Architects in Edgbaston: 87 Farquhar Road

Looking for architects in Edgbaston for a major house extension in a conservation area? At 87 Farquhar Road, Lapworth Architects refined an earlier appeal-backed scheme for a prominent Calthorpe Estate corner plot, shaping a larger family home that protects setbacks, trees and the established green character of Edgbaston.

Lapworth Architects returned to 87 Farquhar Road in the Edgbaston Conservation Area to revive a long-standing brief. An earlier permission for substantial extensions was allowed at appeal in June 2013 and later accepted by the council on resubmission, but it was never built. New owners asked us to refine the scheme for modern family life while keeping the house firmly within the character of Edgbaston.

Project at a glance

• Location: Farquhar Road and Pritchatts Road, Edgbaston

• Context: Edgbaston Conservation Area, Calthorpe Estate, University of Birmingham opposite

• Planning history: scheme allowed at appeal (June 2013), later accepted on resubmission

• Approach: host building remains dominant, new work visually subordinate

• Key constraints: prominent corner visibility, setbacks, boundary trees, planting and spaciousness

• Workflow: council-ready submissions coordinated through UK Planning Gateway

Site context and design principles

The site occupies a prominent corner at Farquhar Road and Pritchatts Road, within the Calthorpe Estate. The plot is generous in both depth and width, which increases visibility and places a premium on proportion, spacing and planting. Mature trees and established boundaries are part of what gives the junction its character.

Our approach keeps the original house as the lead element and shapes the new accommodation as a calm evolution of it. The street elevations are composed as a complete frontage that respects the building line and safeguards the green setting that defines this part of Edgbaston.

This follows the established planning logic for the site: a larger dwelling can sit comfortably here where it remains visually subordinate to the host, maintains setbacks and protects boundary trees to retain the sense of spaciousness at the junction.

Elevation strategy, materials and landscape

Key moves draw from the local language identified in our area analysis. The façade is lengthened to suit the breadth of the plot, with a two-level plain tile roof, tall feature chimneys and paired return gables framing a central entrance. Half-timbering with rendered panels is used selectively within gables to echo nearby precedents, while materials and window proportions sit within an established Edgbaston palette.

Existing in-out drives and boundary trees are retained to preserve the settled character of the street and the legibility of the corner plot.

Internal layout for modern family use

Inside, the revised plan focuses on everyday clarity. Kitchen and dining spaces open to the garden for daylight and practical family use, while formal rooms continue to address the street. The layout avoids unnecessary gestures and prioritises comfort, circulation and storage so the house works well for day-to-day living as well as hosting.

Planning coordination and protection measures

Planning was treated with the same discipline as the design. Earlier decisions established that increased massing can be acceptable where the ridge remains lower than the main house, detailing follows the host building, and the building line and garden depth are respected. The council’s later officer report confirmed the resubmission matched the appeal-backed scheme, with approval subject to typical conditions on materials and construction safeguards.

Tree protection follows BS 5837. Demolition of the side annex is managed to protect roots and boundary planting.

All submission material and revisions were coordinated through UK Planning Gateway to support version control and reduce avoidable queries, particularly valuable for conservation area work.

Architects in Edgbaston and the wider West Midlands

For clients searching for architects in Edgbaston, this project reflects Lapworth Architects’ approach to major residential enlargement in established neighbourhoods: careful massing, measured detailing and a planning-led method that protects what makes the area work. We work across the wider West Midlands, including Harborne, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.

FAQs

What was the brief at 87 Farquhar Road?
To refine a previously consented, appeal-backed extension scheme for new owners, updating the house for modern family life while protecting the character of Edgbaston.

What is the planning history of the project?
An earlier scheme was allowed at appeal in June 2013 and later accepted on resubmission by the council, but the works were not built at the time.

Why is the site considered sensitive?
It is a prominent corner plot in the Edgbaston Conservation Area within the Calthorpe Estate, with a strong green setting and high visibility from the street.

How did the design protect local character?
The original house remains the dominant element, with new accommodation composed as a subordinate evolution that maintains setbacks, respects the building line and retains boundary trees.

What were the key elevation moves?
A lengthened frontage with a two-level plain tile roof, tall chimneys and paired return gables framing a central entrance, with selective half-timbering and window proportions aligned to local precedents.

How were trees and landscaping safeguarded?
Tree protection was developed in line with BS 5837, with demolition and construction managed to protect roots and boundary planting and retain the spacious corner character.

How was the submission managed?
Revisions and council-ready material were coordinated through UK Planning Gateway to maintain version control and reduce avoidable queries.