We cannot thank David at Get Approval enough.  We had tried to get approval for a garage conversion to our 3-bedroom detached house without any professional support.  We submitted our own drawings and application form at the end of February, but we were missing some information, and it took until the middle of August to get the application validated.  We then waited 8 weeks for a decision and were refused permission.  We were so upset as we loved where we lived but we were outgrowing the home with our two young children.

Bexley Council had refused us on the following grounds:

“The proposed parking arrangements are unacceptable on the grounds that the proposed additional parking space will result in an unsatisfactory hazardous arrangement contrary to saved Policy T 17 of the Unitary Development Plan (2004).”

Get Approval contacted us by letter and offered to examine our application to see if it could be refined or whether a planning appeal could by made successfully to the Planning Inspectorate.  We met with David and he was confident he could overturn Bexley Council's decision on appeal.  We also spoke about our desire to extend over our garage to create a study and a walk-in wardrobe to our master bedroom.  David suggested resubmitting refined plans to Bexley Council as it would be free to submit a revised application shortly after a refusal (something we were not aware of) and he could improve the design to create a better layout for us too. 

We appointed Get Approval and we can safely say, with hindsight, it was a great decision.  Just five months after the disappointment of having our garage conversion rejected, David had successfully overturned the decision on appeal.  He proved we had sufficient off-street parking and didn’t need the additional space we had anticipated Bexley Council would want us to create for the loss of the garage. 

But better news was to come shortly afterwards.  David submitted the revised application including the extension over the garage for our study and walk-in wardrobe.  He referenced the successful appeal in his design and access statement and therefore Bexley were left to examine if the first-floor proposal was satisfactory.  Approval was granted with a few reasonable conditions.  We were delighted and so grateful for the service we received from David at Get Approval.  We would highly recommend getting professional support from the outset.  It would have saved us a lot of time trying to deal with Bexley Council ourselves and had we known how to interrogate the local planning policies, we probably would not have been refused first time around.  Wasting all that time before reaching out for support is our only regret! 

We recently used Get Approval to submit a planning application to Canterbury City Council for two double‑storey side extensions—one above the existing garage and the other replacing an old conservatory to create a second lounge on the ground floor. Both first‑floor extensions were designed to give us larger bedrooms with en‑suite showers, something our family really wanted.

From the very beginning, David at Get Approval was absolutely instrumental in shaping a design that not only worked perfectly for us but also satisfied the local planning officers. He took the time to understand how we wanted to use the space and translated that into a layout that genuinely enhances our home.

One of the standout aspects of working with David was the way he handled a particularly difficult neighbour. He approached the situation with patience and professionalism, taking the time to explain the design in detail and reassure them that their property had been fully considered. As part of the proposal, he even removed two existing first floor windows that currently overlook their bungalow—meaning they will actually benefit from the changes too. That level of thoughtfulness made a huge difference.

When the plans were approved at the end of the 8‑week consultation period, we were absolutely delighted. We bought this home in 2020 with the intention of extending it because we couldn’t find the perfect property for our family at the time—but we knew this one had so much potential. Thanks to David and Get Approval, we can finally move forward with creating the home we always envisioned.

We couldn’t recommend them highly enough.

I recently contacted Get Approval for help finding out when my loft had been converted. The work was done long before I bought the property, and as I’m now selling my home, my purchaser’s solicitor needed the date for some reason unknown to me. I had no idea where to start. After wasting time searching online, I decided to call Get Approval — and I’m so glad I did.

I spoke with David, who was incredibly helpful from the very first moment. He found the information I needed while I was still on the phone. He even took a screenshot of the records and emailed it straight to me. To my surprise, he didn’t want any payment at all, explaining that it only took him a few minutes. All he asked for was a good review - so here it is!

It’s rare these days to come across a company that genuinely puts people before profit, but that’s exactly what David did. His kindness, efficiency, and honesty turned a stressful situation into a simple one. Writing this review is the very least I can do.

Thank you so much, David — I truly owe you one. Highly recommended.