With over 25 years of experience, Horizon Architecture brings together architectural design, interiors and technical coordination. We work with you to understand the property, compare options and develop the information each stage needs. Clear fees, fast responses and an agreed programme keep you informed as your project moves forward.
Horizon Architecture · London and Essex
Architectural design and planning support for homeowners, property developers and businesses in Braintree.
We work with briefs across Braintree, Witham and Halstead. Horizon Architecture provides design, planning drawings and technical coordination for residential and commercial projects. We serve the area by arrangement; this page does not describe a separate local office.
OFFICIAL PLANNING DATA / APRIL 2025–MARCH 2026
From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, the authority received 968 applications and issued 927 decisions. Of those decisions, 795 were granted and 132 refused: a refusal rate of 14.2%.
Received applications and decisions are separate flows: a decision during the year may concern an application received earlier. The refusal rate is refusals divided by decisions, not by applications received. These council-wide figures do not predict the outcome of an individual proposal.
Householder developments accounted for 431 decisions, with 35 refusals (8.1%). This category includes qualifying extensions and alterations within a house’s curtilage; flats and the creation of additional homes fall outside it.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to see all figures.
| Development category | Decided | Granted | Refused | Refusal rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major developments | 37 | 32 | 5 | 13.5% |
| Minor developments | 287 | 215 | 72 | 25.1% |
| Householder developments | 431 | 396 | 35 | 8.1% |
| Change of use | 11 | 10 | 1 | 9.1% |
| Advertisements | 26 | 22 | 4 | 15.4% |
| Listed building consent: alter or extend | 135 | 120 | 15 | 11.1% |
| Listed building consent: demolish | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Relevant demolition in a conservation area | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| All categories | 927 | 795 | 132 | 14.2% |
The eight categories are separate and add up to the authority total. “—” means no decisions in that category, so no refusal percentage can be calculated.
No. The official return combines full, outline and reserved-matters applications, section 73 variations or removal of conditions, and related consents such as listed-building and advertisement consent. Major and minor describe development categories, not the permission route. These tables do not supply a reliable full-applications-only total or received applications by category.
Prior approvals and lawful development certificates are reported separately. Discharge of conditions, non-material amendments and county matters are outside these totals.
The table shows refusals by development category. Minor developments had the largest number of refusals in this authority: 72. That is a count, not a measure of how difficult an individual proposal will be.
The aggregate return does not record reasons for refusal. For a particular property, review the council’s decision notice, officer report and relevant policies. Read our planning refusal review guide for the next steps.
Source: MHCLG January–March 2026 archived tables (ZIP), PS1 and PS2 returns; four quarters summed. Official definitions and exclusions. Published 19 June 2026; figures checked 30 October 2026.
LOCAL PLANNING / Braintree
In Braintree district, establish the conservation position before choosing the shape of a side extension or a new roof feature. The council's conservation guidance identifies side extensions, two-storey rear extensions and external cladding as works that need permission within conservation areas even where a comparable proposal elsewhere might be permitted development. Its interactive map, boundary information and character appraisals provide the starting evidence for an address-specific review.
Silver End has an additional Article 4 direction, so a standard permitted-development checklist alone is insufficient. Ask which parts of the proposed work are covered by that direction and read the relevant appraisal before specifying windows, roof materials or external finishes. The council recommends pre-application advice for conservation proposals, with planning and heritage input. Our practical recommendation is to assemble photographs of the existing details and a clear proposed materials schedule early, so changes can be discussed before the drawing package becomes fixed.
The application process begins with checks on the plans, supporting documents and fee. Braintree confirms whether a submission is valid and identifies missing items if it is not. Once validated, the public register shows progress and consultation comments. Keep the description of work consistent across the form, elevations and floor plans; an unclear description can make an otherwise straightforward proposal harder to assess.
Braintree aims to decide standard applications within eight weeks from a valid application; major proposals have a thirteen-week target and environmental-impact-assessment cases sixteen weeks. The council may seek an extension of time. These are decision targets rather than promised approval dates, so programme survey work and preparation separately from determination.
Our Essex two-unit residential design and construction drawings show the relationship between architectural layout, interiors and technical information. The published project identifies Essex rather than a specific council area, so it is presented as a wider-county example.
Check the exact property address and planning authority before preparing your submission. Postcodes and postal town names do not always identify the local planning boundary.
Braintree directs applicants to its local validation list before submission. A clear design still needs the correct application form, supporting drawings, relevant reports and payment to be registered as valid. We identify which documents are relevant to the proposal before commissioning additional surveys.
Official Braintree District Council guidance and records · Source reviewed 18 October 2026.
For a house alteration or a small development in Braintree district, separate the existing survey from the proposed design package. Mark retained structures and proposed demolition clearly so that the application and later technical drawings tell the same story.
Explore our house extension design, loft conversions, new build architecture, interior design and Building Regulations drawing packages. For an existing refusal, see our planning refusal review service.
Your appointment defines the services included. Statutory application charges, surveys and specialist consultant fees are identified separately. Council approval is an independent decision and cannot be guaranteed.
Yes. We start with the available plans, your brief and the site constraints, then agree whether a measured survey, planning submission and technical package are required.
The planning and technical stages serve different purposes. Your quotation should identify the construction details, engineering and other consultant inputs needed for the intended work.
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Send your site address, photographs, existing plans if available, a short brief and your intended timetable. We will review the information and explain the next step and scope of a quotation.
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