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Planning Permission

The multi-disciplinary answer to achieving planning permission in Bath, Wiltshire, Bristol, Frome and surrounding areas.

Leading certified architecture, engineering and surveying services in the South West. Contact our experts to discuss your options today.

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Get planning permission for your project with Western Building Consultants

We get planning permission in Bath and surrounding areas for hundreds of projects each year. Why not yours?

Planning Permission, as easy as it gets!

Western Building consultants are a chartered architectural technology (CIAT) and surveying practice (RICS) with our head office in the historic city of Bath. As a multi-disciplinary practice, we also employ RIBA architects in our Bath office and occasionally work with outsourced members of the RTPI.

Often the planning process must be balanced by your needs as the client, planning policy, local idiosyncrasies and the personalities involved. We have become expert over the last 15 years at balancing each area and often achieving planning permission on difficult sites where others have failed.

We offer exceptional value for achieving planning permission in Bristol as part of an overall design, surveying and engineering package. If you are looking to achieve planning permission on your domestic extension project, you’ll be pleased to know that 98% of our applications are approved for planning permission in the Bath and Bristol area. We have great local knowledge and have good experience in dealing with the local authorities around our offices.

We also have a track record of also advising and achieving planning permission for developers in Bath wishing to create multiple units. Western can handle projects up to 100 Units and have experience of master planning small, medium and large-scale projects.

If you’re interested in learning more, we have resources to help you with planning permission.

Permitted Development Rights?

Often residential extensions do not require full planning permission, permissions are granted in the form of General Development Planning Orders (GDPOs) and, in effect, they give implied planning consent to carry out certain classes of development.

To carry out work under Permitted Development the work must strictly conform to strict rules which can often be confusing, Western not only can help you understand what rights you have but carry out lawful development applications to ensure that your project legally complies.

We have extensive experience in achieving planning permission in Bath for all sorts of projects, please take the time to review the sorts of projects we get involved with below. We also service planning permission and permitted development rights in Newport, Frome and other surrounding areas in the South West England and South Wales.

Commercial, Architect, Bath, Cafe

Contact one of our team

Maria Simone M(Arch), ARB, RIBA

T. 01225 789307
E. [email protected]

Why us

Ethically Minded

Ethically Minded

Being socially responsible and promoting excellent ethics is at the forefront of our business. Our staff are happy and content and this is shown through our positive approach to your project. We work to the highest professional standards as required by both the RICS and CIAT. You can rest assured that when you employ WBC you will be supporting an organisation that champions local, national and international projects through schemes such as FairTrade, Mentoring Plus and the Bath percent club. This is backed up by a rigorous Corporate Social Responsibility Policy. We sponsor many grass roots sports clubs such as Combe Down Rugby Club, Frome Park Bowls Club & Cardiff Harlequins.

Realistic Timescales

Realistic Timescales

We are realistic with timescales and honest about what you will receive. Most people underestimate the time involved with a building project, but we are upfront about what is involved and will be clear about how long a project might take. Throughout the project we will continue to update you about progress and will advise you if there will be a disruption in the timetable.

Varied Architectural Style and Building Types

Varied Architectural Style and Building Types

We have vast planning experience and are adaptable to most architectural styles and ages of buildings. We are perfectly able to adapt to the style of your property from contemporary to traditional, urban to rural. We have designed projects in most styles and can use our broad experience to help design the best solution for your property, using whatever construction technology best suits your needs. Whether you plan a modest alteration or something spectacular WBC can help you achieve your project goals.

Consultant Levels of Knowledge

Consultant Levels of Knowledge

We employ qualified professionals with a variety of skill sets and the latest training. many of our employees have specialist post graduate qualifications. We also train selected staff through university programmes and professional qualifications to ensure our clients get the best trained surveyors and up to date advice. You will receive a professional, comprehensive and cohesive consultation and guidance throughout the project, ensuring that your development is handled with a consultant level of knowledge.

Survey to Completion Guarantee

Survey to Completion Guarantee

We are here for you when you need us, with our survey to completion guarantee. You won’t be left alone, we will fit in wherever you need us in the project or guide you through the whole process. You will have the knowledge that someone is always at hand whatever level of service you need.

Cost Conscious, Value for Money & Fixed Fees

Cost Conscious, Value for Money & Fixed Fees

Whilst offering exceptional value for money we also bring a positive, approachable, pragmatic, realistic and well rounded attitude to your project. You will feel at ease discussing issues with your project, our pragmatic approach to design and refurbishment means that we can often deliver built in VALUE. One example of this is recognising where cost savings can be made in the design without compromising the overall scheme and offering a higher standard of technical specification over many of our competitors, this reduces the need for outside engineering input and ultimately saves you money in fees. We are grounded which means that we can deliver a build in a cost conscious manner in order to make sure our projects are buildable.

Well Networked with Local Knowledge

Well Networked with Local Knowledge

Where we do not have the in house skills to tackle an element of a project we are well networked locally to utilise outside consultants that we have built up relationships with over many years. You will get the best of local knowledge and be introduced to like minded trusted suppliers with excellent professional services.

One Stop Shop

One Stop Shop

We can provide the majority of services required for a small project in house, making us practically a one stop shop. Having most services in house means that we are often fully accountable for the professional services on your project, this ensures simplicity, communication and efficiency. By utilising a multi-disciplinary approach we are able to keep professional costs for the project extremely competitive and hassle free, essentially you only pay for one set of overheads.

Unparalleled Technical Knowledge

Unparalleled Technical Knowledge

We have unparalleled technical knowledge and produce comprehensive architectural designs and surveys. You will be getting market-leading technical advice that has been approached with imaginative problem-solving techniques. This helps us to identify potential problems with a build before they arise.

Our knowledge adds value, an example of this is that most architects do not provide any advice on the structure of a building during the building regulations approval stage, relying on a structural engineer to produce all work relating to the super structure. At Western Building Consultants we provide structural advice on many areas, such as timber design for floors and roofs, limiting the scope of the engineers work and saving you money.

Large Team of Surveyors

Large Team of Surveyors

Having a large team of surveyors means that your project is unlikely to be held up due to other circumstances, there will always be at least two surveyors familiar with the project therefore continuity and a personal service will be retained. On larger schemes a bigger team will be assembled with the required specialist knowledge to fully support your project.

Latest Case Studies

Case Study: Threeways School Cafe

Rural New Build Dwellings in Bath, Bristol, South West & Wales

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Class Q Barn Conversions in Bath, Somerset, Cardiff & the South West

Commercial Warehouses, Agricultural, Equestrian & Storage in Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, South West & Wales

Commercial Office Design in Bath, Bristol, Cardiff & The South West

Case Study: Georgian Terrace House Grade II listed refurbishment

Newport Office

Merlin House

No 1 Langstone Business Park,

Priory Drive

01633982588

Frome Office

Commerce Park, Unit R17, Marshall Way

01373488566

Bath Office

Western House,

2 Rush Hill

01225789307

Cardiff Office

Sophia House,

28 Cathedral Road

02922679366

Swindon Office

Kingston House,

Lydiard Fields

01793234516

Bristol Office

Studio 1a,

31 Berkeley Square



0117 3294290

South Gloucestershire Office

Unit 2, Byre Workshops, Winterbourne Court Farm Barn, Church Lane, Winterbourne

0117 3294290

What our customers say