Problems with Planning Department

[Tintin1929]

Problems with Planning Department

Hi all,

Hoping someone can provide some advice and guidance.

We currently have a detached home with an attached garage (Please see pictures). Above the garage is a bedroom but the eaves in it make it almost uninhabitable. So we've put in planning permission to build this room to a full height (like the others) which means the roof will match the existing roofline.

Planning have come back and said we are not allowed to match the existing roof height! They want it stepped down by a meter. The reason given is:

Currently the proposed development is considered by virtue of its scale, design, appearance of bulk and impact on neighbour amenity, to create a visually intrusive and dominant form of development within the street scene.

None of the neighbours have a problem with it and are willing to sign a letter/petition to say so. Furthermore, everyone agrees that it would look better if the roofline were matched to the existing height.

Am I going crazy here? Can someone please offer up their opinion and better still, can someone please chime in with some help as to how we can fight this?

Thanks

 

[Nakajo]

That's planners for you. I think you'd have a fighting chance of winning this on appeal so, if you can afford to wait, that's what I'd do.

 

[Tintin1929]

Thanks for the advice. Just don't understand their reasoning, they are being really bullish as well and being very aggressive with timescales.
If anyone else has some advice or thoughts about this I would really appreciate it

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You will more than likely find in the Local Plan guidance that it will say side extensions should be subservient to the existing dwelling which typically means the front wall is stepped back and the roof lower so they are following their own guidance. And your designer should have warned you that they would likely take this stance. So if he didn’t get a refund. Was the bedroom not like that when you bought the house?

 

[Nakajo]

Looks fine to me...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Actually I'd say that looks worse. I can understand their stance even more.

 

[Tintin1929]

Thanks for doing that mock-up Nakajo! I think it looks great!

freddiemercurystwin - thanks for the input, the designer did say it was a possibility and yes, the house was already that shape when we bought it. The houses to the left were built some time after this one. The reason for the shape of the roof as it is was because Planners kicked up a fuss at the time of initial application (again, because they felt it would look better ). Not sure it would look all that great with the roof height being lowered by 1 meter on one side of the house, especially if you consider that the pitch will not be the same as the existing roof pitch. Plus, it causes extra maintenance issues in the future for me as it will need flashing to adjoin to the house (which we already have thanks to the existing roof design, that requires maintenance every few years) . Having one straight roof just makes more sense to me.

 

[tony1851]

To set the proposed (raised) ridge down 1m from the existing ridge would mean the front at first floor level would be set back considerably from the main frontage - if the roof slopes were to be the same - which they should, otherwise it would look naff.
I doubt they will stipulate a 1m difference in ridge height in their policy guidelines, probably just that the extension ridge should be 'lower'
than the main ridge. You need to consider an appeal.

 

[^woody^]

What does the council's supplementary planning guidance for home extensions say?

 

[chappers]

Thanks for doing that mock-up Nakajo! I think it looks great!

freddiemercurystwin - thanks for the input, the designer did say it was a possibility and yes, the house was already that shape when we bought it. The houses to the left were built some time after this one. The reason for the shape of the roof as it is was because Planners kicked up a fuss at the time of initial application (again, because they felt it would look better ). Not sure it would look all that great with the roof height being lowered by 1 meter on one side of the house, especially if you consider that the pitch will not be the same as the existing roof pitch. Plus, it causes extra maintenance issues in the future for me as it will need flashing to adjoin to the house (which we already have thanks to the existing roof design, that requires maintenance every few years) . Having one straight roof just makes more sense to me.

As Nakajo says that's planners for you, sticking their two penneth in, wanting twee little features such as dormers and the like on what is essentially going to be a bog std run of the mill estate house(no offence meant).

 

[John D v2.0]

Well to be honest it does turn it into a boring box, but planning control is to balance the need for development against the need to keep a good external environment.
Being honest you need to get hold of all the development plans and supplementary planning documents for your local authority and have a read.
Unfortunately for you, pretty much your situation is mentioned specifically in most.
However you can always offer to raise the main ridge as well, as they can consider to accept that unless it's a row of identical houses. See if they put in a condition saying you can't raise the lower roof until the higher roof is complete

 

[^woody^]

TBH, you should get a better designer.

One that knows the local planning policies, and can design an extension that meets them, is subservient, and gives you a ceiling that is as high as the main house.

It wont be a problem with that house style

 

[chappers]

TBH, you should get a better designer.

One that knows the local planning policies, and can design an extension that meets them, is subservient, and gives you a ceiling that is as high as the main house.

It wont be a problem with that house style

very true, move the front wall of the new room back and re pitch the roof off of that after all they are currently only two boxy dormers, whilst the absolute dimensions will be smaller you will still have more usable space