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 Harlow.
We work with briefs across Harlow and Old Harlow. 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 289 applications and issued 278 decisions. Of those decisions, 233 were granted and 45 refused: a refusal rate of 16.2%.
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 149 decisions, with 31 refusals (20.8%). 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 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 15.4% |
| Minor developments | 70 | 62 | 8 | 11.4% |
| Householder developments | 149 | 118 | 31 | 20.8% |
| Change of use | 20 | 16 | 4 | 20.0% |
| Advertisements | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Listed building consent: alter or extend | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Listed building consent: demolish | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Relevant demolition in a conservation area | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| All categories | 278 | 233 | 45 | 16.2% |
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. Householder developments had the largest number of refusals in this authority: 31. 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 / Harlow
Harlow's Article 4 directory covers several different subjects: HMO conversions across the town, specified commercial and business uses, and named residential areas. Those controls should not be treated as interchangeable. A loft alteration, a change to a shop's use and conversion of a house into shared accommodation each require their own assessment against the relevant direction, property boundary and proposed operation.
Churchgate Street has a particularly recent change. Its direction took effect on 4 March 2026 and affects houses in the conservation area. Specified works include porches, chimney changes and other alterations such as painting; some restrictions depend on visibility from a road or pavement. Check the full direction and management guidance before assuming a modest external change is permitted. We recommend recording the existing elevation and proposed materials before approaching suppliers.
Harlow's householder submission guidance is useful for organising the drawings and evidence. For proposals involving listed or locally listed buildings, or conservation areas, it calls for heritage and materials information. Conservation-area proposals also need a planning statement explaining the response to relevant appraisals and management plans. Treat these as design inputs: identify what matters about the building and its surroundings, then explain how the changes respond, rather than adding a generic statement after the design is complete.
The council's decision guidance identifies the ordinary eight-week period. For householder planning, programme this from a valid application and confirm any agreed extension with the case officer. It is a decision target, not guaranteed permission; preparation of the local supporting information comes first.
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.
Harlow: Article 4 directions · Harlow: Churchgate Street Article 4 direction · Harlow: submitting a householder application · Harlow: appeal against a planning decision
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.
Harlow’s householder guidance calls for a planning statement for conservation-area proposals explaining how relevant character appraisals and management plans have been considered. The statement should be supported by drawings that make the relationship between the proposed work and the existing building clear.
Official Harlow Council guidance and records · Source reviewed 18 October 2026.
For a Harlow home, we can assess how a proposed extension changes the arrangement of the house and its relationship with adjacent properties. Where heritage constraints apply, we can identify the additional information needed to explain the design.
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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