Architectural Design& Build Specialistsin Newark

Listed buildings and the town conservation area

The town centre carries an unusually high concentration of listed buildings, and much of it falls within a conservation area. Alterations there need listed building consent as well as planning permission, and the level of detail expected, joinery profiles, mortar mixes, how a new opening is formed in a historic wall, is far higher than for a suburban extension.

We design and document to that standard from the beginning, so the application shows the officer how the historic fabric is being respected instead of asking them to take it on trust.

Flood risk from the Trent

Newark sits on the Trent and the Devon, and parts of the town and the surrounding villages carry real flood risk. That affects finished floor levels, the acceptability of habitable accommodation at ground level, and what the Environment Agency will accept in a flood risk assessment.

We establish the flood zone at the outset and design the levels and the layout accordingly, rather than producing a scheme that has to be raised or reduced after the consultation response lands.

Modern estates and restrictive conditions

The newer housing at Fernwood and around the southern fringe frequently comes with removed permitted development rights, design codes and management company controls. Homeowners often assume a rear extension or garden building is automatically permitted and find out otherwise once the work is under way.

We check the planning history and the conditions attached to the original consent before designing, so the route to approval is known rather than assumed.

Tight town-centre access

Terraced and courtyard properties near the centre often have no vehicular access to the rear, and some sit on streets with loading restrictions. That changes how a project is built, how long it takes and what it costs, sometimes considerably.

Access is assessed at design stage and carried into the cost plan, so the price you are given reflects how the materials actually get to the back of the building.

Do you cover Newark?

Yes. Newark-on-Trent is about twenty miles from our base and one of our regular working areas, along with Balderton, Farndon, Coddington, Fernwood and the surrounding villages.

How quickly can you get to a property in Newark?

It is a straight run along the A46, so site visits are usually arranged within a few days. We answer enquiries 7am to 5:30pm.

What will a Newark extension or conversion cost?

There is no honest single figure: it depends on size, the condition of the existing building and specification. We cost the scheme in-house as we design it, so you have a realistic number before you commit.

Do you submit applications to Newark and Sherwood District Council?

Yes. Preparing, submitting and managing the planning application is included on every project, including responding to the case officer.

Can you work on a listed building in Newark?

Yes. Listed building consent work requires a higher level of survey and documentation, and we design and document to that standard rather than treating it as a normal application.

My Newark property is in a flood zone. Is that a dead end?

Usually not, but it shapes the design. Finished floor levels, layout and drainage all have to respond to the flood risk position, which is why we establish it before the scheme is fixed.

Do you offer emergency work in Newark?

No. We carry out planned design and construction work, contactable 7am to 5:30pm.

Can you build the project too, or only design it?

Both are available. About a quarter of our work is construction on schemes we designed, delivered by our own team of up to 15 CSCS card holders with £5m public liability cover.