Architecture and master planning

Our teams of highly qualified professionals are supported by skilled Computer Aided Design technicians using the latest technology to deliver creative and practical solutions to our clients. The repeat business of designs for clients in housing, health, education and commerce reflects the trust and value they put in our experienced Architects.

For more information, please use the menu below or contact me.

John Spence BSc Dip Arch (Hons) RIBA

Architectural design
We offer a full range of services for many different building types and clients. For example:
- Community
- Health
- Housing
- Industrial
- Offices
- Places of Worship
- Restaurants
- Retail
- Schools and Universities
- Special Needs Housing
Conservation
We have the expertise and experience to offer guidance on the reuse of historic buildings or the development of sites of a sensitive historical nature. Our conservation architects and surveyors can offer practical advice on legislation and special negotiations, design and technical issues, appropriate procurement regimes and project management.
Design and build
We have extensive experience as Architects. We believe we are right to consider ourselves market leaders in this form of procurement.

We are regularly appointed by developers, contractors and other substantial property owners under various forms of contract, including JCT With Contractor's Design.
Design guidance
Ensuring quality and best practice is delivered beyond the master plan is crucial to maintaining impact, benefit and design sustainability. We are developing design guidance to help designers and their clients maximise their investment, helping to ensure that the resulting buildings and spaces enhance master planning objectives and meet set quality benchmarks.
Development appraisals
We can provide from initial inception, development appraisals utilising our extensive experience of various building forms and using internal historic and externally published cost data information. Through cost planning and value engineering, we will provide cost advice to assist the design and construction of the project within the Client's budgetary constraints.
Energy and environmental advice
We provide environmental advice on:
- BREEAM (Building Research Establishment
- Environmental Assessment Method) offices
- Company environmental policy review/preparation
- Design brief review
- Energy and environmental audits of existing buildings/portfolios
- EcoHomes - the environmental rating for homes
We provide energy ratings: SAP, NHER, CO2 and BEPI our service includes:
- Registered assessors for NHER ratings (both new and existing properties)
- Advice on improvements and pay back periods
- Design to affordable warmth targets
- Design to meet energy rating target for minimum cost
- Review of design by others
- Standard ratings
- Targeting of improvements
- Designs to meet specialised NHER/SAP ratings
- Stock energy profiling
We also undertake local authority planning and environmental assessments:
- We agree scoping with local authorities
- Establish site base line data
- Identify and quantify environmental impacts
- Produce environmental statements
- Propose/agree mitigation methods where applicable
Feasibility studies
We have a vast experience of all types of feasibility studies backed up by the skills of our building and quantity surveyors. We think laterally and with care about all of our schemes whether large or small.
Finding opportunities
Finding new possibilities and unlocking the value of a place is central to raising interest and investment, without which change is impossible. Through careful urban design techniques, we are working to help a range of clients test the potential of key sites and their localities. Feasibility studies, detailed analysis and capacity testing allow a new dialogue to develop future possibilities and benefits, and allow communities to plan for change.
Land lead opportunities
We offer a service to our clients through land lead opportunities via agents, consultants, local authorities, contractors and developers in many cases based on the co-ordination of Section 106 Agreements under planning legislation.
Masterplanning
Robust, successful masterplanning provides an urban framework in which social, economic and cultural ambitions change and prosper. We are working to develop mixed use, residential and commercial master plans, from innovative millennium communities, to complex new city centre quarters.

By integrating real economic and investment expertise with inventive design possibilities we are helping to create viable, deliverable and exciting master plans. This process is based on strong analysis, excellent design, inspiring graphics, thoughtful consultation and development framework expertise.
Memorials and statues
We have considerable experience related to the design, procurement and maintenance of public art and the supremely sensitive urban design issues which constrain such proposals. Our involvement with statues and memorials in particular has always been as a result of personal recommendations by delighted clients.
Planning applications and appeals
We are experts in making all types of planning applications including outline and detailed and those for listed buildings. We have won a number of significant appeals through our resident town planner.
Public spaces
Good public space is central to effective urban design and is the focus for stimulating investment. It attracts new uses and activities and promotes a stronger sense of place and identity. Public realm design ranges across all aspects of delivering better solutions, from the design of award winning major public spaces, environmental street improvements, street furniture and lighting, to wayfinding and streetscape design guides.
Refurbishment
Today the number of building types that are refurbished and converted means that our multi-disciplinary team approach gives our clients the ability to consider creative, imaginative and practical solutions. Our experience is considerable and covers all building types.
Special needs
We have designed a large number of projects for the disabled, the elderly and the blind and have considerable experience working with occupational therapists and people with specific needs.
Town planning
Our resident town planner has a wide experience of planning within new towns for a variety of uses and functions, including advising on land use and identifying alternative design solutions. Such work includes masterplans and land use over a prolonged period of time often in line with local planning authorities and their local plan.

Our town planner and planning consultants were successful in winning one of the very first planning appeals to uphold the Government's Planning Policy Guidance 3 (Housing) on a brownfield site in the heart of England. We are well positioned to meet the challenge of the Government's view of a new urban renaissance.
Urban design
Urban design is the design of urban space around which buildings are formed. Such spaces should make a significant contribution to the urban environment and is the tying together of architecture, planning and landscape design.

Urban design is currently being pursued by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Our resident town planner is a member of the Royal Institute of Town Planning.
Urban regeneration
We are involved in a number of innovative urban regeneration projects, which explains our strength in depth across all disciplines whether as masterplanners, masterprogrammers, environmental consultants or health and safety experts. Our experience draws on a wealth of experience gained over many years.