MCIAT chartered architectural technologists covering Gravesend and the wider Kent commuter belt from our London base. Planning permission, building regulations, loft conversions, extensions and mansard roofs — fixed fees from £840, 30% below typical London architect rates.
Thames-side town with direct HS1 access to London, mixing historic riverside character with significant postwar suburban growth.
All householder planning applications in Gravesend are determined by Gravesham Borough Council. The council follows the National Planning Policy Framework and its own adopted Local Plan, supported by area-specific design guides and Supplementary Planning Documents.
Conservation areas: Gravesend Town Centre, Milton Chantry and Cobham are conservation areas. Cobham Hall is a Grade I listed Elizabethan house.
Policy quirks to watch: Gravesham's Local Plan 2014 prioritises the rural Green Belt. Parts of the town sit within Flood Zones 2-3 from the Thames. Ebbsfleet Valley nearby is absorbing significant cross-borough growth.
Typical housing in Gravesend includes georgian and Victorian terraces in the old town, 1930s semis in Northfleet, modern estates at Singlewell, and rural cottages in the Green Belt villages to the south. This mix drives the types of projects we most often prepare drawings for here.
Five core services — all fixed-fee, all delivered by MCIAT chartered architectural technologists, all within our 50-mile service radius.
Full planning submission: existing/proposed plans, elevations, site plan, and Design & Access Statement.
Construction-detail drawings for your builder and Building Control submission.
Rear dormer, hip-to-gable, L-shape or mansard loft conversion drawings.
Single-storey, double-storey, wrap-around and side-return extension drawings.
Full mansard conversion drawings with structural and thermal detailing.
Every drawing is signed off by a Chartered Member of the Institute of Architectural Technologists. The same quality bar that applies to our central London projects applies to our Gravesend work.
We regularly submit to all M25 commuter-belt councils including Gravesham Borough Council. We research each council's Local Plan, design guides and recent decision history before we start drawing.
Site visits, measured surveys and pre-application meetings in Gravesend are all included in our fixed fee. No mileage charges, no hourly rates, no surprises on the invoice.
Our submissions across the 33 London boroughs and the M25 commuter belt are approved at first application 98% of the time. Saving you the council resubmission fee and weeks of delay.
Rear and side-return extensions on Gravesend's Victorian and Edwardian terraces are among the most common projects we handle. A single-storey rear extension of up to 6 metres is often achievable without full planning permission, though conservation-area status (see Gravesham Borough Council guidance) typically removes Permitted Development rights.
Two-storey side and rear extensions on Gravesend's 1930s semi-detached housing stock allow for a larger kitchen and dining area at ground floor and an additional bedroom and bathroom above. Gravesham Borough Council generally supports subordinate extensions that maintain the original house's form and street rhythm.
Sympathetic extensions to listed and historic homes require additional heritage input. For period properties in Gravesend, we prepare heritage impact statements, use traditional materials and maintain the original proportions that Gravesham Borough Council's conservation officer will expect to see.
Rear extensions and loft conversions on Gravesend's post-war and New Town estates unlock significant additional living space. Many of these houses were built with low floor-to-ceiling heights, so we carry out a careful head-height survey before confirming loft-conversion feasibility.
Same fixed fees as our London work — no "commuter belt premium", no hourly surprises. Gravesham Borough Council application fees are charged separately at the statutory rate.
Planning permission drawings for Gravesend.
Planning + building regulations drawings for Gravesend.
Complex or listed-building projects in Gravesend.
Yes. Gravesend is well within our 50-mile service radius from our London office. We cover all Gravesend postcodes (DA11, DA12, DA13) for planning permission drawings, building regulations drawings, loft conversions, house extensions and mansard roofs. Gravesend is 21 miles from central London (23 min from London St Pancras (HS1)), so our team can comfortably visit for measured surveys and pre-application meetings with Gravesham Borough Council.
Our fixed fees in Gravesend match our London rates: Essentials from £840 (planning drawings only), Complete from £1,750 (planning + building regulations), Loft package from £1,225, and Mansard package from £1,575. These prices are roughly 30% below typical London architect rates for the same scope of work. Gravesham Borough Council application fees are charged separately at the statutory rate (£258 for a householder planning application, £129 for a Lawful Development Certificate in 2026).
Yes, every project includes an in-person measured survey at your property in Gravesend. Travel time from London is included in our fixed fee — you will never be charged mileage or hourly rates for site visits. We typically combine the measured survey with an initial brief discussion on site, then return for pre-submission checks if needed. For projects that require pre-application meetings at Gravesham Borough Council, we attend on your behalf and include the call or meeting in the fee.
Yes. While our office is in London, our MCIAT chartered architectural technologists regularly submit to councils across the M25 commuter belt, including Gravesham Borough Council. We use the Planning Portal for submissions, so the process is identical regardless of which local planning authority handles your application. We research each council's Local Plan, design guides, and recent decision history before preparing your drawings so that the scheme aligns with their current approach.
The statutory target for a householder planning application is 8 weeks from validation. Gravesham Borough Council generally meets this target for straightforward applications, although conservation area or listed building consents can take longer. Pre-application advice typically takes 4–6 weeks. From initial instruction to final decision, expect 10–16 weeks for a typical residential project in Gravesend.
Fixed fees from £840. MCIAT chartered. 98% first-time approval.