Converting a terraced house into 2 flats

[deshg]

Hey everyone,

My girlfriend and I are in the process of buying a victorian terraced house in Stoke Newington, London (borough of Hackney) to live in. We are going to submit a preplanning application to see if there's any likelihood of getting permission to convert it into 2 flats (for various reasons, it's next door to a community centre/mosque, has a recording studio at the end of the garden with a 12 ft high wall, tiny yard/garden etc). We have been advised at this stage we can say the design of the proposed flats isn't final and we're completely flexible on the design, the advice we want is whether it's viable in theory, although my understanding is they're much more likely to be helpful if the flat layout is satisfactory.

As a result we've drawn up plans for 2 flats (1 one bedroom, 1 two bedroom) and attached them as images. My question is with regard to the downstairs flat as the entrance goes straight into the sitting room which isn't ideal. There isn't enough space to have both entrances by the stairs with enough landing room at the bottom of the staircase.

I know it's completely subjective but do you think the planners are likely to prefer it how it is in these plans or with a small internal hallway by the entrance of the ground floor flat (which would cut out corners of the two rooms and probably mean the bedroom goes at the front).

As I say these plans aren't what we'd put in the final planning app necessarily (we'd probably want to increase the loft room size and add a side return extension), we're just trying to get a simple non offensive version to give them at this stage to test the waters?

Thanks so much for any help you can give,

Dave

Untitled

• deshg
• 23 Jan 2012
• 1

Untitled

• deshg
• 23 Jan 2012
• 1

 

[OwainDIYer]

Planners may prefer entry to a lobby for the flat, although it isn't really a planning issue.

Building Control may require you to have a lobby to each flat, and are likely to object to your ground floor layout as there is no means of escape from the bedroom without going through both the kitchen and another room.

 

[deshg]

Thanks very much for your reply OwainDIYer, I thought as it was ground floor then the windows would be classed as an escape route as long as they open in the correct way? If not I can put a door in the bedroom out into the garden which could act as a fire escape route?

If it is true that building control would prefer a lobby then (obviously very generally speaking) are the planners likely to have a problem with adding a small lobby that cuts 2 corners out of two rooms and makes them less than perfectly shaped or is this generally acceptable as long as the rooms are generally large enough.

Thanks very much,

Dave

 

[OwainDIYer]

Garden as an exit is only acceptable if it gives onto the outside which it won't in a terrace, unless there is an adjacent vennel.

The planners will want to see that the rooms are usable, so you should indicate on the plans typical (minimal) furniture.

Eg for a bedroom you should show a single/double bed, a chest of drawers and a wardrobe. Kitchen should have sink/drainer, cooker, a cupboard and worktop.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Planners may prefer entry to a lobby for the flat, although it isn't really a planning issue.

Building Control may require you to have a lobby to each flat, and are likely to object to your ground floor layout as there is no means of escape from the bedroom without going through both the kitchen and another room.

No, Building Control will be happy with the layouts provided the escape windows and the spaces into which you can escape to comply. A very similar threads and relevant response here: //www.diynot.com/forums/building-regs-planning/part-b-question.308975/

The whole point of pre-planning in this case should be to assess whether they will find the application to convert a single dwelling into two acceptable or not. The finer points of the exact layout should concern you another day. Your local plan will provide valuable information as to what criteria they require.