Start with Strategy: Why Feasibility is the Smart First Step

Every great building begins long before the first sketch. It starts with asking the right questions.

Can we extend? Will the council approve it? What are we walking into?

At RISE Design Studio, we treat these early-stage questions not as hurdles, but as signposts. They guide us toward the kind of architecture that’s rooted in context, clarity, and sustainability. Our feasibility studies and pre-application advice aren’t afterthoughts—they’re the foundation of everything that follows.

Whether you’re building a home that treads lightly on the earth, reimagining an old structure, or unlocking potential in an overlooked plot, this is how we help you start strong.

Front cover of a Stage 2 Feasibility Report by RISE Design Studio, outlining a clear, sustainability-focused approach to early-stage project planning.

What Feasibility Really Means

Feasibility is not a guess. It’s not a rubber stamp or a polite “probably.” It’s a rigorous, context-driven analysis that gives you the full picture—before you invest time, energy, or money.

We look at:
☉ What’s physically possible on your site
☉ How local and national policies apply
☉ Whether you need planning permission or can use permitted development rights
☉ Where the risks lie—from overshadowing neighbours to awkward access
☉ How sustainability goals can be integrated from day one

We also offer a clear recommendation on whether to approach your local council for pre-application advice—a proactive way to build momentum and reduce uncertainty.

Real World Conditions, Not Just Paper Plans

A proposal might look beautiful on paper—but what happens when you try to build it?

That’s where our feasibility work shines. We think like architects, but also like builders and planners. We study:

• Structural logic and site levels

• Access for materials and equipment

• Potential drainage challenges

• Trees, rights of way, and shared boundaries

• Orientation, shading, and solar gain

This isn’t about limitations—it’s about smart design. Thoughtful decisions today mean fewer surprises later. And fewer surprises means a smoother path to a low-energy, low-carbon, high-performance building.

Planning Context: Reading Between the Policies

Planning in London—and across the UK—is never one-size-fits-all. Each borough has its own personality. A rear extension that flies through in one postcode might stall in another.

That’s why our advice is always site-specific. We analyse:
☉ Conservation areas and Article 4 Directions
☉ Listed buildings and their setting
☉ Previous applications on your site and neighbouring ones
☉ Design guidance, heritage policies, and sustainability objectives
☉ Local precedent—what’s been refused and why

We translate this into plain, actionable advice. No jargon. No guesswork. Just clarity.

Conceptual Design: Ideas That Fit Their Place

Once we’ve mapped the opportunities and constraints, we begin to sketch. Not detailed drawings, but carefully tested concepts. Ideas with just enough structure to inspire confidence.

This might include:

• Exploring whether a rear extension, side return or loft conversion adds the most value

• Testing massing and layout ideas for small new-build plots

• Considering how internal reconfiguration could transform light and flow

• Repositioning key spaces (a central kitchen, a relocated stair) to enhance comfort and sustainability

Each option is paired with commentary—what planning route it might require, what structural challenges it may raise, and how it performs against your budget and goals.

You see the road ahead. Then you choose how far to go.

When Pre-App Makes Sense

A pre-application submission is your chance to test an idea with your local council before going all-in. It’s not binding, but it’s invaluable.

We recommend it when:
☉ You’re working in a conservation area or with a listed building
☉ You want to push the boundaries of local policy with a strong design case
☉ Your neighbours are likely to object
☉ You’re introducing modern materials or forms in a traditional context

We handle the submission and dialogue. You gain insight, reduce risk, and refine your proposal before entering the formal process.

Permitted Development vs. Full Planning

The question we hear most often is: Do I need planning permission?

The answer depends on:

• Where your property is located

• Whether it’s listed or in a conservation area

• The size, height, and positioning of the proposed work

• What’s been removed under Article 4

• Whether your idea changes the use, form, or character of the property

We clarify whether permitted development applies and—where useful—we apply for a Lawful Development Certificate to provide certainty (especially helpful for resale or financing). When full planning is needed, we guide you through the entire process.

Who Benefits from Feasibility Work?

We often say: the earlier you ask the big questions, the better the answers will be.

Our feasibility and pre-app services are ideal for:
☉ Homeowners planning extensions or loft conversions
☉ Renovators unsure of planning constraints
☉ Buyers wanting to understand development potential before purchase
☉ Clients with listed buildings or sites in sensitive settings
☉ Anyone navigating small or tricky plots—including mews and infill sites
☉ Clients wanting to maximise natural light, improve thermal performance, or integrate low-energy systems

Small projects often face the biggest risks. Our role is to de-risk the process from the start.

From Feasibility to Design: The RIBA Stages

We integrate feasibility work within the early RIBA stages—because a successful project isn’t just designed, it’s decided well.

Stage 0: Strategic Definition
We clarify ambitions, review planning context, and explore directions.

Stage 1: Preparation + Brief
Feasibility studies, site analysis, planning policy reviews, sketch options.

Stage 2: Concept Design
We evolve the preferred strategy into spatial plans, with sustainability embedded from the start.

This approach keeps the process lean, logical, and creative—aligned with your values and the life you want to build.

Purposeful Architecture Begins Here

Feasibility is not about limiting ambition. It’s about sharpening it.

When you understand the landscape—planning, technical, financial, and spatial—you’re free to move forward with confidence. That might mean a bold intervention. It might mean a quieter transformation. Either way, it’s built on truth.

At RISE, we design with optimism and honesty. We know the path to great architecture is rarely straight—but it’s always worth walking with eyes wide open.

If you’re ready to explore what’s possible, we’re ready to walk with you.

Let’s begin.

Designing with clarity

At RISE, we believe that great architecture doesn’t begin with grand gestures. It begins with clarity. With asking the right questions early, and listening closely to what the site, the policy, and the context are telling us.

Feasibility and pre-app advice aren’t just about ticking boxes. They’re about crafting purposeful beginnings—rooted in knowledge, guided by values, and open to possibility.

Thinking of renovating, extending, or building something new?
Let’s explore what’s possible—together.

→ Email us at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk
→ Or call the studio on 020 3947 5886

RISE Design Studio Architects, Interior Designers + Sustainability Experts

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