Architectural Design and Project Management

Category Archives: Buckinghamshire

Work Begins at Winslow Public Hall

Thursday, July 28th, 2022

Work has begun this week on a new extension and programme of improvements at Winslow Public Hall in Buckinghamshire. These will encompass a smart new entrance and lobby area, together with a modern catering kitchen, WCs and plant room. The existing large meeting hall will have enhanced public accessibility, a fresh decoration scheme and built-in storage facilities amongst other changes.

Renewable and sustainable energy solutions are always at the forefront of our thinking during the design phase. In this case, the hall will have two ranks of roof-mounted PV panels to generate electricity with battery storage to conserve the power.  As a finishing touch, the area around the new extension is a popular thoroughfare, and this will be attractively landscaped at the end of construction.

We are delighted to be working on this project on behalf of Winslow Town Council, and in conjunction with principal contractor JET Construction (Milton Keynes) Ltd.

Work begins at Winslow Public Hall
Visualisation of new extension

Planning Application Submitted for Playing Field

Thursday, January 10th, 2019

Not all of our design schemes are for buildings – we can also prepare plans for external improvement or landscaping projects.

One recent example is that of a series of enhancements to a public playing field and recreation area in a Buckinghamshire village. Working together with the local Tennis Club, Parish Council and other stakeholders we prepared plans for introducing two new mini tennis courts, an adjacent footpath for use by parents and school children and also improvements to the on-site car park and other footpaths.

Sometimes, external landscaping schemes can present interesting challenges – trees may need to be removed or cut back, for example, or underground drainage may be affected; occasionally an archaeological or environmental report is requested. With this present application, we acted as adviser and agent for the Parish Council to look after any issues raised during the planning process. We look forward to hearing the outcome of the planning application shortly.

 

Renewal of Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent

Thursday, November 15th, 2018

A local homeowner recently was very pleased to have planning and listed building consent (LBC) renewed by Aylesbury Vale District Council for an extension to their home. The proposal involves demolishing a conservatory at the rear, and replacing it with a more attractive two-storey extension with a glazed link corridor. A new double garage and replacement for the porch has also been granted consent.

This application was a renewal of a previously consented application to the local authority: as the three year statutory expiry of permission was approaching without work beginning, we were able to make a strong case for renewal of the planning and listed building consent.

The homeowner was very pleased to hear about the renewal of consent and commented “Great news! Thanks so much for your help with this application.” It is hoped that work will shortly begin on the home extension project.

 

Planning Granted for Rear Extension

Monday, October 29th, 2018

Aylesbury Vale District Council has this week granted planning permission for a part two storey and part single storey rear extension for the home of a local resident, based in the expanding village of Haddenham.

The homeowner wanted to improve the internal layout of her 3-bedroomed, semi-detached home; presently there is a large but long lounge, undersized dining room and inharmonious kitchen/utility space.

Once the consented works have been carried out, there will be a larger and well-designed kitchen, enough space for an adjacent dining/family area with floor to ceiling folding doors into the rear garden, and a separate utility/WC. On the first floor, there will be an extra bedroom for the growing family.

The homeowner is thrilled with the outcome, and looks forward to making a start soon. In the meantime, we are working on the specification for her with a view to shortly inviting builders to quote for the works.

Success for Kitchen Extension Application

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018

We have recently secured Householder planning permission for a new single storey kitchen extension at a house in Milton Keynes. Because of poor design, their existing kitchen was isolated from the rest of the house and garden, and could be cold in winter. The owner felt that their 1990s house could benefit from a better ground floor layout, to create a more open-plan and family-friendly kitchen and relaxation space. We agreed, and suggested demolishing a rear section of the original dwelling to replace it with an extension which stretches across the width of the house.

Our design includes a feature glazed roof lantern to allow lots of natural light into the space, and bi-folding doors to make the most of the garden. As you can see from the 3D visualisation, when completed not just the internal layout will have been improved, but also the appearance of the dwelling when viewed from the garden.

Extension to Family Home

Friday, July 27th, 2018

We have recently managed the construction of a part two-storey and part single-storey rear extension to a family home in Buckinghamshire. Our clients had already received planning permission for the scheme, but needed assistance with producing construction drawings, finding suitable builders and then administering a building contract.

