Extension and Modifications to a Family Home Approved by Chelmsford Adjacent to a Listed Building
Planning permission from Chelmsford City Council for a large extension and modifications to a family home in a rural hamlet north of Chelmsford, adjacent to a Grade II* listed church, through a design that remained subservient to the listed building's setting.
PLANNING APPROVALSCHELMSFORDESSEX
Andrew Ransome
7/18/20262 min read
In 2022, Chelmsford City Council approved planning permission for a large extension and modifications to a family home in a rural hamlet north of Chelmsford.
The site lay immediately to the west of a Grade II* listed church, making sensitivity to the listed building's setting the central planning consideration.
Extension to Family Home Granted Planning Permission in Rural Chelmsford
I secured planning permission from Chelmsford City Council for a large extension and modifications to a two-storey detached family home in a small hamlet north of Chelmsford.
The property sits immediately to the west of a Grade II* listed church — making the impact on its setting the primary planning consideration.
The existing home was poorly laid out.
Rooms on the ground floor were not efficiently configured, and circulation between the main house, garage and garden room was awkward. The proposed works sought to resolve all of this.
The specific improvements included:
a home office created within the roof space of the existing garage, with a new gable feature to the elevation;
extensions to the existing garden room with alterations to improve its external appearance;
a new link structure connecting the main house to the garage and garden room, creating a single, coherent ground floor; and
an enlarged utility room.
Each element of the design was carefully considered to remain visually subservient to the main dwelling, and the overall composition was assessed against the setting of the listed church.
I demonstrated that the proposed works would not adversely affect the significance or setting of the Grade II* building — the extensions were modest in scale, designed in keeping with the host property, and positioned away from the churchyard boundary.
Chelmsford City Council approved the application.
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If you are planning extensions or modifications in a heritage setting, I can advise on the heritage considerations and manage the application. Contact me to discuss your project.
Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
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Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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