Loft Extension - Planning Application

[Harrypotterguy]

We live in a detached house and have an existing loft extension built in 1984. Apart from the fact that its virtually falling down and the insulation is worse than dreadful, its one room which isn't ideal space-wise for us as we have three kids.

We have had plans drawn up for a larger full width dormer/extension comprising of one reasonable sized bedroom, one box room and a separate shower room. Its over 50m3, I think about 56m3 and so we have gone down the route of applying for full planning permission as we are obviously over the permitted development volumes for a detached house.

To achieve the above the architect has incorporated gable ends, which I understand the LA planners are not over the moon about. There are though a few houses in our street that already have changed their roofs in this way. The plans incorporate the 20cm rule.

Does anyone have any experience with such an application? I assume that just because the extension is over 50m3 it will not be declined just for the sake of it otherwise whats the point of a planning application? If thats the case would it not be simpler just to say at the onset, nothing over the volumes of permitted development will be approved so don't bother applying for PP?

Anyone heard of PP being granted for a loft extension over the permitted development sizes of 40m3/50m3?

Thanks for any comments / ideas.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

An application will generally be approved if it follows the recommendations of the Local Plan. Sometimes (well quite often if this forum is anything to go by) the planners will be pig headed even if they know the alternative is that built to the limit of PD which (in their eyes) will be just as ugly probably.

As you are only 6m3 over can you not just scale it back a bit to get under the 50m3? Maybe by not doing full gable ends just a small hip on each end?

Hip to gable conversions are PD btw.

 

[Harrypotterguy]

Hey Freddy, thanks for taking the time to reply.

We have lived in the house for nearly 18 years and "looked" at redoing the loft a number of times. If there was no existing extension up there then I guess we would be happy like most people to pay our money and get the one bedroom and shower/bathroom that most extensions consist of, but to go through the trouble, not to mention the considerable cost "just" to potentially get a Shower/Bathroom would I feel be crazy and would kill the plans stone dead.

The key to the extension I feel is to get this box room, which we could use for our four year old's bedroom or a study and in order to get that, we need to go over the PD volume of 50m3.

I know Im not sitting in the planning department but surely common sense would suggest that this 50m3 volume is sometime way too much for some small detached houses and at the same time, in a larger property a larger volume would look both in keeping and sensible?

We are in the "Consulting Stage" at this point and after discussing our plans with our neighbours there are no reservations at this point.

Again if any planning application with a volume over the PD volume would get knocked back, what is the point of them even entertaining such an application?

Have you or has anyone else heard or have had experience in such an application getting granted?

Thanks again.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I am not saying you will get rejected, to reiterate if the development complies with the Local Plan it should be approved. I can tell you though that planers do not like big dormers and hate the PD system for allowing huge dormers. Personally I do not think that when the PD rules were written that the powers that be quite envisaged the monstrosities that are being built.

 

[Harrypotterguy]

Okay thanks for that Freddy, its appreciated.

Has anyone though applied for Planning Permission for a loft extension, due to it being over 40m3/50m3 ?

I'd love to get some personal feedback / their experience of what they went through with the planning process and how it turned out.

 

[garyo]

Have you tried browsing your local authority's planning applications on line to see whether there are many loft applications on there and get a feel for strict they seem to be?

 

[Harrypotterguy]

Hey Garyo, thanks for your comment.

I did have a brief look for my immediate road, and didnt really see anything. I will though spread the search.

The problem I guess is that most loft extensions I have seen are seemingly done through the Permitted Development route. I assume architects / builders want an easy life as possible, steer the project through PD, get it built, and then move on to the next one and so on.

Our plans are not massive, don't get me wrong our detached house is not some footballer pad somewhere in Oxshott, but it can easily take what we are asking for.

As I've mentioned, if the "cut off" for whatever reason is 50m3 be it through PD or planning application, then it is what it is. But if that is the case why not just say that, make things clear etc and we won't waste anyone's time?

I'd love to hear from someone that has gone down the route of planning for a loft that didnt fall with PD and hear their experience.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No it is that most clients want an easy life and will avoid planning if they can. That and also that the limts set are actually pretty big and consequently most loft conversions do not get anywhere close to the limits.

 

[Harrypotterguy]

You guys are the experts but if I'm anything to go by, most clients are guided by what they are advised by their architect/builders.

If my architect told me, forget about it it will never happen in a million years, I'd have my answer.

I hear you about PD sizes, but.....40m3 for example on a large semi might be one thing and 40m3 on a small end of terrace might be completely different.

 

[tony1851]

Forgive me if the answer to this seems obvious, but has the volume been worked out correctly? As FMT pointed out, 50m3 is pretty big. There was a post recently where someone may have counted the volume of the new room(s) created rather than just the volume increase byond the planes of the existing roof...just a thought.

 

[Harrypotterguy]

Tony, good question.

All I can go with is the m3 that the architect gave me. Let me double check it with him.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You guys are the experts but if I'm anything to go by, most clients are guided by what they are advised by their architect/builders.

If my architect told me, forget about it it will never happen in a million years, I'd have my answer.

I hear you about PD sizes, but.....40m3 for example on a large semi might be one thing and 40m3 on a small end of terrace might be completely different.

Yes but a large semi will generally have a larger loft to convert in the first place so less of a need to eat too much into the 40m3. I have said if the proposals meet Local Plan guidance it will probably be approved.