How to specify height if building is on a slope?

[fex10]

The council have told us that the height of a building is measured from the ground and not floor level as the architect had told us :/

Having removed the fence we can now see that there are some serious height variances where we wish to build so we're doing a survey. We unsure if we should level the ground by lowering our proposed garage or effectively raising it. Ideally we would use the soil from our foundation trenches to level the garden, but until we start doing it we don't know what height we'll end up with.

What should we do on our planning application? Should we maybe specify the max/worst case scenario? If the council decline would they tell us that they declined due to the height or do they just decline with no comments? I asked the professional that's doing the application for us and his answer was that it depends on the council. He's not being very communicative to be honest.

We want our garage to be 4m high, pitched roof, with eves at 2.8m. But the variances in ground level mean that the height would be effectively increased by 0.5m if measured from the lowest point.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Height is measured from the highest existing adjacent ground level. Are you making a planning application or are you trying to get something done under Permitted Development?

 

[fex10]

It's a planning application. Has to be as we are within 2m of a boundary. And the eves are above 2.5m.

If the height is measured from the highest ground level then that solves things. Though I think the council planning officer stated the lowest ground level when I spoke with them, though this was in regard to permitted development.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If you are submitting a planning application because the proposal does not meet PD criteria then the height is irrelevant (in respect of where it is measured from).

 

[fex10]

I just asked an architect at my office, and he just said similar. He said to specify the height at the bottom and top side of the slope.