An architect client, Rob, approached us on behalf of a freeholder who owned a block of flats on a busy stretch of Brockley Road.
The situation was sensitive:
- The planning case officer was asking for clear timeframes for a retrospective planning submission.
- The client already had internal drawings of the flats.
- What they needed from us was a measured record of the external facades and site area so the architect could complete accurate, up-to-date drawings for the council.
Rob’s brief was very specific:
- Measure the external elevations (including the front elevation and bin store).
- Capture the site layout and boundaries.
- Deliver a drawing pack formatted consistently with previous PCD work the practice had used.
- Provide a realistic completion timeframe they could share with both the client and the planning officer.
Because this was a multi-leasehold building (different flat owners, one freeholder), arranging internal access across all units would have been difficult. That tension between our normal workflow and the site’s realities shaped how the project unfolded.
Agreeing scope – internal vs external and a pragmatic compromise
Our standard process for elevation work is:
- Use internal measurements as the primary control for window and door positions.
- Cross-check externally with laser and photography.
That’s how we usually achieve the tight elevation accuracy architects expect.
On this project:
- Rob initially confirmed there was no requirement for an internal survey, as internal plans already existed.
- We explained that we normally do require some internal access for elevation accuracy and asked whether that could be accommodated.
- Rob flagged the practical issue: the client is only the freeholder, and coordinating access into each leasehold flat would be “a considerable amount of effort” and a responsibility the client was reluctant to take on.
Rather than holding a hard line, we looked for a middle ground:
- We confirmed we could proceed with external-only measurement, using a modified method, as long as everyone understood the limitations.
- We also arranged for a separate topographical survey (via a trusted partner) to provide site levels and boundary information, which we could integrate into our drawings.
Once the approach was agreed:
- We issued a quotation and invoice.
- Rob provisionally booked a survey date, subject to deposit payment.
- When the deposit was delayed due to the client’s internal processes, we re-sent the invoice and kept the date flexible rather than cancelling the job outright.
Scheduling around holidays, tenants and a bank holiday
Because this was a tenanted building, we needed to work around a few moving pieces:
- Rob was due to go on holiday, so we looped in his colleague Allison as point of contact while he was away.
- We offered a set of provisional dates in August, then moved towards early September when the earlier options proved difficult.
- One proposed survey date fell on a bank holiday Monday, which Allison rightly questioned. We confirmed we could reschedule and instead set up a Saturday survey, then finally landed on Thursday 4th September with a midday arrival window.
Key points in the logistics:
- We maintained our policy of only confirming the survey slot once initial payment was received.
- When funds from the client were delayed, we stayed in touch with Allison about our next available dates so there was a clear path forward.
- Once payment landed, we confirmed receipt and shared the survey date and arrival window, asking Allison to notify the tenants.
This careful coordination meant we could:
- Keep our surveyor’s diary realistic, and
- Give the architect a concrete programme they could pass on to the planning officer.
How we carried out the survey
On the confirmed date, our surveyor attended with:
- A laser distance meter (Disto) for quick, accurate measurements.
- A tablet-based sketching setup to record dimensions and site notes clearly.
- A structured photo checklist to capture every elevation and key feature.
Our scope on site included:
- External facades
- Measuring the principal street elevation: window positions, door openings, architectural features, parapets, and signage zones.
- Recording rear and side elevations as required for planning context.
- Site layout and bin store
- Measuring the bin store area and any associated enclosures.
- Capturing the relationship between the building and its curtilage, ready to overlay onto the topo survey later.
- Topographical coordination
- Our separate topo partner surveyed levels and site boundaries.
- Their deliverables (levels, boundary lines, key spot heights) were later used as the base for our site plan drawings, ensuring the architect had a consistent, robust dataset for planning.
Because access into flats was not part of the final scope, we relied on:
- Careful external checking of window and door dimensions, and
- Any existing internal information the architect already had, to align overall proportions and floor-to-floor relationships.
Turning the survey into drawings – and supporting the planning programme
After the survey:
- Rob emailed to confirm that the planning survey had taken place and asked when drawings would be ready, highlighting that the case officer now needed firm timeframes.
We responded in two stages:
- Progress update
- Confirmed we were close to completion.
- Explained that we were entering our internal QA phase, where another senior team member carefully checks geometry, dimensions and layout against site notes and the topo base.
- Draft pack & final invoice
- Within that timeframe, we issued a draft PDF pack (elevations and site plan) for Rob’s review.
- Attached the final invoice, explaining that once settled we would provide:
- The final DWG file, and
- The final PDFs ready for direct use in the retrospective planning submission.
Rob used our update to:
- Commit to a clear delivery date for his client, and
- Reassure the planning officer that high-quality, measured drawings were in production and due imminently.
Once the client settled the final invoice (processed via Allison), we:
- Confirmed payment.
- Issued the final drawing set and CAD file.
- Provided a receipt for the full survey and drawing fee.
With that, the Trello card for Brockley Road was moved to Completed.
Final outcome – a clean external record that unlocked a difficult planning case
For Rob and Allison’s practice – and their freeholder client – the key benefits were:
- A measured, externally focused drawing pack that matched their brief exactly: existing facades and site layout, in the same format as prior PCD drawings they already trusted.
- A coordinated topo + building dataset, without forcing the freeholder into a complex internal access exercise across multiple flats.
- A clear, communicated programme they could quote to the planning officer, reducing pressure around the retrospective submission.
- A straightforward handover of CAD and PDFs, so they could move straight into planning work without redrawing anything.
For us, this Brockley Road project is a good example of how we support architects when:
- There’s a planning or enforcement time pressure.
- Internal access is impractical, but high-quality external information is still needed.
- We need to coordinate with a topographical surveyor and adjust our usual methods while still delivering a professional, planning-ready result.
If you’re dealing with a similar scenario – especially retrospective or regularisation cases on multi-flat buildings – we can take on the measured survey and drawing side so your team can focus on strategy, planning arguments and client management.
Project Details
| Service Type | External Measured Survey, Elevation & Site Plan Drawing Pack for Retrospective Planning |
| Time Taken | 2 weeks |
| Budget | £400–£500 |
| Location | Brockley Road, Brockley |
