Architecture practices to acquire in the South West

Updated 9 November 2026

Looking to acquire an architecture practice in the South West? Firmbase ranks 187 architecture practices using public company information to help buyers prioritise firms for research and potential outreach. The Approach Score ranks firms using public signals including director age and tenure, ownership, business scale, financial strength and recent changes. These firms are not listed for sale, and the ranking does not indicate that an owner is considering a sale.

The median firm has 8 staff and has been in business for 15 years. Looking beyond the South West? Explore the full UK list of architecture practices.

187

Firms

UK 1,741

23%

Every director 55+

UK 22%

19%

Held 75%+ by one person

UK 24%

15

Median years in business

UK 15

8

Median headcount

UK 8

£250k to £500k

Median turnover band

UK £250k to £500k · includes our estimates

Towns with the most firms

The first 25 firms, in Approach Score order

1

Carlton Design

Westbourne, Dorset

Approach Score

88/100
  • 1 director aged 65-69, 1 aged 60-64, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2012
  • 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 20 staff · turnover est. £1.1m
  • Net assets £389k (Jul 2026)
  • Director resigned Feb 2025 · charge satisfied Aug 2025 · PSC register changed Apr 2026
2

Ellis Belk

Poole, Dorset

Approach Score

87/100
  • 1 director aged 60-64, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2001
  • 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 13 staff · turnover est. £975k
  • Net assets £505k (Jul 2024)
  • Director resigned Dec 2025 · PSC register changed Dec 2025

Company no. 04035260 · Companies House

ellisbelk.com

3

Trinity Architecture

Poole, Dorset

Approach Score

86/100
  • Director aged 65-69 · in post since 1996
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 9 staff · turnover est. £435k
  • Net assets £59k (Sep 2025)
4

HMAD Architects

Uffculme, Devon

Approach Score

85/100
  • Director aged 60-64 · in post since 2010
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £393k
  • Net assets £55k (Aug 2025)
  • Charge satisfied Nov 2024

Company no. 04674309 · Companies House

hmad.co.uk

5

SPS Architectural

Redruth, Cornwall

A director sits on 4 or more companies

Approach Score

85/100
  • 1 director aged 70 or over, 2 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2006
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £286k
  • Net assets £23k (Dec 2024)
6

Proctor Watts Cole Rutter

Shaftesbury, Dorset

Approach Score

81/100
  • Longest in post since 2004
  • 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 11 staff · turnover est. £478k
  • Net assets £71k (Dec 2025)
  • Director resigned Sep 2026

Company no. 05012963 · Companies House

pwcr.co.uk

7

Paul Stevens Architecture

Salisbury

Approach Score

81/100
  • In post since 2010
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £203k
  • Net assets £52k (Jan 2026)
8

O'learygoss Architects

Redland, Bristol

Approach Score

80/100
  • Longest in post since 2008
  • 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 7 staff · turnover est. £281k
  • Net assets £29k (Mar 2025)

Company no. 06521195 · Companies House

olearygoss.co.uk

9

Falconer & Gilbert Scott

Cheltenham

Approach Score

77/100
  • Longest in post since 2016
  • 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 7 staff · turnover est. £440k
  • Net assets £154k (Mar 2026)
  • PSC register changed Apr 2025
10

Davies Landscape Architects

Stroud, Gloucestershire

Approach Score

77/100

We hold older figures than Companies House

  • Longest in post since 2006
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 10 staff · turnover est. £734k
  • Net assets £109k (Jan 2021) · newer accounts made up to Jan 2026

Company no. 05988569 · Companies House

d-la.co.uk

11

Harper and Barrett

Cullompton, Devon

Approach Score

76/100
  • In post since 2005
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £192k
  • Net assets £4k (Sep 2025)

Company no. 05575049 · Companies House

harperbd.co.uk

12

Stretto Architects

Bristol

Approach Score

76/100
  • Director aged 65-69 · in post since 2017
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 8 staff · turnover est. £445k
  • Net assets £101k (Nov 2025)
13

Reed Holland

Taunton

Approach Score

76/100
  • Director aged 60-64 · in post since 2012
  • 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 8 staff · turnover est. £287k
  • Net assets £38k (Apr 2024)
  • Director resigned Jul 2026

Company no. 05240003 · Companies House

reed-holland.co.uk

14

Areli Developments

Taunton, Somerset

Approach Score

75/100
  • Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2020
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 8 staff · turnover est. £1.9m
  • Net assets £935k (Dec 2025)
15

Eleven 10 Architecture

Taunton, Somerset

Approach Score

74/100
  • Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2011
  • 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £233k
  • Net assets £14k (Oct 2025)

