This high-quality domestic extension on the outskirts of Leicester was for a private client wanting to reconfigure and extend their newly acquired home. Despite being a large home it had a very small kitchen which, in its original state, did not really cater for the modern family or their requirements. Walters Architects were recommended for this project and were fortunate enough to be able to inspect the house whilst it was empty and stripped right back before devising a proposal. It was a real opportunity to survey accurately and expose elements of the building being affected by the works. The client essentially wanted a kitchen/diner area for his large family but the underlining concept for the proposal was driven by the Planners requirement to respect the three different building elements of the house. Ideally, they wanted the new design to strengthen and align the massing of the buildings behind the proposed extension. This was achieved through the expression of the structure in the new extension, using thicker posts around the door opening which married up with the original buildings behind. Whilst the building is not Listed (locally or nationally) or within a Conservation Area the Planners had an interest in the building as they deemed it to be of local significance. Whilst this type of views can sometimes feel frustrating to clients, architects generally like to work with these sort of restrictions/recommendations. It helps inform design.