Do I need planning permission?

[Rik1981]

Hello,

I need to know whether we need planning permission for our 2 storey extension.

Our extension will go both back 5 metres and be 4 metres wide, again over 2 storeys.

Planning stipulates the following:-

Extensions of more than one storey must not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house* by more than three metres.

However on our extension whilst extending back 5 metres this will actually meet the end of out existing house, so technically doesn’t breach the above.

The reason Being our house is “L” shaped and we are effectively just squaring the house off at the back.

I suppose my question is does the 3metres apply to the house or the wall we are building off?

I’d appreciate peoples thoughts

Thanks,

Rik

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The rear wall is not the only wall that is at the rear it is all of the rear walls of the house so in an L shaped house the rear wall is whichever one you are extending off.

You may find this document useful if you've not seen it already, http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/100806_PDforhouseholders_TechnicalGuidance.pdf page 16 applies to you if I follow your post correctly. Its pretty clear cut so you will need to get PP.

 

[tony1851]

Correct; when reading the technical guidance on p.d. matters, you enter an Alice-in- Wonderland world, where words must never be given their normal meaning.

The term 'the rear wall' is a case in point. Don't be fooled into thinking it actually mean 'the rear wall' - it means 'the wall you are actually building from'.

A little thought reveals that a house can only have one rear wall, yet the technical guidance tells us that a house can have a number of rear walls, which of course defies logic.

But of course any pronouncement from the Department of Communities and Local Government has to be turned on its head to be understood.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

A little thought reveals that a house can only have one rear wall, yet the technical guidance tells us that a house can have a number of rear walls, which of course defies logic.

tony, if you were stood inside an L shaped house such as the OP's and you referred to the 'rear wall', would that term only apply to the wall furthest back then?

 

[tony1851]

A little thought reveals that a house can only have one rear wall, yet the technical guidance tells us that a house can have a number of rear walls, which of course defies logic.

tony, if you were stood inside an L shaped house such as the OP's and you referred to the 'rear wall', would that term only apply to the wall furthest back then?

In my view - yes - there can be a number of rear-facing walls, but only one rear wall. The word 'the' is the definite article, so refers to the wall as the one and only rear wall.
If the wording was something like '3/4m from a rear-facing wall, I could accept that.

As a matter of fact, within a few days of the changes comming into effect, I advised a client to go out 3m from the rear wall of the outrigger, thus squaring the house off!. It was only a little later I found out the intended meaning. Luckily for me it is now more than four years ago.

 

[Rik1981]

Thanks all for your help. At least i now know i have to go for planning

 

[Rik1981]

Not being much of an expert in this field (Well i'm not at all). We're going to be submitting the attached into planning next week.

Before we put into planning we'd be keen to see if anyone can help with spotting concerns with the planning application. The guy we are using is from Scotland and is not 100% familiar with English planning.

There are 2 images Existing and proposed.

I'd really appreciate it if you could advise of any concerns you may have with the application.

Thank you in advance

Rik

Untitled

• Rik1981
• 5 Oct 2014
• 2

Untitled

• Rik1981
• 5 Oct 2014
• 2

 

[tony1851]

They look fine for a typical set of domestic planning application drawings.

However, whether or not the extension would conform to your council's planning policy guidelines is another matter.