Sheldon Peever Studio

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Sheldon Peever Studio

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Architect's Practice based in St Albans. Working across London, Herts, Bucks, Cambs and Essex.

14/10/2026

Need more space at home? It might be worth looking up.

The Government's new National Planning Policy Framework gives explicit support to opportunities for creating additional homes and floorspace by making better use of existing buildings and plots.

That can include things such as adding a well-designed upward extension, introducing a mansard roof, filling an obvious gap in a roofline or, in the right location, allowing greater height on a corner site.

If you've been assuming that extending outwards is your only option, it may be worth exploring what could be achieved within or above the existing building.

Get in touch if you'd like us to assess the possibilities for your property.

07/10/2026

Can you extend a house in the Green Belt? Yes – but there’s a little more to consider.

If your home is within the St Albans District Council Green Belt, the Council looks at how much the property has already increased in size compared with the original building as it was built.

The new Local Plan gives guidance on the amount of additional floorspace and volume that may normally be acceptable, but it isn't simply a fixed percentage. The quality, position and visual impact of the extension – and its effect on the openness of the Green Belt – are all part of the assessment.

Previous extensions matter, and garages and other domestic outbuildings can matter too. That means one of the first things we do with a Green Belt property is establish its planning history and work out the correct starting point.

So “it's Green Belt” doesn't automatically mean “you can't extend” – it means the design and justification need to respond properly to the site and the planning policy.

If you're considering extending a Green Belt home, get in touch and we can help establish what may realistically be achievable.

30/09/2026

Thinking about extending your home in St Albans?

The Council adopted its new Local Plan earlier this month, and it includes guidance that homeowners should be aware of when planning an extension.

Two useful starting points are:

• Single-storey extensions should not normally extend more than 3m along a shared boundary.
• Upper-floor side extensions should generally stay at least 1m away from the boundary where necessary to prevent houses appearing joined together.

That doesn’t mean every 3m extension will automatically be approved – or that going beyond 3m is impossible. The design, neighbouring properties, the existing house and the character of the area all matter.

So if you’re at the “could we extend here?” stage, we work with homeowners across Hertfordshire to establish what is realistically achievable and then develop the design from there.

25/09/2026

Planning has been submitted for a whole house refurbishment including, a loft conversion and ground floor extension to a period property in Hetrford.

19/09/2026

The colours, the smells, the sounds!!

18/09/2026

Throwback to another project from the archives.

A replacement dwelling in the greenbelt. An existing chalet bungalow ripe for development.

Images were created using a mix of SPS drawings, AI and a lot of love — a reminder that even unbuilt projects play an important role in testing ideas and shaping future design thinking.

14/09/2026

Some of the architectural highlights of the summer!

04/09/2026

We've been working on the interiors for a previous barn conversion (circa 1992) in Somerset.

It's been a pleasure working on something different to work those brain cells, working to enhance the quirkness of this building, improving the thermal performance and natural ventilation of the building to make it better suited to the changing climate.

11/08/2026

Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent have now been granted for a rear extension to a Grade II listed almshouse in Eastwick.

Working with listed buildings is always a challenge—balancing the preservation of historic character with creating practical, contemporary living spaces. We're looking forward to moving into the technical design stage and bringing this project one step closer to construction.

07/08/2026

We love seeing a design on the verge of becoming reality! This stunning residential extension, designed by our very own Alan, is officially heading to site later this year.

For this project, we focused on a rich, tactile material palette that respects the original Victorian property while giving the new additions a distinct, contemporary identity. We are pairing warm horizontal oak cladding and textured buff brick with striking copper detailing and a beautiful olive render.

We can't wait to see the contractors break ground. Keep an eye out for site updates over the coming months!

What do you think of the copper and olive combination? Let us know in the comments!

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Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:30
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:30
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:30
Thursday	09:00 - 17:30
Friday	09:00 - 17:30

Telephone

+441727370824

Website

http://www.sheldonpeever.com/

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