Expert guidance through planning applications, appeals and pre-application advice with Merton Council, from our studio based right here in Morden.
Planning permission is often the biggest source of uncertainty in a home improvement project — and getting it wrong can cost months. As a studio based in Morden, we work with Merton Council on planning applications more than any other local authority, giving us a direct, practical understanding of their validation requirements and how their planning officers assess residential applications.
We handle the full planning process for Morden homeowners: assessing whether your project needs an application at all, pre-application advice, preparing and submitting householder and full planning applications to Merton Council, and planning appeals where applications are refused.
For extensions, loft conversions and alterations to a single dwelling that fall outside Permitted Development rights.
For new builds, conversions to multiple units, and larger developments requiring full local authority approval.
Formal confirmation that proposed or existing works are lawful under Permitted Development — useful for peace of mind or when selling.
Where an application has been refused, we prepare and submit appeals to the Planning Inspectorate, drawing on experience of local authority decision-making.
Every project starts with a free initial consultation, often at our Morden studio itself, to assess what type of planning route applies to your project. From there we prepare drawings and supporting documents, submit the application via Merton Council's planning portal, and manage correspondence with planning officers through to decision. If an application is refused, we advise on the merits of an appeal and manage that process too.
Our Park Tavern conversion in Crystal Palace — a locally listed building converted into 5 luxury flats — reflects the depth of planning and listed building experience we bring to more complex applications. See the full portfolio for more.
It depends on the scale, position and nature of the works, and whether your property is in a conservation area or is listed. We carry out a Permitted Development assessment at the start of every project and advise clearly on whether a planning application, a Certificate of Lawfulness, or no application at all is required.
Householder planning applications are typically decided within 8 weeks of validation, and full planning applications within 8 to 13 weeks, though this varies by local authority workload. We handle the full process, from pre-application advice through to decision.
Yes. Our studio is based in Morden, and we regularly submit planning applications to Merton Council, giving us direct familiarity with their validation requirements and typical decision timelines.
Book a free consultation with a RIBA Chartered Architect based right here in Morden.
Tell us a little about your project and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.