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 Maldon.
We work with briefs across Maldon, Heybridge and Burnham-on-Crouch. 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 539 applications and issued 444 decisions. Of those decisions, 385 were granted and 59 refused: a refusal rate of 13.3%.
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 209 decisions, with 19 refusals (9.1%). 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 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 27.3% |
| Minor developments | 157 | 127 | 30 | 19.1% |
| Householder developments | 209 | 190 | 19 | 9.1% |
| Change of use | 11 | 9 | 2 | 18.2% |
| Advertisements | 6 | 5 | 1 | 16.7% |
| Listed building consent: alter or extend | 39 | 38 | 1 | 2.6% |
| Listed building consent: demolish | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Relevant demolition in a conservation area | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| All categories | 444 | 385 | 59 | 13.3% |
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: 30. 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 / Maldon
Maldon's heritage Article 4 list includes Burnham-on-Crouch, Bradwell-on-Sea, Southminster, Tillingham and Woodham Walter, as well as specified parts of Maldon. Within the town, the list distinguishes Church Street, North Street, The Hythe and Tenterfield Road from Butt Lane and Victoria Road. Check the actual direction and map for the address: a town-wide description is too broad to establish which alterations require a planning application.
The district also publishes a separate list of other Article 4 directions, including land and woodland locations. This matters when a brief concerns an outbuilding, boundary or change in the use of land rather than a conventional house extension. A direction removes the specified permitted-development route; it does not itself establish that an application would be refused. Identify the restricted operation before deciding how to develop the proposal.
For properties in conservation areas, Maldon's works guidance highlights controls on roof changes, cladding, certain demolition and trees. The relevant appraisal describes the character to be preserved or enhanced. Our recommended first package is a measured outline, photographs of the street and existing details, and a clear list of proposed removals and replacements. This helps separate repairs from alterations and brings boundary treatments, roof materials and other easily overlooked elements into the design discussion.
The national householder target is eight weeks from a valid application, subject to agreed extensions of time. It is a decision target, not guaranteed approval. Programme the address-specific restriction checks and any heritage work before that determination stage.
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.
Maldon: conservation-area Article 4 directions · Maldon: other Article 4 directions · Maldon: work in a conservation area · GOV.UK: determining a planning application
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.
Maldon’s guidance highlights conservation areas, listed buildings, Article 4 directions, flood-risk zones, access works and Building Control as matters to consider alongside planning permission. The relevance of each depends on the property and the proposal; they should be checked rather than assumed to apply everywhere.
Official Maldon District Council guidance and records · Source reviewed 18 October 2026.
For a Maldon or Burnham-on-Crouch project, include the site boundary, photographs and any known drainage or flooding information in the initial brief. This helps us identify the information required to compare realistic design options.
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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