Extensions · New Forest
House extensions in New Forest
An extension in New Forest needs a survey, drawings, planning or Building Regulations approval, structural calculations and the building work. We do all of it, so you only deal with us.
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Houses in New Forest and what they need
Properties within the New Forest National Park boundary face tighter planning restrictions than homes elsewhere in Dorset or Hampshire. Outside the park, in towns such as Totton, Marchwood and Hythe, standard Permitted Development rights apply. Which planning regime applies to your property depends on where the boundary falls.
Properties within the National Park
The New Forest National Park Authority controls planning within the park boundary. Permitted Development rights are significantly restricted, so many extensions that would be PD elsewhere need full planning permission here. The NPA also applies design policies on materials, roof forms and scale to protect the forest landscape. We design for park properties using materials and proportions that align with NPA expectations.
Forest-edge towns: Totton, Marchwood and Hythe
Towns on the edge of the National Park, including Totton, Marchwood, Hythe and Dibden Purlieu, fall under New Forest District Council rather than the National Park Authority, so standard PD rights apply. These towns have a mix of 1950s to 1970s housing on regular plots suited to single-storey and two-storey extensions.
Rural cottages and smallholdings
Scattered through the forest are character cottages, converted farm dwellings and smallholdings. Many are individually listed or sit within designated hamlet boundaries. An extension to these properties needs a design that respects the local vernacular, typically clay tiles, handmade bricks and traditional window proportions. We produce heritage-sensitive designs for the NPA's conservation officers.
Planning permission for extensions in New Forest
The New Forest is split between two planning authorities: the New Forest National Park Authority for properties within the park, and New Forest District Council for properties outside it. The rules differ significantly, so checking which authority covers your property is the first step.
How the National Park Authority handles extension planning
The NPA restricts Permitted Development rights more heavily than anywhere else in Dorset. Extensions within the park typically need full planning permission regardless of size. The NPA also requires locally appropriate materials, traditional roof pitches, and extensions that remain subordinate to the original dwelling. We design with these policies in mind from the start.
Planning rules outside the National Park
Properties outside the National Park boundary but within the New Forest District follow standard Permitted Development rules: a single-storey rear extension up to four metres (semi-detached) or six metres (detached) does not need planning permission. NFDC processes Householder Planning Applications within eight weeks. The council charges an application fee, set nationally and revised each year, and the Planning Portal lists the current fees. We determine which authority covers your property before you spend anything on design.
Why homeowners choose us
We combine design and construction experience, so the early layout discussion considers how a home could be altered as well as how it could look. Detailed scope, pricing and programme are agreed separately for each project.
Free
Free project review
Tell us what you want to do. We call you back the same working day to tell you what your project needs and whether it is worth doing. There is no cost and no obligation.
Clearer scope before work begins
We use the available drawings and project information to discuss the proposed work before a quote and contract are agreed.
One firm and one contract
You don't have to find and manage separate designers, engineers and builders.
You can stop after any step
The drawings are yours to use with any builder.
How it works
There are five steps. You can stop after any of them.
You can stop after any step. The drawings are yours, and you can use them with another builder.
We build in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and about 20 miles around them. For homes further away, our remote layout service works anywhere in the UK, and we can price the work, prepare tender documents and vet local builders.
Step 1
Free project review
Send us a few details or call. We look at what you want to do and tell you what it will need and whether it is worth taking further.
Free
Step 2
Layout Ideas Pack
We draw your home as it is now and up to three ways it could work, then fine-tune your favourite with you on a video call. Done remotely from your Rightmove link, floor plan or sketch, or in person with a measured site survey and a 3D point cloud scan.
Remote or in person
Step 3
Cost estimate
Once you have a layout you like, we can explain the further work needed and quote any separately agreed service.
Quoted separately
Step 4
Drawings, approvals and engineering
Full drawings, structural calculations, and the planning and Building Regulations applications. The house is measured at this stage if it hasn't been already.
Priced after the estimate
Step 5
The build
Near Poole, we can prepare a quote and contract using the information available for the agreed scope. Changes, site conditions and client decisions can affect scope, cost or programme. Further away, we can prepare tender information and support the selection of local builders.
Quoted for the agreed scope
What our customers say
- ★ 5.0 on Google (15 reviews)
- Checkatrade 10/10 (20 reviews)
- We reply the same working day.
“…they can do everything from start to finish for you.”
“…carried out layout drawings for a very reasonable amount. Josh also gave us a budget price to carry out the works.”
“I couldn't recommend Josh enough! He has been absolutely fantastic, nothing was too much trouble, he was happy to bounce lots of ideas back and forth until we were happy. He is polite, friendly and professional in every aspect. I would definitely be using his services again in the future when needed.”
“Josh got the plans for our extension completed and submitted very quickly. We had a number of amendments and obstacles to overcome but nothing was too much trouble for him. A very professional and efficient service.”
Questions
Do I need planning permission for an extension in the New Forest?
If your property is within the National Park boundary, you will almost certainly need full planning permission, as PD rights are significantly restricted. Properties outside the park (Totton, Hythe, Marchwood) have standard PD rights. We check which planning authority covers your property as the first step.
How much do extension plans cost in the New Forest?
Start with a free project review. If it makes sense to go ahead, the next step is the Layout Ideas Pack, done remotely or in person. For properties within the National Park, we include design notes addressing NPA material and scale requirements.
Which council handles planning in the New Forest?
It depends on your location. The New Forest National Park Authority handles properties within the park boundary. New Forest District Council handles properties outside the park. We determine which applies and manage the process accordingly.
Can I extend a cottage within the New Forest National Park?
Yes, but the NPA applies strict design policies. Extensions must be subordinate to the original dwelling, use traditional materials, and respect the forest landscape character. We design with these constraints built in from the outset.
Tell us what you want to change
Send a few details and we will call you back the same working day to tell you what your project needs. There is no cost and no obligation.
We build in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and about 20 miles around them.
Step 1 of 3