Hi all,
We engaged an architect to draw up a rear kitchen extension on our 1930s semi, but because the original back wall was stepped (kitchen protrudes an extra 1m), and the dining room side (attached to neighbours) is more than half the width of the property (dining room 3.5m wide and kitchen 2.5m wide) we would need to apply for planning permission as it is classified as a "Rear and Side Extension" so not covered by permitted development... As we were going through planning permission anyway we decided to extend slightly further to 3.4m on the dining room side / 2.4m on the kitchen side.
We went through the planning permission process but the planning officer advised that he wouldn't allow a pitched roof and to limit the height of the flat roof to 2.5m (despite our attached neighbours being to our South and many other properties on the street having high pitched roof extensions...). At the time we didn't think much of this and the plans are now approved, but when talking to builders to get quotes we are realising that this means the ceiling height would only be 2.2m when accounting for the warm flat roof which will feel very low inside, not the airy open plan space we are planning!.
Our architect doesn't seem to be able/willing to provide a solution to this ceiling height issue, blaming it on the planning department.
I've gone back and read through the permitted development guidelines for stepped back walls (which are not very clear), but I don't really understand why we couldn't do this under PD which allow up to 4m height, and currently up to 6m rear extension with neighbour approval?
Thanks
We engaged an architect to draw up a rear kitchen extension on our 1930s semi, but because the original back wall was stepped (kitchen protrudes an extra 1m), and the dining room side (attached to neighbours) is more than half the width of the property (dining room 3.5m wide and kitchen 2.5m wide) we would need to apply for planning permission as it is classified as a "Rear and Side Extension" so not covered by permitted development... As we were going through planning permission anyway we decided to extend slightly further to 3.4m on the dining room side / 2.4m on the kitchen side.
We went through the planning permission process but the planning officer advised that he wouldn't allow a pitched roof and to limit the height of the flat roof to 2.5m (despite our attached neighbours being to our South and many other properties on the street having high pitched roof extensions...). At the time we didn't think much of this and the plans are now approved, but when talking to builders to get quotes we are realising that this means the ceiling height would only be 2.2m when accounting for the warm flat roof which will feel very low inside, not the airy open plan space we are planning!.
Our architect doesn't seem to be able/willing to provide a solution to this ceiling height issue, blaming it on the planning department.
I've gone back and read through the permitted development guidelines for stepped back walls (which are not very clear), but I don't really understand why we couldn't do this under PD which allow up to 4m height, and currently up to 6m rear extension with neighbour approval?
Thanks