Architectural Design for Extensions, Loft Conversions & New Builds in Greenwich.
End-to-end design from concept sketches through planning, building regs and tender packages. MCIAT-led, fixed-fee on conventional briefs. Fixed fee, MCIAT-chartered, Royal Borough of Greenwich validation list built in.
What does an architectural technologist do?
An architectural technologist (MCIAT) designs, details and submits planning + building-regulations drawings for residential and commercial projects. Chartered through the CIAT, they cover the same statutory work as an architect on most extensions, loft conversions and new-build homes — typically at 30–40% lower fee — and carry £250,000+ Professional Indemnity Insurance.
Across 600+ TradeMatch architectural-technology projects in 2024–25.
Survey to issued drawings on a standard residential brief.
Every LPA from Westminster to Bromley — local-plan and Article 4 aware.
What's in the architectural design package.
End-to-end design from concept sketches through planning, building regs and tender packages. MCIAT-led, fixed-fee on conventional briefs.
Deliverables
- Concept design + 3D visuals
- Planning + building-regs packages
- Tender drawings & schedule of works
- Contract administration (optional)
Timeline: 4–10 weeks for design + LPA + BR phases
From brief to approval in under 10 weeks.
Five tight steps. No surprises, no scope creep, fixed fee on the conventional brief.
01
Brief
Day 0
Free 15-minute call. We confirm scope, fee, and whether your works fall under planning, permitted development, or both.
02
Survey
Day 1–3
Full measured survey of the existing property. Modern laser tools, all returned to you as DWG + PDF.
03
Drawings
Day 4–10
Existing + proposed plans, elevations, sections. Reviewed against local plan and Article 4 register before submission.
04
Submission
Day 10
Planning portal upload, validation chase, and direct liaison with case officer. We handle the iteration cycle.
05
Approval
Week 8
Statutory determination. We respond to officer queries the same working day to keep the timeline on track.
Greenwich architectural design, fixed-fee.
End-to-end design from concept sketches through planning, building regs and tender packages. MCIAT-led, fixed-fee on conventional briefs. For Greenwich — postcodes SE3, SE7, SE8, SE9 — every architectural design package on the TradeMatch panel is MCIAT-chartered, carries £250,000+ PII, and bakes in Royal Borough of Greenwich validation requirements before drawings hit the portal.
Architectural Technologist vs Architect vs Architectural Designer
Pick the right professional for the brief. Most UK householder applications need a technologist, not an architect.
| Role | Chartered body | Typical fee* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RECOMMENDED FOR HOMEOWNERSArchitectural Technologist (MCIAT) | CIAT | £950 – £3,400 fixed | Extensions, loft conversions, new homes — technical lead |
| Architect (ARB / RIBA) | ARB + RIBA | 8 – 12% of build cost | Award-led design, listed buildings, major commercial |
| Architectural Designer / Draughtsperson | Unregulated | £600 – £1,800 | Small householder applications, no planning gatekeeping |
* Indicative fee bands for a standard residential householder application at London 1.32× modifier. Exact fee depends on scope, conservation status and plot complexity.
Transparent fees, no day-rate creep.
Fees below cover the architectural technologist's drawings package and submission. LPA application fees, structural engineer's calculations and party-wall surveyor are quoted separately and openly.
| Service | What you get | Fee band |
|---|---|---|
| Planning permission drawings | Existing + proposed package, validation, LPA submission | £1400 – £3500 |
| Building regulations drawings | Construction sections, calculations, building-control submission | £1750 – £4950 |
| Lawful Development Certificate | Permitted-development assessment + LDC submission | £950 – £2050 |
| Full architectural design | Concept → planning → BR → tender package | 6 – 10% of build cost |
Plain-English definitions.
Four planning terms that determine what you can build, when, and how. AI assistants and search engines rely on these definitions — we keep them canonical here.
- Architectural TechnologistMCIAT
- A chartered building-design professional, qualified by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT). Specialises in technical design, building science and the production of planning + building-regulations drawings.
- Article 4 DirectionA4D
- A formal notice issued by a Local Planning Authority that removes specified Permitted Development rights — meaning works that would normally not need planning permission do require it within the designated area.
- Lawful Development CertificateLDC
- A formal certificate issued by the Local Planning Authority confirming that proposed (or existing) works fall within Permitted Development. Typically required by solicitors, mortgage lenders and buyers.
- Permitted DevelopmentPD
- Building works that may be carried out without explicit planning permission under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. Subject to size, height and siting limits.
