Recently, we had the challenge of sourcing handmade bricks for a project in a Conservation Area in West Lancashire. The original bricks told a story; they were likely made by itinerant brickmakers around 1860 and would have been produced in a brick clamp; a traditional method where bricks were fired in a temporary kiln built on-site. Interestingly, just across the road from the building is an old fishing pond, which was likely the original clay pit that provided the raw material for these bricks.

From April 2024, small development sites in England became part of one of the most significant environmental shifts in planning for a generation: Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). The aim is simple in principle but challenging in practice: every qualifying development must leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than before.

The Building Safety Act was introduced after the Grenfell Tower tragedy to make sure buildings are designed and built safely, and that everyone involved is clearly responsible for their part in the process. But it is not just about high-rise blocks: it now affects all types of building work, including housing developments, extensions and conversions.

Converting office spaces into residential flats presents a viable solution to tackle the housing shortage in the UK. While obtaining Planning Permission is often necessary for such conversions, there are specific scenarios where it is possible to proceed without it.

If you intend to extend or alter a Listed Building in a manner would affect its character then you need to apply for Listed Building Consent.

It is important to consider that an owner of a Listed Building is described as a ‘temporary custodian of the nation’s heritage’. The protection of the nation’s heritage is deemed to be so important that it is a criminal offence to carry out alterations which need Listed Building Consent without obtaining it first.

I am often asked about ways in which people can improve the energy efficiency of their homes . In my other posts, I discuss the self build low-energy house, but what can a homeowner do to improve their existing dwelling.