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About us

A family-run practice on the River Stour

Complete Planning is a family-run planning consultancy and architectural design practice in Manningtree, working across Essex and Suffolk. We combine town planning and architectural design under one roof.

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3D design of a barn house extension in Babergh
The team

A town planner and an architectural technologist, in one practice

Ben leads every project and is the person you deal with throughout. Charlie works alongside him on the drawings, so you get a planner and a designer without the hand-offs.

Benjamin Plunkett, Managing Director
Your first point of contact

Benjamin Plunkett

RTPI (Licentiate) · Managing Director · Planning & Heritage Consultant

Ben runs Complete Planning and leads every project personally, from the first home visit to the council's decision. He is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (Licentiate), holds an MSc in Town Planning and a law degree from the University of East Anglia, has completed the Legal Practice Course, and was previously an Associate Director at Savills, one of the UK's largest property consultancies. That mix of planning and law is why clients come to us for listed buildings, appeals and enforcement.

Charlie Plunkett MCIAT

Charlie Plunkett

MCIAT · Design Director

Charlie works alongside Ben, turning the survey and brief into the architectural and construction drawings for planning and building regulations. A Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, he has more than three decades' experience in design, new build development and construction and project management.

Why choose us

Between us we have more than 40 years' experience in the built environment. That means you get honest advice on what's achievable, drawings that work, and a planning case made by someone who understands policy and the law.

  • Free initial site visit. We come to you, look at the property and talk through what you'd like to do.
  • Fixed-price quotes. A clear fee agreed before we start, with no hidden extras.
  • Accurate surveys. 3D LiDAR scanning on site for precise existing drawings.
  • Drawings in 3D and colour as standard. So you can see the design, and so the council can too.
  • Local knowledge. We work with Tendring, Colchester, Braintree, Maldon, Babergh and Ipswich councils every week.
  • One point of contact. Ben is your contact throughout and acts as your agent with the council from submission to decision.

Why you can trust us

  • CIAT Chartered Practice. Complete Planning is a Chartered Practice of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists. That means the practice is led by a chartered member (Charlie, MCIAT), follows CIAT's Code of Conduct, keeps professional indemnity insurance in place and is overseen by the Institute.
  • RTPI (Licentiate). Ben is a Licentiate member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, the professional body for planners. RTPI members follow its Code of Professional Conduct.
  • LABC Partner. We work in partnership with local authority building control, for a consistent approach on the building regulations side of the projects we design.
  • Fully insured. We hold professional indemnity insurance through PolicyBee.
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Why don't you call yourselves architects?

Because "architect" is a protected title in the UK, reserved for people registered with the Architects Registration Board. Charlie is a Chartered Architectural Technologist (MCIAT), qualified to design and manage projects from concept to completion, and Complete Planning is a CIAT Chartered Practice.

Where do you work?

Mainly in Tendring, Colchester, Braintree and Maldon in Essex, and Babergh and Ipswich in Suffolk. Get in touch if you're just outside these areas and we'll let you know if we can help.

Benjamin Plunkett, Managing Director
Free home visit

Thinking about a project?

Ben, our Managing Director and Planning & Heritage Consultant, will come to you, look at the property and tell you honestly what's likely to get approved. Free, with no obligation, anywhere in Tendring, Babergh, Colchester, Braintree, Maldon and Ipswich districts.

Planning consultants and chartered designers in one team: drawings designed to get approved, with the same people from site visit to decision.

Book a free home visit → Call 01206 656027
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