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North East residential architecture

Residential architects in York for thoughtful changes to distinctive homes.

From the Nunthorpe studio, Hepburn Architects helps York homeowners plan sensitive extensions, remodelling and residential development with heritage, archaeology and technical realities considered early.

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Contemporary residential architecture serving York
01Director-led serviceDirect involvement from briefing through technical design.
02Planning-aware designA clear route shaped by the site and local context.
03Building Regulations expertiseCoordinated information for Building Control and pricing.
Local residential design

Residential design shaped around York homes.

York combines an internationally recognised historic core with former villages, Victorian and Edwardian streets, inter-war suburbs and later neighbourhoods. The right response depends on the individual building and its significance. Original fabric, street rhythm, roofscape, boundary walls and mature gardens may all shape an extension. Within conservation areas or around listed buildings, new work needs a clear account of what matters and why the chosen design preserves or enhances that character.

Site-led adviceYorkBrief · context · approvals · detailStart with an appraisal
How we can help

Support for the decisions your project needs.

01

House extensions

More useful space, better daylight and a clearer relationship with the garden.

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02

Loft conversions

Roof-space feasibility, stair layouts and technical design for a more capable home.

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03

New-build homes

Site-led design and early feasibility for replacement homes and small developments.

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04

Planning applications

A proportionate planning route supported by clear drawings and local context.

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05

Building Regulations

Coordinated technical drawings that carry the approved design into detail.

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06

Feasibility and development advice

Early appraisal of access, constraints, capacity and likely consultant input.

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07

HMO and change-of-use services

Planning-led layouts for HMOs, flat conversions and other residential changes of use.

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Designing in context

Designing residential projects in York

01

Existing homes and local character

Sensitive house extensions are not limited to imitation. A quiet contemporary addition can work when its scale, junctions and materials respect the host building, while a more traditional response still needs accurate proportions and detail. We test the interior plan alongside the external form so improved daylight, circulation and garden use do not come at the expense of historic fabric or neighbouring amenity. Loft conversions receive the same scrutiny at roof level.

02

Plot context and development capacity

New homes and residential conversions in York can involve heritage, archaeology, access, biodiversity, drainage and infrastructure considerations. City of York Council's validation requirements call for supporting evidence where particular assets or constraints are affected. Eligible development may also be liable for Community Infrastructure Levy, including certain new dwellings and residential changes of use, so CIL information and possible relief procedures need attention at the correct stage.

03

From feasibility to technical design

We establish the brief, site conditions and likely approval route before fixing the design. Once the spatial approach is agreed, the work can progress into coordinated information for planning, structural input and Building Regulations without treating those stages as separate design exercises.

Local planning context

Planning applications in York

City of York Council is the local planning authority. Its current validation requirements identify when heritage, archaeology and other supporting information is necessary. The council's Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule took effect on 1 February 2026, and permissions decided from that date may be liable where they authorise chargeable development, subject to exemptions and relief. The exact site, proposal and current procedure must be checked before submission or commencement.

Planning and Building Regulations are separate approval systems. We can prepare the architectural information for both, but every decision remains with the relevant authority or approved inspector.

Official City of York Council guidancePlanning application service
Approvals and detail

From planning strategy to buildable information

01

Planning applications and permitted development

City of York Council validates and determines applications. Its requirements are proportionate to the proposal but can include heritage information where listed buildings, conservation areas or other heritage assets are affected, and archaeological assessment for sites of known or suspected interest. York's Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule took effect on 1 February 2026; applications decided from that date can be liable where the development is chargeable, subject to the regulations, exemptions and reliefs. We flag the process but do not provide tax or valuation advice.

02

Building Regulations and technical design

Technical drawings for older York properties must reconcile energy improvements and modern performance with fabric that may behave differently from recent construction. Structure, moisture, ventilation, drainage and fire safety are coordinated without assuming that a standard detail suits every building. Listed fabric or archaeological conditions can also influence sequencing and the specialist advice needed before work begins.

03

How we work

We establish the building's status, planning history and physical condition before testing options. The planning and heritage explanation is developed with the design, not added afterwards. Once the approval position is clear, the Building Regulations package and any structural, heritage or archaeological coordination are scoped for the project.

A clear, staged appointment

Our process for a residential project

Each commission is scoped around the decisions the client needs to make. Later stages are not assumed before the earlier evidence is understood.

  1. 01

    Brief and feasibility

    We discuss the property, priorities, budget and programme, then identify the surveys and early checks needed.

  2. 02

    Design and planning

    Options are tested in plan and three dimensions before the agreed proposal is prepared for the appropriate approval route.

  3. 03

    Technical design

    The approved design is developed with construction details and coordinated consultant information for Building Control and pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Planning a project in York

Which council handles planning applications in York?

City of York Council is the local planning authority. Its current validation requirements should be reviewed for the particular application and site.

When might archaeology affect a York project?

A site within York's Area of Archaeological Importance, or otherwise known or suspected to contain archaeological interest, may require assessment or investigation. The council explains that this can arise before an application or through a planning condition.

Does York's Community Infrastructure Levy apply to house projects?

It depends on the development. York's charging schedule took effect on 1 February 2026 and includes chargeable residential development, but regulations provide exemptions and reliefs. The council's CIL process and forms should be checked before work starts.

Can a contemporary extension work in a York conservation area?

Potentially. The proposal must respond convincingly to the building's significance and the conservation area's character through its scale, form, materials and detail. Conservation status does not prescribe one architectural style.

Do you have an office in York?

No. York projects are supported from the Nunthorpe studio, with site visits and project meetings arranged as part of the agreed service.

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Start a conversation

Discuss your project in York

Share the postcode, project type and what you would like to achieve. The form records this location page so we can review the right local context.

You can also contact the Nunthorpe studio or use the fee calculator.