Drawings back in 24–72 hours. Measured survey to a full set of existing and proposed drawings — 24–48 hours for a loft or extension, up to 72 hours for larger or more complex schemes.
Start your projectTall buildings in London are decided on tall-building policy, townscape impact and, since 2023, on whether the safety case holds up at the Building Safety Regulator. The design has to answer all three at once.
We work with developers, corporate occupiers and institutional landlords on schemes where the approval process is as demanding as the design.
What we deliver on tall-building projects
- Site appraisal, massing studies and development capacity analysis
- Townscape and visual impact coordination, including verified views
- Pre-application engagement with the borough and, where relevant, the Greater London Authority
- Design review panel presentations
- Full planning applications and Environmental Impact Assessment coordination
- Building Safety Act gateway submissions
- Technical design, facade coordination and construction information
Tall-building policy in London
Under the London Plan, boroughs must identify where tall buildings are appropriate, and applications are assessed on visual, functional, environmental and cumulative impacts. In practice that means:
- Whether the site is inside a designated tall-building zone in the local plan
- Impact on protected vistas and the London View Management Framework
- Effect on strategic and local views, heritage assets and their settings
- Wind microclimate, daylight and sunlight, and solar glare
- Aviation and telecommunications safeguarding
- Fire safety, evacuation strategy and access for the fire service
Applications referable to the Mayor — which includes buildings above defined height thresholds in Central London and elsewhere — go to the GLA for a stage one report before the borough determines them.
The Building Safety Act regime
A higher-risk building is one at least 18 metres tall or with at least seven storeys, containing two or more residential units, or a care home or hospital of that height. These buildings pass through three gateways:
| Gateway | What happens |
|---|---|
| Gateway 1 | Fire safety considered at the planning stage. A fire statement is submitted with the application. |
| Gateway 2 | Before construction begins. The Building Safety Regulator must approve the design. Work cannot start until it does. |
| Gateway 3 | On completion. A completion certificate is required before occupation, and the building is entered on the register. |
The Act also introduces the dutyholder regime and the golden thread — a maintained, accurate digital record of building information handed over at completion and kept live through occupation.
Sustainability and net zero
- Whole-life carbon assessment, required for referable applications in London
- Circular economy statement and a be lean, be clean, be green, be seen energy strategy
- Urban greening factor and biodiversity net gain
- BREEAM and, where a client requires it, NABERS UK design for base building energy performance
How we work with corporate clients
Board-level reporting, a named project director, and a programme mapped against your own approval gateways and investment committee dates. We can act as lead designer and principal designer under CDM 2015, and work under a standard RIBA or bespoke appointment.
Indicative programme
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Feasibility and capacity study | 3–6 weeks |
| Concept design and pre-application | 3–6 months |
| Planning determination — major application | 13 weeks minimum, commonly 6–12 months with a planning performance agreement |
| Technical design to Gateway 2 | 6–12 months |
| Gateway 2 determination | Confirm current Building Safety Regulator timescales at the time of submission |
Included as standard
What you get
- Development capacity and massing studies
- Planning policy and tall-building zone appraisal
- Pre-application and GLA engagement
- Design review panel presentation material
- Verified views and townscape coordination
- Full planning application and EIA coordination
- Fire statement and Gateway 1 compliance
- Whole-life carbon and circular economy statements
- Gateway 2 design submission to the Building Safety Regulator
- Facade design and specialist subcontractor coordination
- Golden thread information management
- Lead designer and principal designer duties under CDM 2015
Questions
Common questions
What counts as a higher-risk building?
How long does Gateway 2 take?
Which applications go to the Mayor?
Do you work as part of a wider design team?
Can you present to our board or investment committee?
What appointment do you work under?
Free 20-minute consultation
Ready to see your drawings?
Send us the address and a sentence about what you want to build. We will come back with a fixed fee, a programme and the planning route we would take.