Architectural design for Lee-on-the-Solent homes

Begin with the direction the house faces

The town's development as a Victorian and Edwardian seaside resort left substantial houses along Marine Parade and nearby roads. Much of the later housing is interwar or post-war, including many bungalows on sizeable plots. Different ages and arrangements mean the most useful improvement will not necessarily be the same from one property to the next.

Describe the rooms where you spend time and the views you want to retain. An outlook across the Solent can be valuable, but so can a quiet garden-facing room. The brief should explain how these spaces are used rather than treating every window facing the water as the sole focus of the house.

Public views and private rooms

Gosport Borough Council assesses planning proposals here. Seafront buildings are conspicuous from the street and shore, so their effect on the coastal view is part of the consideration. Drawings need to communicate the outside appearance as well as the accommodation created within the property.

Weather exposure also affects the discussion about materials and detailing. Tell us which elevations face the shore and provide pictures of the building as it stands. A design idea should respond to that setting, not simply reproduce an image that appealed to you in a different location. The plans and elevations service explains these complementary views of a proposal.

Compare accommodation without losing the outlook

For further detail, see Lee-on-the-Solent extension drawings and the town's loft conversion plans. The practice also designs new homes, including proposals where a replacement dwelling is being considered. These are separate design briefs and should begin with the intended use of the rooms and the existing site.

For a bungalow, explain which activities you want to keep on the ground floor. For a larger period house, identify rooms that are underused as well as those that feel crowded. This gives a clearer basis for comparison than deciding immediately that the answer must be more space in one particular direction.

Tell us what the coastal setting means to you

Nearby coverage includes Stubbington, Hill Head, Alverstoke and Gosport, with Fareham also within the surrounding area. Speak to Lee about your property using the existing contact options. Include the address and a short account of the outlook, garden and rooms that matter most. The conversation can consider those features before a proposed arrangement becomes fixed, with the form here available for sending the initial details.

Frequently asked questions