Frequently Asked Questions

The title "Architect" is protected by law in the UK. Only professionals registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB) are permitted to use it. Chartered Architects who are members of The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) have met demanding educational and professional standards and are bound by a code of conduct that protects clients.

Working with a Chartered Architect means working with someone who carries professional indemnity insurance, is accountable to a regulatory body, and brings the technical depth to see a project through from first sketch to final completion with clarity and rigour at every stage.

At Lowland Architects, every project is led personally by Mark White from initial conversation through to completion. The person you speak to at the outset is the person who designs, draws and oversees your project on site.

Nothing unnecessary. Nothing overlooked.

RIAS Conservation Accreditation is the professional benchmark for conservation expertise in Scotland, held by fewer than 150 architects. It requires in-depth knowledge of historic building materials, traditional construction methods and the Scottish statutory consent process – the foundation for the patient restoration of historic buildings and the careful integration of new work within existing settings.

For clients with listed buildings, traditional properties or projects within conservation areas, this means working with someone who has the specialist expertise the project demands, and typically results in smoother, faster consent applications.

Our work is structured around three pillars: Preserve, Enhance and Create.

Our conservation work focuses on protecting and carefully restoring traditional buildings while allowing them to evolve for contemporary life. This includes listed building refurbishment, traditional building repair, conservation-led renovation and heritage planning.

Extending and adapting existing buildings requires sensitivity and technical understanding. We design extensions and alterations that respond to the character of the original building. This includes residential extensions, steading conversions, interior remodelling, adaptive reuse and farm diversification projects.

New buildings should feel connected to their surroundings. Our new-build projects draw inspiration from vernacular architecture and local materials while delivering modern, efficient and carefully detailed homes and commercial facilities.

From carefully considered small-scale refurbishments to developments with a project value in excess of £5 million, every project receives the same clarity and technical rigour.

In most cases, yes. Listed building consent is required for any works that affect the character of a listed building, including internal alterations. The common assumption that only the exterior is protected is incorrect. Our approach is grounded in respect for context, historic fabric and traditional construction. Understanding what matters to a building before any proposal is drawn is critical

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It is a criminal offence to carry out works requiring listed building consent without first obtaining it. There is no application fee for listed building consent in Scotland. We can advise on whether your project requires consent, prepare the application and manage the process with the planning authority on your behalf.

These are two separate statutory processes, and most projects require both.

Planning permission is granted by the local planning authority and considers the principle of what you are proposing from its design, its impact on the surrounding area and its relationship to neighbouring properties. A Building Warrant is issued by the local authority's Building Standards department and confirms that the technical design meets Scottish Building Standards, this covers structural integrity, fire safety, energy performance and accessibility.

Planning permission and Building Warrant applications are made separately, typically at different project stages, and assessed by different departments. We manage both processes as part of our service.

Yes, listed buildings can be extended, altered and adapted provided the works are sensitively designed and listed building consent is obtained before work begins.

Our conservation work focuses on allowing historic buildings to evolve for contemporary life without compromising the character of the building. A well-designed, carefully considered proposal, supported by a Design and Heritage Statement, is far more likely to be consented than one that lacks supporting documentation.

Listed building owners are often surprised by what can be achieved. Extensions, new openings, upgraded kitchens and bathrooms, and improved thermal performance can all be delivered when the approach is right. We have experience working on Category A, B and C listed buildings across Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. Our aim is not to prevent change, but to guide it carefully and make a compelling case for what is proposed.

We manage the full consent process from initial advice through to decision and would welcome the opportunity to discuss what might be possible for your project.

A conservation area is a designated area of special architectural or historic interest. Unlike a listed building, which applies to an individual structure, a conservation area applies to an entire area.

Our work is guided by a belief that architecture should respond to its context by respecting the materials, traditions and landscapes that shape the places we inhabit.

In practical terms, certain works that would normally be allowed under permitted development require planning permission within a conservation area — including alterations to windows and doors and changes to external materials. Conservation areas are common across the Scottish Borders, Edinburgh and East Lothian. We can advise on what it means for your specific project.

Not always, but the rules in Scotland differ from England and Wales, and several factors affect whether permitted development rights apply.

Extending and adapting an existing building requires sensitivity and technical understanding alongside an early assessment of whether a formal planning application is needed. In Scotland, householder permitted development rights allow certain extensions without a planning application, within defined size limits. However, these rights are restricted if your property is listed or sits within a conservation area.

As a general guide, a single-storey rear extension, or small dormer in an attic may fall within permitted development. However, alterations such as a two-storey extension or one visible from a public road is more likely to need a formal application. Even where planning permission is not required, a Building Warrant will almost always be needed. We can advise quickly on your situation.

A Building Warrant is required before you carry out most types of building or demolition work in Scotland. Under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, works requiring a warrant include:

• Erection or extension of a building

• Alteration to a building

• Alteration involving work that affects structure, fire safety, or access to and use of a building

• Work relating to a change of use

• Sub-division of a property

Certain minor works are exempt — the full list is set out in the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and the Scottish Technical Handbooks. It is an offence to begin work requiring a warrant without one. We manage the full Building Warrant application process as part of our service. Every project receives the same clarity and technical rigour.

We provide a tailored fee proposal following an initial consultation, based on the scope and complexity of your specific project.

Our fees are tied to the stages of your project: design, planning, technical drawings, tender and construction. Depending on the type of project, fees may be a fixed amount or a percentage of build cost. Everything is agreed clearly before we begin, with no hidden extras.

Discuss your ideas with us and explore how we can help bring them to life.

Yes, steading and barn conversions are well-established in Scotland, and many agricultural buildings across the Scottish Borders and wider rural Scotland have been successfully brought back into use.

We help homeowners and landowners by designing projects that honour their setting while bringing new life to the buildings and landscapes around them. Steading conversions are a natural expression of that approach by giving redundant agricultural buildings a new purpose without erasing their character.

Scotland's National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) encourages the reuse of redundant or unused buildings in rural area. This supports the conversion of traditional rural buildings where the structure is sound and the proposal respects its settings. We have experience managing these types of projects from initial feasibility through to completion.

For a standard householder application, such as covering most residential extensions and alterations, the target determination period for the Local Authority is eight weeks from the date of validation.

Every project follows a clear and structured process. A well-prepared submission, with complete drawings, correct supporting documents and a clear design statement, is far more likely to be determined without requests for further information, which can add weeks or months. For more complex proposals, such as new-build houses on unallocated rural land or farm development, pre-application consultation with the planning authority is advisable prior to the submission of a full Planning Application.

We manage the application process, from preparation through to liaison with planning officers, so you are kept informed at every stage.