Possible future changes to rooms in roof layout

[Deejay_2]

Our Architect is in the process of preparing our plans for submission and its not proving easy which is why I'm seeking advice.  The plans show a cinema room and storage area in the roof of the main dwelling, with a full staircase to reach them.  My question is, if we obtain planning permission and then decide to change this space into two bedrooms, each with an ensuite, would we require a non material amendment.  I ask this as I have read that Planning are not interested in internal changes.  What we would like to do is install all the plumbing required for the ensuites and perhaps the stud walls for two bedrooms but go no further until they are required in the future.  Does the fact that the use will change to habitable rooms make a difference, although there will be no overlooking issues and no further windows will be required over and above those on the original submitted application form.  The development is not particularly low key, size wise, but we felt a 3 bedroomed house (with additional triple garage with granny flat over) might attract less objections than a five bedroomed house (ie "why do they want all those rooms).  I know there are no set NMA rules, but wondered whether anyone has had any experience of this.  

 

 

[nod]

You are as likely to get  a 5 bed passed as 3 You would be better designing it as a bed and adding bathrooms at a later date 

If have living accommodation over three floors You will need fire doors hallways and landing of each floor 

and means of escape If it’s storage 

You don’t even need proper stairs to the top floor 

It may say you time and money to get it all passed now 

 

Our next build is six bed 3 bath 

Our Architecht advised that this would move us up a C tax band 

So he simply labeled on bedroom as reading room 

We will also put pipe work under the floor should we decide to sell at a later date 

[Deejay_2]

Thank you.  I didn't know that about the Council Tax - thanks for that - I'll look it up.  Do you know, or does anyone else know, whether we would require an NMA  if we decide to put the framework and plumbing in after planning approval.  If I gather all the information I need, I can then make a decision about whether to just include the bedrooms now, ie before submission.

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, Deejay_2 said:

Our Architect is in the process of preparing our plans for submission and its not proving easy which is why I'm seeking advice.  The plans show a cinema room and storage area in the roof of the main dwelling, with a full staircase to reach them.  My question is, if we obtain planning permission and then decide to change this space into two bedrooms, each with an ensuite, would we require a non material amendment.  I ask this as I have read that Planning are not interested in internal changes.  What we would like to do is install all the plumbing required for the ensuites and perhaps the stud walls for two bedrooms but go no further until they are required in the future.  Does the fact that the use will change to habitable rooms make a difference, although there will be no overlooking issues and no further windows will be required over and above those on the original submitted application form.  The development is not particularly low key, size wise, but we felt a 3 bedroomed house (with additional triple garage with granny flat over) might attract less objections than a five bedroomed house (ie "why do they want all those rooms).  I know there are no set NMA rules, but wondered whether anyone has had any experience of this.  

 

 

 

Planning are mainly interested in your impact on others. In this case it might be wortha  chat with planning if you are confident in the "no overlooking".

 

"Why do they want all those rooms" would not be a relevant objection, so they would have to be more creative. For planning it might require an extra parking space to go from 4 to 5.

[Deejay_2]

Sorry to be so persistent.  When the architect and myself discussed removal of the two roof bedrooms from our plans, the main dwelling was considerably nearer to our one neighbour who I felt might "feel they were affected" in some way and who would then more than likely lodge an objection.  Altho I gave the architect plans of what we were looking for at our first meeting, I was aware that these would probably change due to the 25 degree rule re loss of daylight/sunlight on said neighbours.  In fact, to obey this rule, all the buildings have moved along the site away from the neighbours by 4.5 m so the main dwelling is 4.5 m extra distance from said neighbour, which is why I'm re-considering our decision to remove the bedrooms.  However, I feel Planning may ask us to reduce the triple garage which will then bring the main house back closer to the neighbour.  My architect is retired and we are both in our 70's I think and somehow our communication channels are not too good.  His plans are excellent and I also get a 3D image.  I don't want to keep messing him around and would like to be certain of the best thing to do before asking him to change the plans again.  I know others take objections more lightly but I'd like to avoid them if possible, and don't mind taking the longer route (ie NMA) if it avoids friction.  We don't socialise with our neighbour but do rub along nicely which is important as we live on a private road (ours) and have joint interest in things like parking and sewers.   Anyway, the question is - would I need a NMA to change the cinema room and storage space in the roof to 2 bedrooms a) because they become habitable rooms   b) as stated in previous post, safety aspects like fire doors and door opening sizes.  Any help would be appreciated.

[SuperPav]

You can label those rooms as whatever you want on the planning application. Change of the rooms at a later date would be a building regulations issue (fire escape etc.) and not a planning issue.  

 

From a planning point of view there is no change of use of the dwelling/site/property and there is no change to the exterior.

 

Now, if you need to make changes (e.g. new openings or windows) in order to meet the building regs, then yes planning may come into it.

 

Just treat them as bedrooms from the outset so you then don't need to run new fire alarms, change all the doors etc. etc. when you eventually decide you want them as bedrooms. 

[Temp]

The only issue I can see is with the VAT reclaim. I would make sure it is consistent with what you get approved rather than what you build. Otherwise see...

  

 

[Deejay_2]

Wow - the post about the VAT reclaim is very enlightening.  It would seem to make sense to omit a rooflight on our first submission if we decide to keep the top floor as a cinema room and a storage room and then change to bedrooms later.  After approval, we would then seek an NMA to change the two rooms to bedrooms with one shared bathroom, which course of action we would have ensured requires a further rooflight - without the extra rooflight, planning would say they were not interested in internal changes and would not grant an NMA.  Am I correct in this.  Better to stand the cost of the NMA than risk being rejected by HMRC. Very useful information - thank you.