17 services · Sussex & Surrey
Residential
Extensions, conversions and whole-home projects for homeowners, with site visits across West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey.
Extensions
Design and Access Statement Services
Clear, Policy-Led Statements That Explain Your Design. Nationwide.
Why Developers Trust ArchEvolve With Design and Access Statements
A design and access statement should explain decisions, not repeat the drawings. ArchEvolve is MCIAT-chartered and writes statements alongside the design, so the reasoning on layout, scale, appearance and access is clear, consistent and backed by 3D views of the scheme.
- 15 years of experience
- 350 planning approvals secured
- 500 projects completed
- Revit 3D modelling as standard
- MCIAT-chartered accreditation
Our services
Design and Access Statements and Related Services
Statements sit alongside the planning drawings in a planning application. Outline schemes need statements that set the principles for later stages, covered in outline planning applications. For heritage work, see our listed building design service.
20 services · Nationwide
Developers & Commercial
Planning and technical design for developers and commercial clients across England.
Developer services
Site & feasibility
15 services · Homeowners and developers
Planning & Drawings
From the first feasibility check to construction drawings, in the order a project needs them.
01Feasibility & survey
02Planning
03Technical & construction
What a Design and Access Statement Must Explain
Our design and access statement services produce the report that explains how your proposal responds to its site and how people will get to and use it. In England, a statement is required for major development, for some proposals in conservation areas and World Heritage Sites, and for listed building consent. It sets out the design principles behind the scheme, the context assessment that shaped them and the approach to access, so officers can follow your reasoning.
Common challenges
- Statements that only describe the drawings instead of justifying them
- Not knowing whether a statement is required for the application
- Access sections that ignore approach routes and inclusive design
- Heritage significance left unexplained for listed or conservation sites
- Generic template text that ignores the local plan
- Statements that contradict the drawings after late design changes
How ArchEvolve solves them
- Each design decision linked to site analysis and policy
- Requirement confirmed against national rules and the local validation list
- Access section covering approach, entrances, parking and movement
- Heritage section explaining significance and how the design responds
- Policy references drawn from the local plan and design guides
- Statement and drawings produced from the same Revit model
How an ArchEvolve Project Works
Every design and access statement is written alongside the design itself, in seven clear stages.
Free Consultation
We discuss the scheme, the type of application and whether a statement is required, then agree the scope over Teams. Free, no obligation.
Context Assessment
We study the site and surroundings, including character, heights, materials, landscape, routes and planning history, to establish what the design must respond to.
Policy Review
We identify the local plan policies, design codes and guidance the council will test the scheme against, so the statement addresses them directly.
Design Rationale
We record how layout, scale, appearance and landscaping evolved from the context, including options considered and the reasons they were set aside.
Access Strategy
We set out how people reach the site and move through it, covering pedestrian and vehicle access, parking, level approaches and inclusive design.
Heritage Section
Where listed buildings or conservation areas are affected, we explain their significance and how the proposal preserves or responds to it.
Final Statement
We illustrate the statement with plans and Enscape views, check it against the final drawings and issue it ready for submission.
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Design and Access Statements Across the UK
Design and Access Statements Illustrated From a Live 3D Model
Most statements are illustrated with flat plans and photographs. ArchEvolve models every scheme in Revit and renders it in Enscape, so your statement shows the proposal in its context and always matches the submitted drawings.
3D Visualisations Included
Enscape views and diagrams taken from the Revit model show officers how the scheme sits in its street, which strengthens the design narrative.
Validation-Ready Documents
Each statement is checked against national requirements and your council's local list, so the application is not held up as invalid for a missing document.
National Planning Knowledge
ArchEvolve writes statements for developers anywhere in the UK, working remotely over Teams, and tailors each one to the relevant local plan.
End-to-End Service
Alex Page designs the scheme and writes the statement personally, so the reasoning in the document is the reasoning behind the design.
Design and Access Statements Delivered UK-Wide
We prepare design and access statements for property developers and landowners across the UK, working remotely over Teams, with site visits available when a site needs one.
When is a design and access statement required?
In England, statements are required for major development, for new dwellings or 100 square metres or more of new floorspace in a conservation area or World Heritage Site, and for listed building consent. Councils may also ask for one on smaller schemes.
What do your design and access statement services include?
We assess the site context, review policy, explain the design rationale, write the access and heritage sections and illustrate the document with plans and 3D views. The statement is checked against the drawings before submission.
What goes in the access section?
The access section explains how people will get to and move around the development, including pedestrian and vehicle routes, parking, entrances and level changes. It should show how inclusive design has been considered, not simply restate the Building Regulations.
Do householder applications need a design and access statement?
Most householder applications outside designated areas do not. Larger extensions in conservation areas can need one, and some councils ask for a short statement anyway. Our planning application service confirms what your council requires.
How is a heritage statement different?
A heritage statement assesses the significance of affected heritage assets and the impact of the proposal on them. It is often combined with the design and access statement for listed buildings and conservation areas. See our listed building design service.
Do outline applications need a design and access statement?
Major outline applications need one, and it matters more because the detail is reserved. The statement explains the principles and parameters that later reserved matters must follow. See our outline planning application service.
How long should a design and access statement be?
It should be proportionate to the scheme. A single infill house might need a few pages, while a large housing scheme needs a fuller document with site analysis diagrams. Length matters less than clearly linking each decision to the site and policy.
Can you write a statement for drawings prepared by someone else?
Yes, where the design is complete and coordinated. We review the drawings first, and if anything in the scheme would be hard to justify against policy we tell you before the statement is written.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Your Design and Access Statement Today
Free initial consultation for developers and landowners UK-wide. Send us your scheme and we will confirm what the statement needs.
