dipz1110

Could we in theory add dormers under permitted development at a later date?

@Mr Punter that was our first option however as we are a row of bungalows, we wouldn't have had that approved.

We applied for planning permission for some significant improvements to our 1920s bungalow located in the South West under the jurisdiction of North Somerset Local Authority. Our proposal was to demolish an existing garage and shed along with an rear single storey extension and gable ended loft conversion. we have had a couple of iterations of plans of which were both approved without very many conditions. Our refused plans only contained one difference; which was the size of the rear dormer on the property. All else being the same bar a few cosmetic change re window sizes and materials which we were open to change. [Pictures below] The only reason stated for the refusal is as follows: "The proposed development, by reason of its height, scale, shape, form and design will result in an enlarged and top heavy roof, particularly by virtue of the rear dormer, that will be conspicuous and out of keeping with the existing property and it will be harmful to the street scene. This is contrary to policy CS12 of the North Somerset Core Strategy, policies DM32 and DM38 of the North Somerset Sites and Policies Plan (Part 1) and the North Somerset Residential Design Guide SPD (Section 2: Appearance and Character of house extensions and alterations)." The officers report further states the below: "It is noted that there are a few rear dormers along the street, but none of which (that are of a comparable scale to the proposed) were approved by North Somerset Council. Also, the presence of other dormers is not justification to continue a pattern of unacceptable design. The proposed dormer runs almost the entire length and height of the proposed roof and dominates the roof slope due to its width, height and depth. It is considered out of scale with the buildings’ proposed proportions, giving the building a top-heavy appearance. A dismissed appeal for a similar scheme can be found in Appendix A at the end of this report. Per the below images, the existing property is highly prominent from the adjacent road so the proposed dormer would be a visually intrusive feature in the street scene. The proposal would, therefore, conflict with the requirements on Policy DM38 of the Sites and Policies Plan and the guidance within the RDG2." Approved Elevations: Refused Elevations: We had a new planner appointed as the previous one left during the middle of the consultation period who made no attempt to communicate with our architect despite numerous attempts or give us the opportunity to revise/change the plans to something more acceptable. The decision notice also included in its appendix reference to an appeal at the same LA for a dismissed appeal under similar grounds. Is there any merit in appealing? Does anyone know the cost implications? Is this something that I could submit myself? Thank you in advance!

Hi Everyone, I've been searching the forums for opinions and solutions (of which you are all very knowledgeable) but I am yet to come across the specifics of what I am after. I have a 1920's detached bungalow on which I'm planning on doing some significant works to including a loft conversion. For the walls which will remain, i'd like to apply IWI but am unsure as to which method would be the best solution to avoid any future damp problems. I know that we do have a cavity, but it is small and doesn't have any insulation within. Am I able to put the insulation right up against the existing wall or do I need to leave a gap? Can I use PIR or do I need to use a mineral wool type insulation to avoid any condensation? Do I need to add a vapor control layer? Thanks for any advice!

So to answer your questions, we already have a large enough drive to park 3/4 cars at the front of the house. On the right hand side of the garage, to the rear of it, we have a second drive for garden access so no access issues. @Bozza yes this is a large extension and not a self build. Our current designer is trying to minimise costs of removing existing masonry structural walls hence is trying to keep as many of the existing walls as possible. I've attached the current floorplan on our bungalow for more context. Design brief was as follows: 1. Large open plan kitchen/dining room with doors leading out to the garden. 2. Snug/informal lounge area for kids. 3. Downstairs bedroom/home office 4. Disabled access bathroom. 5. Utility room. We're quite happy with the upstairs but happy for things to move if needed. Let me know if you need more clarification on anything. Thanks in advance!

Would it work better if we swapped the location of the stairs etc to the other side where the snug is?

Hi All, Have had the below plans approved by my local authority but we don't quite like the size of the utility room so that we can accommodate a sink and a decent run of units. Ideally, we'd like it to be larger. All of the rooms on the plan are what we require and are open to changing the layout completely if needed. Something to note is that the bathroom is a disabled access wet room and is something we need to keep. Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions!