Architects in Edgbaston: 52 Harborne Road (Grade II listed villa)

Looking for architects in Edgbaston for listed building work in a conservation area? At 52 Harborne Road, Lapworth Architects secured planning permission and listed building consent for a sensitive extension and refurbishment of a Grade II listed stucco villa within the Edgbaston Conservation Area and the Calthorpe Estate.

Lapworth Architects secured planning permission and listed building consent for the sensitive extension and refurbishment of 52 Harborne Road, a Grade II listed nineteenth-century stucco villa in the Edgbaston Conservation Area. The property sits within the Calthorpe Estate and contributes to the character of this established residential avenue linking Edgbaston and central Birmingham.

Project at a glance

• Location: Harborne Road, Edgbaston

• Heritage context: Grade II listed villa, Edgbaston Conservation Area, Calthorpe Estate

• Scope: extension and refurbishment

• Consents: planning permission and listed building consent

• Key interventions: two and single-storey rear extensions, front light well, selective internal alterations

• Approach: retain and repair significant fabric, keep new work subordinate and reversible where possible

Design approach and heritage response

The brief was to extend and adapt the family home to improve living space while maintaining the building’s architectural integrity. The design introduces two and single-storey rear extensions, a new light well to the front and selective internal alterations.

Existing features including the entrance, boundary walls and principal elevations were carefully retained and repaired. The rear extensions replace a dated conservatory and are proportioned to remain subordinate to the main villa, using traditional materials and consistent detailing so the original massing and hierarchy remain legible.

External works, detailing and landscape

Key elements include reinstated boundary walls and gates, rooflights to the rear and landscape improvements to the forecourt. The new rear additions are set against existing walls and step down to meet the garden’s natural slope, supporting a measured relationship between the villa and its garden setting.

Material samples and 1:10 architectural details are to be agreed with the local authority to ensure continuity of stucco finishes and joinery profiles. The Conservation Officer noted that the amended design sits more comfortably with the listed building and reflects the character of its pair and immediate neighbours.

Internal alterations and conservation principles

Internally, alterations are minimal and reversible, aligning with established conservation practice. The reinstatement of original doorways and the omission of intrusive elements, including a first-floor en-suite, reduced potential loss of historic fabric.

The planning officer’s report concluded that the proposals preserved the building’s special interest and aligned with the principles of the Birmingham Design Guide SPD (2022) and Policy TP12 of the Birmingham Development Plan (2017).

Planning and listed building coordination

All submission material was coordinated through UK Planning Gateway, maintaining council-ready documentation and clear version control between the planning and listed building consent applications.

Architects in Edgbaston and the wider West Midlands

For clients searching for architects in Edgbaston, this commission demonstrates Lapworth Architects’ experience with listed buildings across the Calthorpe Estate and Birmingham’s established conservation areas. We work across the wider West Midlands, including Harborne, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.

FAQs

What was delivered at 52 Harborne Road in Edgbaston?
Planning permission and listed building consent for a sensitive extension and refurbishment of a Grade II listed villa in the Edgbaston Conservation Area, including two and single-storey rear extensions and selective internal alterations.

What was the heritage context for the project?
A nineteenth-century Grade II listed stucco villa within the Edgbaston Conservation Area and the Calthorpe Estate, contributing to the character of Harborne Road.

How were the extensions designed to respect the listed building?
The rear extensions replace a dated conservatory and were proportioned to remain subordinate to the main villa, using traditional materials and consistent detailing so the original hierarchy remains clear.

What external works were included?
Reinstated boundary walls and gates, rooflights to the rear, and landscape improvements to the forecourt, with new additions stepping down to follow the garden’s slope.

What was the approach to internal alterations?
Alterations were kept minimal and reversible. Original doorways were reinstated and intrusive elements, including a first-floor en-suite, were omitted to reduce impact on historic fabric.

How was quality and detailing controlled through consent?
Material samples and 1:10 architectural details are to be agreed with the local authority, including stucco finishes and joinery profiles, to ensure continuity with the existing building.

How was the submission managed?
All planning and listed building consent documentation was coordinated through UK Planning Gateway, supporting clear version control and council-ready submissions.