# Planning, Design & Building Control for Developers and Investors Source: https://www.riverbee.uk/property-development A profitable build relies on designs that maximise yield and floor-area efficiency. Drawing on 25 years in property development and 10+ years in AutoCAD design, River Bee Design creates tailored, build-ready plans that respect contractor timelines and protect your margins. By integrating technical, structural and regulatory realities early, we help minimise building control delays, with planning and building regulations packages that keep projects flowing and on budget. ## Discharge of planning conditions Review and collation of planning and listed building consents and their conditions, preparation and submission of discharge of conditions applications, and liaison with planning and conservation officers and specialist consultants. ## Plan and design alterations Amendments to approved plans and layouts, key details for kitchens and bathrooms, and drawings for non-material or minor material changes where required, giving you an updated, coordinated drawing set. ## Mechanical and electrical (M&E) layouts Mechanical, electrical and plumbing layouts, coordinated with installers and specialist contractors, ready for pricing and installation. ## Building control compliance Building regulations compliance information and specification, coordination of the structural engineer and specialist information, and building control submission support and responses to technical queries. ## Higher-risk listed buildings Higher-risk building rules are not only for modern tower blocks. A tall Victorian or Georgian building divided into flats can reach 18 metres or seven storeys, and under the Building Safety Act that makes it a higher-risk building. Work to it then needs approval from the Building Safety Regulator, not local building control, and cannot start until that approval is granted. Bringing an attic back into use or adding a mansard can take a period building over the threshold. In a listed building, fire safety has to be achieved without losing the historic fabric that listed building consent protects, such as original plasterwork and staircases. We agree the approach with the conservation officer early, so the fire strategy and the consent work together. River Bee Design can act on the owner’s behalf: checking whether a listed or period building is likely to be higher-risk, registering it with the Building Safety Regulator, and coordinating the Gateway 2 building control application with the architect, fire engineer and contractor. Regulator decisions often take longer than ordinary building control, so we build that time into your programme from the outset. ## Before you commit A property’s development potential should be understood before significant money is committed. We can assess planning feasibility, conversion and extension potential, change of use and heritage constraints, including before you buy. Our founder, Marcella Bingley, has hands-on development building experience in London, Hampshire and Berkshire, so she is well versed in the colourful language of a building site! ## Related projects - [The Old Mill, Surrey](https://www.riverbee.uk/projects/the-old-mill): Grade II listed mill sympathetically converted to six residential flats, retaining existing beams and features. - [The Talent Factory, London](https://www.riverbee.uk/projects/the-talent-factory): A boutique residential development of nine converted factory apartments. ## Developers & investors: questions people ask ### Can I convert a house into flats? Possibly. Residential conversions can involve planning permission, building regulations and other considerations, and the specific property and proposal need to be assessed. ### Can you help me assess a property before I buy it? Where this service is agreed, River Bee Design can assess planning, design and development considerations that may affect the property’s potential. ### Can I convert an existing building into residential accommodation? Potentially. The feasibility of a conversion depends on matters including planning policy, existing use, building condition, access, layout and technical requirements. ### What is a property development feasibility assessment? A feasibility assessment considers whether a proposed development is potentially achievable before significant money is invested in detailed design or construction. ### What factors determine the development potential of a property? Factors can include planning policy, site constraints, the existing building, access, neighbouring properties, heritage considerations, ecological issues and the proposed use. ### Can listed or period buildings be used for development? Potentially, but heritage considerations can significantly affect the type and extent of alterations that may be appropriate. ## Related services - [Planning](https://www.riverbee.uk/planning) - [Building regulations](https://www.riverbee.uk/building-regulations) - [Listed buildings](https://www.riverbee.uk/listed-buildings) ## Contact - Business: River Bee Design, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6DJ - Principal Designer: Marcella Bingley - Phone: +44 (0) 7818 038226 - Email: marcella@riverbee.uk - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcella-bingley-river-bee-design - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/river_bee_design/ - Website: https://www.riverbee.uk/