Loft window - Clarification please

[Rad1o]

We are doing an extension - 1. floor above double garage with stairs into the loft which is fully insulated and boarded. The planning permission included loft windows to the back and side. The planning officer denied us velux windows on the front elevation at the time as no one else in the street had any.
We are now at ridge level and have fitted the roof lights to back and side.

I have read that we do not need planning permission if we want to fit isolated roof lights.
Anyway I went to the planning office today to get clear information. Apparently we are allowed to fit a roof light into the front roof on the existing house, BUT we will have to ask for planning permission for another 2 windows that we want to put into the part of the roof on the extension.

How bizzare is this? One roof light is o.k. and another in the same room on the same elevation needs planning permission.

Can anyone explain this to me please or send me some links.....

 

[^woody^]

Probably because the permission for the extension had conditions preventing the fitting of roof windows?

 

[Rad1o]

No such condition on planning permission.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Because you have to build the approved drawings. Why the confusion? If you wanted additional rooflights in the rear of the new roof you should have applied for them in the orig application or otherwise you'll have to apply now for an amendment.

 

[Rad1o]

We had roof lights approved to rear and side. The planning officer walked down our street and found that no other house had roof lights to the front and decided that she would refuse the application unless we removed the front windows - her words. So we removed the the front roof lights to get planning permission.
No the same officer says that the one in the existing house is o.k. but for the one in the extended roof section we need planning permission.

Is this mainly because we are still building?
Would this change, i.e. no planning application required, once the extension is finished and certified?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You can fit rooflights into an existing roof on the front elevation. You cannot insert rooflights into the front roof of an extension without planning permission.

Permitted Development rights only apply to the existing house/roof ie you cannot finish your build then wait a couple of months and then lawfully fit some windows in the front facing roof of the extension.

 

[^woody^]

We had roof lights approved to rear and side. The planning officer walked down our street and found that no other house had roof lights to the front and decided that she would refuse the application unless we removed the front windows - her words.

This is why you should never take everything a planner says as being correct. This was her own little power trip based on her own personal opinion, and not on the planning merits

Rooflights are insignificant in planning terms and that officer would not have been able to refuse an application because of them - it would fail on appeal.

Also it would not even be a valid condition if she tried that route

If you put your windows in now, then the council would not be able to do anything about it.

If you want to wait, then double up the rafters and trim the opening now before tiling. So that the window can just be slotted in later without any structural work

 

[Rad1o]

Thanks freddymercurystwin and woody,

This permitted development right business is not very logical to me. I have thought that this is the "dwelling", i.e. the house as it will be when finished, so that the extension inherits the PDRs of the house.
We have moved PV solar panels onto the roof of the extension assuming we had PDR to do so. Is this illegal now?????

I have asked the builder to double up rafters in order to put loft windows in already. I was going to get the house passed and then put the roof lights in to the front.
How much trouble could we get from the planning office if they came to check - which I doubt they will - now that I have stirred up the issue and was given the answer which I did not want to hear?

 

[tony1851]

How much trouble could we get from the planning office ?

In practice, very little. You would probably get an intimdating letter from the Planning department, threatening enforcement, but in practice they would not take action. Official guidelines to LPAs state that enforcement proceedings should not be initiated for minor or technical breaches where no harm has occurred.
You might, though, get a letter from Building Control.

 

[Rad1o]

How much trouble could we get from the planning office ?

.....
You might, though, get a letter from Building Control.

I was going to get BC to give their o.k and they have been involved in the double rafter decision already.
But what would the BCO letter say?

 

[jamesr36]

You can put rooflights in the original roof under permitted development (ie without planning permission) but the extension must be built as the approved plans.

I wouldn't put them in without permission if I were you as they are on the front and the planning officer is likely to notice during his visits around the area.

Also be very careful about asking the building inspector. He will say they are okay as he only looks at building regulations. This is a planning issue.

 

[tony1851]

But what would the BCO letter say?

Probably nothing too serious, it's just that a window is a controlled fitting undr Part L; as long as it's double-glazed, it would probably be OK.