Non-Standard Building Line

[David Smithson]

Hi all,

We are looking to put an extension on our home, which has a non-standard corner plot. Our address is "Road A". and we have been told we are subject to the building line for this road, which I have marked in the orange dotted line, with the proposed extension in blue.

However due to how our house sits or the corner it means we wouldn't be able to build along the front of our house as it would automatically cross this proposed building line.

Does anyone have any experience with such a plot and planning permission? Or any friendly advice on how we may proceed/set our expectations. We haven't done anything like this before..!

Our options seem to be:

1. Make the front of the extension diagonally follow the line (this would look horrible though?)

2. Step the front extension back and make it straight (this would dramatically cut the size of the extension, and also make the house look disjointed)

3. Argue that the building line as it stands shouldn't apply to our house (but for what reasons, and can this even be put forward?)


(note, the plot isn't as big as the image suggests, and for a number of reasons building into the garden wouldn't make sense)

 

[tony1851]

The 'building line' is not really an issue; in planning terms it's a case of how the street scene will look after the extension is built.

Looking at that plan, there doesn't seem to be a strong building line and IMO you shouldn't have too much of a problem getting approval for a side extension in line with the front of the house (though first floor might have to be set back a little, depending on your council's policy).

 

[David Smithson]

The 'building line' is not really an issue; in planning terms it's a case of how the street scene will look after the extension is built.

Looking at that plan, there doesn't seem to be a strong building line and IMO you shouldn't have too much of a problem getting approval for a side extension in line with the front of the house (though first floor might have to be set back a little, depending on your council's policy).

The planning office have provided that line to us, and suggested via email that no extension should advance forward from it. In the same email they also said that the line is not clear, after stating what the line is! I wasn't sure if an argument of "the building line should be the front of our house" would stand up"

Interesting about the first floor being set back a little than the ground floor. Could you explain why that could that make a difference to the planners?

If we were to build at an angle, the street scene would be much worse imo as we would be going from a very beautiful and symmetric front to a very awkward and strange looking one, purely to stay behind the line.

 

[^woody^]

Or any friendly advice

Does it need to be friendly? Some here will struggle.

Anyway, refer to the local planning policy - normally called something like "Supplementary guidance for home extensions". See what it says for forward extensions. Sometimes it's "never", sometimes it "not unless you can help it". And it will tell you about set backs too.

Look at that house above yours at the corner or road b - thats doing exactly what you want to do, so it's not exactly out of place.

But why not forget the extension and build a new house on the other side of the garden?

 

[Footsoldier888]

Firstly planning is all about opinions, all LA's are different. I can give mine but it is only that.

Forget the building line for a minute, the thing they hate is a large mass of extension. The addition has to be subservient to the host building in planning speak. What this means in real life is a 50cm to 1m setback. It's likely you have some drains there anyway, so they have to remain outside.

What some do is this. Have the setback, go straight up on the ground floor but back on the first floor and put a bathroom in the roof. This does break up the mass well and you can have a small bathroom in there. Then you get a vaulted ceiling in the bedroom at the back, which avoids the corridor effect and makes the room feel more generous. So at the front you have no window on the front elevation but one or more rooflights. At the back you have a normal window plus you can have a rooflight from the front elevation going to the back bedroom.

Looking at it, your neighbour might object to a bedroom window directly overlooking their patio area, unfortunately the angle is not great there from your point. Possibly you may have to consider a bathroom there with bedroom in the front. Or it may have to be rooflights there with perhaps a discreet window.

It looks too narrow to me to build another house on the space because your drive must go there. You could consider an extension there though and form a link, it can look stunning if done right, you could have a garage too as part of it.

I know Woody is fond of saying this, but this is one case where talking to a designer will mean you get a much better outcome.

 

[Aeron Rees]

With regard to single story extensions, councils don’t tend to refuse them on the side in the format that you’re proposing. If you’re looking to put a second story on, some councils do ask for a metre or so set back, but this is usually on semi detached (in my experience) so as to not unbalance the pair of dwellings (dependent of course on whether the other half of the semi-detached already has an extension or not).

Planners do look for extensions to be subservient to the main dwelling house, but again I think the extension you’re proposing, from looking at the plans appears somewhat subservient in my opinion.

I think you have a fairly good chance of getting it, if not from the council, you can always appeal, let an inspector decide.