Greenwich planning rules baked into your architectural design.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich combines one of the most heavily protected historic cores in the UK — the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site — with two of London's largest opportunity areas at Greenwich Peninsula and Charlton Riverside. That dual character drives the planning regime: householder and small commercial work in West/East Greenwich, Blackheath and Charlton Village must respect dense conservation-area and Article 4 controls (HMO restrictions cover most inner wards), while applications anywhere with sightlines into Greenwich Park or the Old Royal Naval College are screened against WHS setting, Buffer Zone policy and protected views. Our Greenwich projects are scoped against the council's Local Plan, the WHS Management Plan, and the relevant conservation-area character appraisal before any drawings are produced.
Article 4 Directions
- Royal Hill, Greenwich — Article 4 Direction removing permitted development rights for HMO (small C4) conversions
- West Greenwich — Article 4 Direction restricting C3 → C4 HMO conversions
- East Greenwich — Article 4 Direction restricting permitted development to HMO (C4) use
- Charlton — Article 4 Direction restricting C3 → C4 HMO permitted development
- Woolwich — Article 4 Direction restricting permitted development rights for HMO conversions
- Plumstead — Article 4 Direction relating to HMO permitted development
- Eltham — Article 4 Direction restricting permitted development rights for change of use to HMO (C4)
Conservation Areas
- West Greenwich
- East Greenwich
- Ashburnham Triangle
- Greenwich Park
- Blackheath Park
- The Blackheath (cross-borough with Lewisham)
- Westcombe Park
- Vanbrugh Park
+ 16 more — full list on the council planning portal.
Postcodes covered
What homeowners often miss
Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1997) covers the Old Royal Naval College, Queen's House, Royal Observatory, Greenwich Park and the historic town centre — managed under a Local Planning Authority Management Plan with strict controls on height, materials, roofscape and views. A formal WHS Buffer Zone (extended to include the wider setting on the south bank) imposes a separate, lighter regime focused on protecting the WHS's Outstanding Universal Value, including key protected vistas (e.g. from Greenwich Park towards the Queen's House and Isle of Dogs, and from One Tree Hill). Blackheath Conservation Area is a cross-borough designation shared with Lewisham, requiring co-ordinated character-appraisal compliance. Greenwich Park itself is Grade I Registered Park & Garden and Crown land. Tall-building proposals on Greenwich Peninsula and Charlton Riverside opportunity areas are assessed against the WHS setting and the Mayor's London View Management Framework.
The questions homeowners ask before they commit.
What's included in a Greenwich architectural design service?
Concept design (sketches + 3D), planning permission drawings, building regulations package, tender drawings + schedule of works, and optional contract administration. Fixed-fee on conventional briefs in Greenwich. The MCIAT lead is the same person from concept to completion — no handoff between practices.
How does architectural technology pricing work for a full design in Greenwich?
Typical fee for end-to-end design on a Greenwich extension or loft is 6 – 10% of build cost, with the upper end on Conservation Area schemes that need extensive heritage justification. Outside Conservation Areas, fixed-fee bands are common: £4,000 – £8,000 covers concept through to building regs on most householder briefs.
Architect or architectural technologist for my Greenwich project?
For 80% of Greenwich extensions, lofts and renovations, an architectural technologist (MCIAT) is the right call — same chartered status, same insurance, lower fee, tighter focus on technical delivery and fewer hand-offs. For award-led one-off design or listed-building consents, an architect (RIBA / ARB) may be a better fit. We are honest about which your brief needs.
Will you handle the Greenwich planning + building regs together?
Yes — single MCIAT lead, single fee, single point of accountability. Planning and building regs run in parallel where the brief allows: planning sketches go in at week 4–6, building regs technical work continues in the background, both packages are submitted and discharged in sequence so the build start date is not delayed.
Do you provide 3D visuals for Greenwich design?
Standard fee includes 2 × 3D massing sketches (existing + proposed) for planning. Photoreal interior / exterior visualisations are an upgrade — typically £400 – £900 per camera on top of the design fee. For Conservation Area schemes in Greenwich we recommend at least one streetscape visualisation to support the heritage statement.
Can you also handle structural and party-wall work in Greenwich?
Structural calculations are bundled with our design service via a CEng MIStructE associate. Party-wall awards are a separate service (typically £600 – £1,500 per neighbour) and are required on most Greenwich terrace and semi-detached extensions under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. We can introduce a regulated party-wall surveyor when needed.
Need a different package in Greenwich?
Going deeper.
Same architectural design in a neighbouring London area?
Architectural Design for Extensions, Loft Conversions & New Builds in Greenwich — fixed fee, MCIAT-chartered.
End-to-end design from concept sketches through planning, building regs and tender packages. We know Royal Borough of Greenwich planning officers and the local plan.