What do you think of these plans?

[indus]

I'd really appreciate some feedback from you guys on this.

Basically earlier on this year I had plans approved for a single and part double storey side extension. The double storey portion was staggered back quite a bit to prevent any 'amenity loss' for my neighbour. I did this off my own back and was not prompted to by planners.

But then I thought I'd give it a go and have reapplied for plans where the double storey isn't staggered back anymore than the ground floor. My biggest concern with the approved plans was that the whole thing could end up looking like a dogs dinner and ruin my property, especially the roof lines.

Anyway, feedback from the council is that they are not happy with the new proposed plans and will not be supporting its approval. Therefore I am back to the original approved plans. Below are pics of the existing and approved plans. For completionI have included pics of the proposed plans even though these will NOT be approved.


My question is this, do the approved plans look ok from an aesthetic point of view or will it end up looking like a mess?

Many thanks for looking
Existing front



Existing and approved
]

Proposed

 

[indus]

Existing side




Approved side





Proposed side




Rear approved and existing

 

[^woody^]

Did you draw these yourself or are they a pro's work?

 

[indus]

Done by a pro, not me. Though I did 'interfere' a lot

Why, is there something wrong with them?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Can you just post a drawing showing the existing and a drawing showing the approved ones, then post them in your album so they're not humongous. pointless including new proposed ones in this thread.

Also do you have roof plans?

The expression lipstick on a pig comes to mind!

BTW with regards to your current application, unless this has been exhausted already, your agent should be pursuing the planners at this stage to try and see if a happy medium can be reached.

 

[^woody^]

OK here goes, just my opinion mind.

They look amateurish. Too much hatching (bricks, roof lines, render etc). Drawn to look pretty without really conveying the design intent and relationship of new to existing. They basically look too busy and confusing - which can hinder a planners decision

As for the actual design, well there is an awful lot going on there. I'd be concerned with buildability and any future maintenance of all those roof connections. Lots of random windows, random materials, random everything really. Nothing fluid or in harmony with each other, and nothing seems to align

It may well be that there was no other alternative to get the space you want, but it looks to me like a load of random extensions put together in a mish-mash. Over developed

But the actual drawing style makes things look a lot worse - not very pleasing on the eye at all

You did ask

 

[indus]

Can you just post a drawing showing the existing and a drawing showing the approved ones, then post them in your album so they're not humongous. pointless including new proposed ones in this thread.

Also do you have roof plans?

The expression lipstick on a pig comes to mind!

BTW with regards to your current application, unless this has been exhausted already, your agent should be pursuing the planners at this stage to try and see if a happy medium can be reached.

)The proposed ones were just there to show how I would have liked it to look ie how it would have looked best imho.

2)I've posted the pics here as on most forums that is preferred so people don't have the hassle of having to click further.

3) I'm liasing with the local planners. Their feedback was that the approved plans were as far as the double storey element should go forward. Despite this I will be sending them a revised drawing that as you say might be acceptable as a 'happy medium'

(I will post some pics of that as well as they have just pinged through on my email)

4) I hope I've misunderstood your use of the phrase 'lipstick on a pig'

That would imply my existing house is a 'pig' and I can assure you it's not

 

[noseall]

Has the existing property already had the b'jesus extended out of it already!?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You can add the jpgs to an album in your profile then post the DIYnot codes for them and they'll appear nice and small like with the option of being able to expand them. No need to link to anopther website at all.

woodbreath does highlight that whoever has done your drawings has not done you any favours. They may be accurate but they ain't pretty.

Do you prefer the expression 'you can't polish a turd' instead?

/don't be offended just a little banter.

 

[indus]

OK here goes, just my opinion mind.

They look amateurish. Too much hatching (bricks, roof lines, render etc). Drawn to look pretty without really conveying the design intent and relationship of new to existing. They basically look too busy and confusing - which can hinder a planners decision

As for the actual design, well there is an awful lot going on there. I'd be concerned with buildability and any future maintenance of all those roof connections. Lots of random windows, random materials, random everything really. Nothing fluid or in harmony with each other, and nothing seems to align

It may well be that there was no other alternative to get the space you want, but it looks to me like a load of random extensions put together in a mish-mash. Over developed

But the actual drawing style makes things look a lot worse - not very pleasing on the eye at all

You did ask

Thanks Woody.

As you say it looks to some extent more 'random' than it actually is. The materials will of course all be matching ie bricks, render, windows etc, you just need to ignore some of the random hatchings etc

I am concerned by the same things that you have pointed out ie the lack of flow and harmony with relation to the existing house. This has come about because I didn't think I'd get permission for what I'd really like to do, and that has been borne out by the feedback from planners.

If I could have had the ground and second floor at the same level then the side extension would have looked far more natural.

And my fear is that, as you point out, it will end up looking like a bunch of random extensions.

 

[indus]

Has the existing property already had the b'jesus extended out of it already!?

No.

The only non original part of the house is the small single storey rear extension you see and the dormer

 

[indus]

You can add the jpgs to an album in your profile then post the DIYnot codes for them and they'll appear nice and small like with the option of being able to expand them. No need to link to anopther website at all.

woodbreath does highlight that whoever has done your drawings has not done you any favours. They may be accurate but they ain't pretty.

Do you prefer the expression 'you can't polish a turd' instead?

/don't be offended just a little banter.

Ok. Well I am where I am now with the drawings and accept they aren't the best. But looking past the quality of the drawings what do you think about the actual finished project if I were to build it?

Don't mind banter by the way

 

[noseall]

The existing rear elevation looks odd especially with that hipped roof bisecting that awful dormer.

I guess you can't make it look much worse.

I think the planners make a rod for their own back by relaxing planning on dormers.

Ho hum.

 

[indus]

The existing rear elevation looks odd especially with that hipped roof bisecting that awful dormer.

I guess you can't make it look much worse.

I think the planners make a rod for their own back by relaxing planning on dormers.

Ho hum.

The rear elevation is like that. It's a period Edwardian house so there is nothing actually 'odd' in the existing design. The dormer though large doesn't look like that in real life. I've given it a sloped rather than flat roof and the windows match the original Edwardian windows in the remainder of the property.

 

[^woody^]

If that is an Edwardian house, then the extensions do not look very Edwardian, or is that just the way the drawings make them look?