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Rawtenstall is a unique area of old and historical buildings. It's a great place to consider buying property to improve, remodel or even build anew. We meet many people looking to do house extensions, roof dormers, outbuildings like a garden annex and much more.
But we also see a lot of cases where things can go wrong or people jump straight in without first considering permissions and red tape. Here we'll talk a little bit about the basic things you should know about construction projects in Rawtenstall and how we typically go about helping people realize their plans.
Having an architect that understands the area of Rawtenstall can help get the most from your project, any buildings you're working with and how builders in the area like to work. For instance, in our experience with previous projects in the area, it's not unusual to see a lot of very thick stone built homes reminiscent of when much of the housing was erected in the Victorian period.
Couple this with modern demands we have for buildings such as low energy usage and eco-home style building and it's been clear to us that balancing new designs with the character and history of the area will give you the best results and the easiest time on your building project journey.
Architects are more than just draughtsman but it's not always clear that is the case. We regularly take on many roles and services for clients and the list is only expanding. Our typical services include:
- Planning permission and building control approval.
- Feasibility, concept, planning and construction drawings.
- Submitting and managing applications such as listed building consent, public sewer build over agreements and more.
You can see a full run down of our services over on our services page.
One the key services we provide is experience with Rossendale council, ensuring you have the highest chance of approval with your project at the planning permission stage. Our well rounded experience with construction and design in general ensures that you have a project that:
- Stays on budget.
- Is delivered on time.
- Has a fantastically designed end result.
Check out some of these projects here.
It's common that planning permission is needed for most types of projects, whether it's a type house extension or a new build. In some cases it is possible to build your project under permitted development rights that you may have available to your site or property. We can advise you directly regarding this on our free consultations.
Further information on eligibility can be found on the government planning portal as well.
One of my favourite documents to use when looking at permitted development is this document from the UK government.
Outside of house extensions - changes of use, conversions and new builds have specific rules as outlined by Rossendale council, particularly under:
- HS1: Housing Site Allocations – Outlines the areas where new residential developments are planned.
- HS7: Conversions and Change of Use to Residential – defines how buildings can be changed into homes.
You can see the entirety of the local plan here.
There is of course a large list of other policies covering fire safety, biodiversity, flooding safety and more. Usually it's part of our job to navigate and demonstrate that our designs achieve the standards set out in these policies in order to achieve planning permission. For more information see Rossendale's planning site here
The area Rossendale covers contains quite a few conservation areas, 9 in total at the moment. Rawtenstall is in fact one of those conservation areas which focuses on retaining the character of the old commercial hub the town had during the Victorian era, particularly in relation to the Victorian architecture found there and the public buildings.
One of the key listed buildings in the town is St. James the Less Church which is Grade I listed due to it's Gothic revival style designed by E.W. Pugin in the 19th century. There are many Grade II listed buildings in Rawtenstall as well, including the The Old Town Hall, Rawtenstall Library and Former Market Hall Clock Tower.
A full list and address search can be found here.
Restoring, refurbishing and extending these buildings requires the utmost care and attention during the design and construction phases, which again is something we offer as part of our architectural experience working in the town.
For complex projects, we recommend starting with pre-application advice, this allows you to have a meeting or report from the council planners with early feedback before moving forward.
After this, we typically prepare documents for the application, the location plan, architectural drawings and any statements such as design and access and biodiversity net gain if needed.
The forms are filled out for the correct type of application, whether that's a householder, full, outline, retrospective or other application.
Application fees and timeframes can vary, for example householder planning applications at the moment are roughly £330 and have a 6 week decision period. Full applications usually start at around £520 and take at least 8 weeks.
It may be necessary to contact Rossendale council, we find communication is key to them understanding and approval projects. You can reach Rossendale council planning via.
Email - Planning@rossendalebc.gov.uk
Phone - 01706 217 777
3D drawing from a recently approved house and garage conversion and interior refurbishment in Rawtenstall.
We've spoken a lot about the planning process, but that's only one of many areas an architect can help you.
As a certified PassivHaus Designer, we have a specialism in energy efficient architecture and design. Focusing on how your project can save on energy bills in the long run and can even be self-sufficient and off the grid.
PassivHaus provides an extremely high standard of building. You can learn more about what makes it special here or by seeing some of our projects.
This has given us the edge during planning permission as well, particularly with NPPF 79 houses similar to those typically seen on Grand Designs.
We also specialize in working with existing buildings, designing modern or traditional in keeping or contrast with Rawtenstall’s historic character.
Our familiarity with masonry, timber and cutting edge types of construction also allows us to design with the builders in mind, ensuring you have a project that is easy to finish to a high standard.
Our services range from early design right the way through to completion.
Having worked in the construction industry and within architecture for the last 15 years, I've everything from the very best to the very questionable.
My focus over the last 6 years has been on bringing the very best in energy efficient architecture and high design to the small scale.
You can book us in here to arrange some time to chat, we're always happy to outline what you can expect with your project so you can plan ahead.