On the first floor, a new master bedroom was added with an en suite bathroom. Downstairs the extension has allowed not only for a large open plan kitchen / breakfast room with folding doors into the garden, but also a useful utility and storage room.

Everything ran very smoothly and finished on time and within budget. Our clients are delighted with their larger home: “PCMS Design’s assistance in liaising with the building firm and administering the contract was invaluable, and everyone worked together really well. We could highly recommend this service to others in a similar situation.”

Helping to get The White Lion Pub Back on the Map!

Tuesday, June 19th, 2018

We are working hard at the moment to help get a popular Grade II Listed Chilterns pub back into operation and trading again. The White Lion in St Leonards, which is much loved by local residents in the surrounding hill top villages, has had a chequered history in the last few years. It’s been closed for business since January 2014. However, the future is now looking much brighter.

The White Lion was bought by Mandy Grimwood as a business opportunity in June 2017. Mandy appointed PCMS Design to advise on the potential for the building; it was clear that in order to be a viable business the whole building required renovation and extension. Our design proposal includes the demolition of a poor quality rear toilet block and reconfiguring and enlarging the public bar and restaurant area, whilst retaining the pub’s historic character. All areas of the pub are affected by the proposed works, including the landlord’s accommodation on the first floor.

A planning application with listed building consent is currently under consideration by Chiltern District Council. Director of PCMS Design Alex Bond said: “Everyone involved in this unique project is very excited by the prospect of the pub being put back on the map, and so far it has the support of many neighbours and several groups, including the ‘Save The White Lion’ campaign. It is rare to get the opportunity to help open a pub, and we hope to see it re-open next year.”

 

New for Old Barn in Buckinghamshire

Thursday, June 7th, 2018

A Buckinghamshire client has recently completed a new for old workshop and storage barn project. There was a rather impractical old large timber shed with corrugated metal roof which formed part of the front boundary to the residential property, and our client approached us to find out if designs could be prepared for a replacement building. The challenge was to find a solution that was acceptable to planners, because the building was not only within the curtilage of a listed building and also in a conservation area.

As our client was looking for a useful workshop and vehicle parking space, we recommended total replacement due to the poor quality of the original timber building and unsuitability for conversion. This also allowed for a slightly taller roof to incorporate a mezzanine storage area accessed via timber stairs, and two sets of double doors. The eaves level next to the neighbouring property was maintained to minimise any impact. Care was taken to replicate design features from the original building, such as the distinctive windows with vertical glazing bars and horizontal timber cladding.

The owner is very happy with the result: “Thank you for finding a practical solution for my new workshop. The assistance you gave with the design and navigating through both the planning and construction process is really appreciated.”

Extension Comes Under Permitted Development

Monday, August 21st, 2017

457 3D Image Screen Shot_001When the owners of a lovely barn conversion in Buckinghamshire approached us with a view to extending their home, we made an appraisal of how this could be quickly and practically achieved. A small (and rather inharmonious) conservatory had been added to the side elevation in the past, and our advice was to replace this with a more attractive – and larger – single storey kitchen extension.

An added benefit of our design is that because the extension is to the side elevation and does not exceed the dimensions allowed under Permitted Development (PD) legislation, then planning permission is not necessary. However, we advised applying to the Local Authority for a ‘Lawful Development Certificate’.

Aylesbury Vale District Council agreed that our design came under Permitted Development rights and issued the Certificate. Our client looks forward to moving ahead with the build as soon as possible.

If you would like advice on which types of domestic or commercial development come under Permitted Development rules, do get in touch with us.

Fab Games Room Completes!

Tuesday, August 15th, 2017

IMG_4943 ResizedLast week, we were pleased to be present at the final handover of a residential rear extension to a detached home in Buckinghamshire.

The original brief was to design a space large enough for a full-sized snooker table. We developed a design for a one and a half storey room with glazed doors, applied on behalf of the homeowner for planning permission, assisted with procurement of suitable builders, and then carried out project management of the build.

What we were not expecting upon our final visit was the bold interior design scheme which had been carefully chosen by the homeowner for his new games room. The green snooker table is contrasted by bright red walls, and a very fetching bar, the front of which is apparently clad in the owner’s family tartan! The room has a bright, fun feel – great to entertain and relax in.IMG_4926 Resized