Guildford Road

Reimagining a Mixed-Use Property for a Spacious HMO

Transforming a lively mixed-use property

Our clients wanted to turn a corner property with an Italian restaurant and tattoo studio on the ground floor into a large HMO. Located in a vibrant residential area, the property already had strong character, but the vision was to maximise the site’s potential by extending at the rear and creating a spacious living area on the first floor. We knew right away we’d need to take advantage of the property’s mixed-use space while integrating practical aspects to make a comfortable home for future occupants.

Designing a viable expansion plan with council input

We aimed to extend the ground and first floors to add generous space for a high-quality HMO, while maintaining the businesses at the front. We began by working closely with our clients to create a plan that met their ambitions while anticipating council concerns. After the council initially raised issues with the proposed extension size, we resubmitted a pre-application to refine the design with their feedback, making sure each revision would bring us closer to approval.