Company no. 07866109 · Companies House

eleven10.co.uk

16

Ark Design

Newquay, Cornwall

Approach Score

74/100
  • Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2014
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £207k
  • Net assets £13k (Jun 2025)

Company no. 09107963 · Companies House

ark-designs.com

17

Woodford Architecture & Interiors

Exeter, Devon

Approach Score

74/100
  • Longest in post since 2011
  • 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 8 staff · turnover est. £725k
  • Net assets £374k (Jul 2025)
18

Cube Design

Salisbury, Wiltshire

Approach Score

74/100

We hold older figures than Companies House

  • Director aged 65-69 · in post since 2002
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 12 staff · turnover est. £1.1m
  • Net assets £638k · newer accounts made up to Dec 2025

Company no. 04555468 · Companies House

cube-designltd.co.uk

19

NHB Architectural Services

ST Ives, Cornwall

A director sits on 4 or more companies

Approach Score

74/100
  • 1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged under 45 · longest in post since 2018
  • 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £277k
  • Net assets £198k (Mar 2026)
20

Andrew Lethbridge

Kingsbridge, Devon

Approach Score

73/100
  • Longest in post since 2003
  • 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £157k
  • Net assets £100k (Mar 2025)
  • PSC register changed Aug 2026

Company no. 04760526 · Companies House

ala-architects.co.uk

21

Turner Associates

Weymouth, Dorset

Approach Score

73/100
  • In post since 2015
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 9 staff · turnover est. £349k
  • Net assets £40k (Jan 2026)
22

Jonathan Rhind. Architects

Barnstaple, Devon

A director sits on 4 or more companies

Approach Score

73/100
  • 1 director aged 60-64, 3 aged 45-49, 1 aged under 45 · longest in post since 2007
  • 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 27 staff · turnover est. £2.2m
  • Net assets £822k (Dec 2025)
  • Director resigned May 2026

Company no. 06413700 · Companies House

jonathan-rhind.co.uk

23

Emmett Russell Architects

Bristol

Approach Score

72/100
  • Longest in post since 2013
  • 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 8 staff · turnover est. £284k
  • Net assets £42k (Jan 2026)

Company no. 08802579 · Companies House

emmettrussell.co.uk

24

Peregrine Mears Architects

Barnstaple, Devon

A director sits on 4 or more companies

Approach Score

72/100
  • In post since 2013
  • 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 7 staff · turnover est. £602k
  • Net assets £176k (Dec 2025)

Company no. 08791183 · Companies House

mearsarchitects.com

25

Graziani + Corazza Architects

Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire

Approach Score

71/100
  • 1 director aged 65-69, 1 aged 55-59 · longest in post since 2016
  • 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent
More about this firm
  • 5 staff · turnover est. £389k
  • Net assets £1k (Mar 2025)

Company no. 10514702 · Companies House

gc-architects.com

162 more firms are in the list, in Approach Score order.

You're seeing the first 25. Buy all 187 for £799 + VAT, with the facts behind each score, director names, shareholders and financials.

Buy the list of all 187 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders

Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.

What's in the file

One row per firm, in Approach Score order, as Excel + CSV.

It holds the facts behind each score, points for each part of the score, financials with dates, publicly available contact details, where identified, director names and named shareholders.

Some people with significant control appear as Other individual, with no further detail. Director email lookups are not included.

How this list is filtered

  • 5 or more staff, from filed headcount or our estimate where none is filed.
  • Registered office in the South West.
See every filter on the UK list

How this list is built

The Approach Score ranks firms mainly on public Companies House information about owner tenure and age, ownership, size, financial strength and recent register changes.

Firms with higher scores appear first in each list.

Use the ranking to order research, then check each business directly.

Read how the Approach Score works

What it does not mean

No firm here is for sale, and the score says nothing about any owner's plans.

At least 95% of the firms where we hold directors had them checked in or after November 2026.

What we do not cover

Regulatory information is not included in this list. Buyers should check the relevant register as part of their due diligence. Check individuals on the Architects Registration Board's Architects Register. ARB registers architects across the UK; it does not register practices.

Why age bands but no people's names

Age bands come from the month and year of birth on Companies House. This page shows no exact ages and no people's names. Both come with the purchased list. The band edges from 45 to 65 are the ages where the score changes. A row shows no age bands when a director's surname is in the firm's name, its group's name or its website. Those directors' ages still count towards the score.

Is this your firm?

You can ask us to take it off every acquisition page, and out of every list we sell after that. Give us your name and work email, and we send you a link to confirm. If your email address is on the firm's own website domain, the firm comes off once you confirm. If it is not, a person reviews your request first. A list already sold stays with its buyer.

You can find the company number on Companies House.

To have personal data erased, see our privacy policy.

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The standard Firmbase list

Buy the list of all 187 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders

Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.