Is There Really a Self-Build "Fast-Track" in the New NPPF?
A new clause in national planning policy is being talked about as a hidden door for self-builders. We went and read it. The real story is more useful than the myth, just less exciting.
NPPF August 2026: What the new planning rules mean for you
Somewhere between a government press release and a 130-page document, most homeowners lost the thread. Here's the version written for the people actually living through it.
Peak District Local Plan 2026: Consultation Open Now — What to Know
The document that will shape what can be built across the Peak District for the next decade is open for comment right now. Here's what it is, in plain English, and why it's worth ten minutes of your time.
Are Permitted Development Rules Changing in 2026? What's Actually True
Search "permitted development 2026" and you'll find a dozen confident articles about rules that haven't actually changed. We sorted out what's true, what's proposed, and what's already different if you live in the Peak District.
Does Passivhaus Really Cost More? What New 2026 Research Actually Shows
Everyone assumes Passivhaus costs a fortune more to build. New research says otherwise — and the real figure is small enough to make the question worth asking again.
Future Homes Standard Explained: What It Means for Your New Build
A new law now governs how every new home in England must perform — not in some distant future, but from March 2027. We look at what it actually requires, and why the homes worth building were already heading this way.
Building in Jersey: A Mainland Practice’s Guide to Island Planning
Jersey Architecture: A mainland practice's honest guide to its planning system, its property market, and what building well on an island actually asks of you.
New Build Snagging: Architect or Surveyor?
Snagging has quietly become an industry of its own — badges, certifications, marketing. Here's a more useful question: who actually knows your house well enough to check it properly?
2026's Extension Trends — and Which Ones Are Actually Worth the Money
2026's extension trends, held to a higher standard than a mood board — which ideas are genuinely worth building, and which are better left on the page.
RIBA Stages Explained: What Actually Happens When You Commission an Architect
From first doubt to finished home: a plain-English walk through the RIBA Plan of Work, and what each of its eight stages actually asks of you as a client.
House Extension Costs in Derbyshire 2026: A Realistic Guide
The question every client asks first, answered properly: what a high-end extension really costs in Derbyshire in 2026 — by specification, by type, and by everything the headline figure leaves out.
Biodiversity Net Gain 2026: What It Means for Homeowners
Most extensions were never affected by Biodiversity Net Gain — and the rules for new builds and self-build plots just changed again. What the August 2026 amendments actually mean, beyond the headlines.