New loft, existing dormers???

[MrBean1953]

Hi Im looking for a bit of advice after planning portal confusion.
When I bought my home 30 years ago, a loft existed with 2 front facing and 2 back dormers. I had to get a certificate from the council that it was lawful which I obtained. 30 years on, its not really looking too great inside and needs renovation. My wife wants to redo the loft with a rear dormer and I would like to know: can I keep my current front dormers as part of the conversion, or will I be ordered to remove the front dormers. Is there any way I can keep the existing front dormers. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Nakajo]

Why would you be ordered to remove your front dormers? Anyway, 30 years on, you're in the clear.

 

[MrBean1953]

I’m worried if I were to put a flat roof dormer at the rear councilwould only agree if I remove front dormers and replace with velux windows. One builder told me I probably have to remove them to build a flat roof at rear. I’m so confused, and portal mentions nothing about existing structures.
It’s a terraced house in Barnet. Both my Neighbour’s have a flat roof Rear dormer But they have front velux windows.

 

[DevilDamo]

The only time a trade off ‘could’ happen is if you were in the Green Belt as the majority of LPA’s permit certain uplift figures over the original dwelling. If you’re not in the GB, then the LPA cannot ask or make you remove the front dormers in order to make way for what I assume you are referring to a larger single rear dormer?

Btw, I assume the CoL you had obtained was based on the time the dormers had been there?

 

[MrBean1953]

The only time a trade off ‘could’ happen is if you were in the Green Belt as the majority of LPA’s permit certain uplift figures over the original dwelling. If you’re not in the GB, then the LPA cannot ask or make you remove the front dormers in order to make way for what I assume you are referring to a larger single rear dormer?

Btw, I assume the CoL you had obtained was based on the time the dormers had been there?

Hi,
Yes when we were buying the house We had to get it in order for the mortgage company to give us the mortgage.
I now would like to build a rear flat dormer that is the full width of the back rear of the property 6metres approx. so could I build that and keep the front dormers ? Does that fall under permitted development ? Will the existing Front dormers count as part of the 40cm3 volume allowance??

 

[DevilDamo]

As mentioned, unless you’re in the Green Belt, there isn’t anything the LPA can do in relation to the front dormers.

Technically, any roof extensions/additions that are not original would count towards you’re allowable cu.m uplift. You’d therefore have to calculate the cu.m of the existing front dormers and take that away from your allowance, which will dictate the size of the rear dormer. If you can’t get it under PD, you’ll have to apply for formal Planning.

 

[MrBean1953]

Thanks for the responses, sounds hopeful. Just to clarify as I’m clueless, I have to count the volume of my current dormers which were built 30years ago, as part of my building plans for new loft conversion allowance for permitted development??
I may have to apply for planning permission anyway as wife is nagging to try my luck with an L-shape dormer over the outcrop/outrigger on the first floor. But I’m hopeful that if that fails then I could apply for a rear flat dormer, and keep my front dormers......Fingers crossed

 

[DevilDamo]

I have to count the volume of my current dormers

Correct as they’re not original and were additions.

 

[^woody^]

Rear dormers are permitted development no need to apply for permission.

Even if permission was required it's not a case of "trying your luck", but a case of following the planning policies and the application must be approved.

 

[DevilDamo]

Rear dormers are permitted development no need to apply for permission.

Not if the allowance has already been used up elsewhere.

 

[^woody^]

Not if the allowance has already been used up elsewhere.

Do you think the OP is going to have three dormers on a rear roof?

 

[DevilDamo]

Don’t know where you plucked that information from. The OP mentioned about already having two front dormers. If for arguments sake the volume of those dormers equated to 40cu.m, then any rear dormer would require Planning.

Rear dormers are permitted development no need to apply for permission.

So the above statement is not strictly true.

 

[Nakajo]

Chunky dormers.