What Does London’s House Market Surge Mean for Potential Buyers?

According to estate agents, London’s housing market has been surging since Christmas. This has certainly been reflected here at DGA, where we are witnessing a large increase in clients calling us who are looking to buy properties. From our conversations, it is clear that everyone had been sitting on their hands waiting for the outcome…

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18 Reasons You Need Pre-Purchase Advice from an Architect

There are signs that the London housing market has been reinvigorated, with many clients old and new contacting us because they want to buy a home with the intent to restore, refurbish or extend it to their tastes and to increase its value. But buying a property which is incompatible with your plans could result…

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How to Submit a Planning Application

Submitting a planning application is the first step to building your dream home. Between a quarter and a third of planning applications are unsuccessful, depending on borough, so it’s very important that you know how to apply correctly. The last thing you want is to have to repeat the process due to a technicality. First…

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How Do I Handle Neighbours During the Planning Process?

How Do I Handle Neighbours During the Planning Process?

It’s almost impossible to build so far from anyone else that you won’t have to think about the impact your development will have on others. Informing and involving neighbours is essential to a successful application and, just as importantly, it’s common courtesy. Neighbours are so integral to planning applications, I’ve dedicated this article to them.…

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What is the Process for Applying for Planning Permission?

Understanding the planning process

Planning applications are lengthy, involved processes that can take anywhere from weeks to years to reach a conclusion. In relatively simple developments where every stage progresses smoothly you could be able to start building work within a couple of months, but neighbour objections, listed status negotiations and appeals can stretch that date far out of…

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John’s Advice: What is Planning Permission and Why is it Needed?

What is planning permission?

In the end, planning permission is no more than a couple of sheets of A4 paper. On those pages are the council’s written approval for works to be carried out on the given site, in accordance with the submitted drawings, within three years. So much depends upon those little pieces of paper. Finally receiving them…

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