What It’s Actually Like Working with an India-Based Architectural Design Team
Updated: Aug 21
When I tell UK clients that our team operates from Goa, India, I can predict the questions that follow.
How do you understand UK planning policy? How does communication work across time zones? Who’s accountable if something goes wrong?
They’re fair questions. I’d rather answer them directly.
How Does an India-Based Team Understand the UK Planning System?
Experience, sustained study, and daily practice.
Our senior designers have spent years working on UK planning projects, handling applications across 20+ councils, reading officer reports, tracking appeal decisions, and staying current with changes to the NPPF and local policy.
Geography is not the same as expertise.
How Does Communication Work Across Time Zones?
Goa operates at UTC+5:30. The UK is currently UTC+1 (BST), a 4.5-hour difference.
When your working day starts at 9am in London, our team has already been working for several hours.
Responses to messages are guaranteed within one working day, in practice, usually within a few hours.
Every project runs through our OLYMPUS platform, where clients can see project status at any time, upload documents, and log queries.
Video calls for design reviews and strategy discussions are scheduled at mid-morning UK time, which works comfortably for our team.
What Does the Actual Project Process Look Like?
Week 1: Onboarding
Client shares site information, existing drawings, and any council correspondence. We confirm the planning route and provide our initial assessment.
Weeks 1–2: Existing Drawings
Produced from client-provided survey data, or coordinated with a UK-based surveyor where a formal measured survey is required.
Weeks 2–4: Design and Pre-App
Proposed design developed and approved by the client. Where appropriate, we submit a pre-application enquiry to the council.
All drawings QA-reviewed by our senior designer.
Weeks 4–5: Planning Package
Full submission prepared: proposed drawings, Design and Access Statement, site plans, and any required specialist documents.
Weeks 6–13: Determination
We monitor the application, respond to officer queries, and maintain proactive contact.
The client sees every update in real time on OLYMPUS.
Decision and beyond.
On approval, we advise on pre-commencement conditions.
What About Accountability?
Every project has a named senior designer accountable for quality and delivery.
We hold professional indemnity insurance covering international professional services.
Every action in OLYMPUS is timestamped. There is a full record for the life of the project.
Is the Quality Actually Comparable to a UK Practice?
Our drawings meet LPA submission standards.
Our Design and Access Statements are assessed by planning officers and are not flagged as weaker than those from UK-based practices.
We’re not the cheapest option in the market. We’re competitive because we operate from a lower cost base, not because we cut corners.
If you want to test that before committing, ask us for redacted examples of submitted drawings and planning documents for comparable project types.
We’re happy to share.
Bernard A. is the COO of Altura Design, a specialist architectural design consultancy and planning management firm serving UK clients from Goa, India. A spin-off of Enigmasoft Technologies.
■ Goa, India | ■ enigma-tech.io | ■ +91 7057286372
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