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 Southend-on-Sea.
We work with briefs across Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea and Shoeburyness. 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 892 applications and issued 904 decisions. Of those decisions, 727 were granted and 177 refused: a refusal rate of 19.6%.
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 513 decisions, with 63 refusals (12.3%). 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 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 15.0% |
| Minor developments | 249 | 178 | 71 | 28.5% |
| Householder developments | 513 | 450 | 63 | 12.3% |
| Change of use | 82 | 46 | 36 | 43.9% |
| Advertisements | 27 | 25 | 2 | 7.4% |
| Listed building consent: alter or extend | 13 | 11 | 2 | 15.4% |
| Listed building consent: demolish | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Relevant demolition in a conservation area | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| All categories | 904 | 727 | 177 | 19.6% |
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: 71. 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 / Southend-on-Sea
In Southend-on-Sea, conservation-area status is only part of the permitted-development check. The council's permission guidance identifies Undercliff Gardens as an Article 4 area outside a conservation area, with restrictions intended to protect views from the public footpath. For a property there, investigate the direction even if a conservation map shows no designation. Begin with the exact address and the proposed operation, including changes to boundaries or garden structures.
Chapmanslord provides a different example. Its Article 4 guidance covers specified work including highway-facing windows and doors, reroofing with different materials, front parking hardstanding and certain side-wall additions. We recommend recording those details in photographs and a materials schedule before choosing replacements. A refurbishment may involve several separate operations, so checking only the extension footprint can miss the items that need particular attention.
The position also varies between conservation areas. The council's Shoebury Garrison guidance distinguishes the appraisal's recommendation for an Article 4 direction from an adopted direction. Read the current status and appraisal together, rather than treating a recommendation as a restriction already in force. For any local brief, show the existing building's setting and the intended external changes clearly; this makes the design discussion more useful than relying on a generic description such as a modest extension or like-for-like refurbishment.
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. Leave time to establish the applicable direction and assemble the relevant supporting material before that 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.
Southend: do I need planning permission? · Southend: Chapmanslord Article 4 direction · Southend: Shoebury Garrison development and consents · 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.
Southend’s planning and building hub provides separate routes for planning and Building Control. An application for one does not resolve the other. Establish the permissions and technical approvals relevant to the work before committing to a construction programme.
Official Southend-on-Sea City Council guidance and records · Source reviewed 18 October 2026.
For a Southend, Leigh or Westcliff home, the brief should explain both the proposed external changes and the intended internal layout. For a flat or commercial unit, include the existing use and any lease restrictions so that the scope can be assessed accurately.
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.
All London boroughs · All Essex councils · View our Essex residential project
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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