer to a written customer process leaflet setting out the stages and payment points, and to receiving drawings in hard copy and electronic form, along with lists of builders familiar with the studio's drawings.