Once re-established as a dwellinghouse, the property regained its permitted development rights, which enabled a second stage of extension works to the rear and roof. This is the point most owners of subdivided houses miss. Permitted development rights apply to houses and not to flats, so a building sitting as flats has none, and reinstating it as a single dwelling restores an entire tier of what can be built without a further planning application. Sequencing the two applications in that order reduced planning risk and kept the final scheme policy compliant.

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Following reinstatement, the house was refurbished throughout and extended. A rear extension introduced a generous kitchen and dining space, forming the centre of the plan and strengthening the connection to the garden. At roof level, a loft conversion provided additional accommodation, allowing the house to function comfortably as a multi-bedroom dwelling.

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Internally, the layout was rationalised to remove the inefficiencies created by the previous subdivision. Circulation was simplified, rooms were resized to appropriate proportions, and services were reorganised to suit a single household rather than two separate units. Externally, the alterations remain consistent with the established character of the street.

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The order of the applications is what made this project work. Extending first and de-converting later would have meant arguing for every square metre through full planning. De-converting first meant most of the extension did not need permission at all.