Planning permission for two-storey extensions in Bristol
We handle a planning application for homeowners across Bristol, from the first visit to the final paperwork.
Bristol at a glance
- Nation
- England
- Price region
- South West England
- Postcode areas
- BS
- Towns covered
- 7 listed below, plus surrounding villages
- Site visits
- Free, no obligation
What a planning application involves
This service suits you if you want your two-storey extension to go through planning with the best chance of approval. You get a check of your house's planning history, permitted development rights and local design guidance, a design shaped around them, the application prepared and submitted, and someone to deal with the planning officer's questions. We cannot promise an outcome, but we design to give the application a fair chance.
Towns in Bristol include Bishopsworth (BS13), Easton-in-Gordano (BS11), Severn Beach (BS10), Chew Magna (BS13), Dundry (BS13) and Whitchurch (Bristol) (BS14). If yours isn't listed, we still cover it.
Fees
Planning drawings are a guide of £2,000–£3,500, priced in writing before the design stage starts. Householder planning application: £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026). Lawful development certificate: £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026).
Rules in England
In England, a householder planning application costs £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026), and councils should decide within 8 weeks of validation. Two-storey side, wraparound and front extensions always need permission. Rear extensions may be permitted development within the 3 m and 7 m limits, confirmed with a lawful development certificate costing £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026).
Approval in England: Householder planning application: £548 (or £575 for applications made from 8 December 2026). Lawful development certificate: £274 (about £288 for applications from 8 December 2026). Councils should decide householder applications within 8 weeks of validation.
Building regulations: Building regulations approval (full plans recommended) from the council or a registered building control approver, with a completion certificate at the end.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, so notices may be needed for work on or near a shared wall or boundary.
Getting the design right
Design to local guidance
Most councils publish guidance on extensions covering set-backs, roof heights, boundary gaps and neighbours' light. Designing to it from the start makes approval more likely and reduces the chance of being asked to make changes during the application.
A complete application
Applications that are missing drawings, the right fee or a certificate of ownership are not validated, and the decision clock does not start. We check the council's validation list so the application is complete on day one.
How we work in Bristol
Visit and first ideas
One of our team visits your house in Bristol, checks the walls, roof and drains, and sketches out options with you.
Design and approvals
We draw the extension and check it against the rules for England, then apply for planning permission or a certificate of lawfulness, whichever fits.
Engineer it
Foundations sized for two floors, steels for any openings, and building control approval, all before anyone starts on site.
Build and sign-off
Vetted teams working under S&K build the extension, and we arrange the building control completion certificate at the end.
Towns we cover in Bristol
Planning permission for two-storey extensions in Bristol: questions
What happens if my planning application is refused?
You can change the design and apply again, or appeal. In England, a householder appeal must usually be made within 12 weeks of the decision. Often the best route is a revised design that answers the reasons for refusal. We read the officer's report and advise which option has the better chance.
Should I get pre-application advice from the council?
It can help on sensitive sites, such as conservation areas, corner plots or front extensions, where the council's view is hard to predict. Many councils charge for it and response times vary. For straightforward designs that follow local guidance, a well prepared application is often the quicker route.
Neighbouring areas
- Planning permission for two-storey extensions in Somerset
- Planning permission for two-storey extensions in Gloucestershire
- Planning permission for two-storey extensions in Gwent
- Planning permission for two-storey extensions in Wiltshire
All extension services in Bristol · About planning permission for two-storey extensions
Ready to see what a second storey could do for your home?
Book a free site visit. We'll look at your house, talk through options and explain the approvals you'd need, then price the design stage in writing.