I see what you mean. I disagree that it will look wrong, I think it's difficult to make it look right. It has to sit well with the rest of the house and that's the hard part. Your current window colour makes things the hardest. To put brown windows in the orangery just won't look nice. Any grey tone would look nice, but then the windows need to match everywhere really. A lovely tasteful shaped orangery in white always looks great, but again, all your windows and doors need to match. I'd extend the patio to, wrapping it around the Orangery and making that the feature point of the rear of the house. I know this is 'grand plans', but hopefully you'll see what i mean.

Hi Daniel, The bearing of your property should not inhibit your ability to have a green roof, generally it just requires different varieties of plants which can thrive in shade to be used. I have no expertise in the type of plants which can be used but a good green roof supplier will be able to advise you on this. There are a couple of other things to also consider. Firstly the thickness of the roof will be thicker than conventional roofs and the structure will likely need to be bolstered to accommodate the additional load of this. Secondly consider the access and maintenance of the roof. Visually, green roofs can be a great design addition when done well, and can really enhance the thermal performance of your property helping it to retain heat in the winter and keep cool in summer. Hope this helps.

I think a flat roof with a terrace above would be amazing! Flat room materials have really moved on and such good quality now. Or you could do a flat roof with skylight or roof lanterns which will give lots of light. My sister has done this. Her extension is flat roofed and it looks really smart. Also I think if the extension is no higher than 2.5m it can come under permitted development? There are other criteria but your local council planning portal should have all the info you need. Pitched roofs would be more expensive. My garage cost £15,000 but with a pitched roof and tiles it would have been nearer £25,000 and I would have needed planning permission. Here’s some ideas for you

I agree with all the advice above and would add, when you have the plans, consider going to see your neighbours in person, (especially the one which will be most affected). Do this before the plans are submitted, or if you have a diplomatic architect, ask them to speak to your neighbours to just talk them through what you plan to do. It usually goes down better than the planning consultation letter just landing on their laps. If they ask, don't feel you have to agree to any concessions there and then, tell them that you don't have any expertise but "of course you can discuss it with your architect". Leave the architect to handle anything contentious as you want to remain on good terms with your neighbour and the architect won't have anything to loose as they don't have to live next door to them. When it comes to the building work, ensure that there is excellent insulation in the roof. There are now super thin insulations that are effective (if you need it to be thin) but go for more than the regs require. Also ensure that the roofing is done superbly, good flashing details, adequate falls etc as this is what lets down roof terraces. Ensure that there is power, water (power safely near the water for irrigation if that is what you are going to have) and if you need it check your internet signal and provide a booster (perhaps in the hall) if it is not good enough. This summer has shown that outside workspace can be a real benefit. When it comes to the finish material, consider Millboard (https://millboard.co.uk/samples) I used the 'enhanced grain' finish. I have used it on three jobs and I am very happy with this relatively lightweight, low maintenance, good quality (not cheap) product. Ensure that there is access to inspect the roof should you need to and clear leaves (it is amazing how many will find their way in-between even tiny gaps) You will probably need less light than you might think (consider your contribution to light pollution). Consider if you can have solar powered lights and water capture for watering plants and avoid outdoor speakers as these really will annoy your neighbours. I love roof terraces as they are usable for so much of the year, often warmer than a lower garden in the winter. Good luck with it. Regina.