Will we get planning permission for this rear/side extension?

2 months ago

We are in the process of buying an end of terrace house in Oxford, UK.

We would like to remodel the interior (moving staircase and bedrooms around), create a dormer/loft conversion and create a two floor extension to the rear, whilst altering the pitch of the first floor roof.

The property is quite narrow, but has side access, so we wondered about the possibility of taking the rear extension sideways to utilise the full width of the garden. This would cut off the alleyway to the side of the building in the garden (not visible from street).

The rear and side components of this extension seem to both come under permitted development separately (as a rear extension and side extension added on), but we are concerned that applying for permission in one go might complicate things.

Does anyone have any idea about the likelihood that this proposed extension would get past planning? We're particularly concerned that blocking the side access might work against us.

Any advice would be extremely helpful. We're hoping to find an architect/ design build contractor to get things underway asap. Cheers! Sarah

Featured Answer

Anna G

2 months ago

I read up on planning rules 5 years ago and pretty sure this was England wide: must be at least 2m from neighbouring building or 1m from boundary. Assuming that still stands, you have to step in the part of the proposed extension nearest the main house. I've got an 80cm path which is tight but adequate and am relieved we kept a path in the end. If you lose rear access, consider windows that are easy to clean from inside for the upper floors.

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Comments (9)

Isla Cherry
2 months ago
Blocking the side access is painful. Any garden work will now have to be routed through the house unless you have a rear gate. I would extend to the side but keep a metre wide pathway just for access. We had an edwardian semi-detached in Winchester and that's what we did as advised by our Architect. Good idea to find a talented professional as they will bring expertise and ideas that you had never imagined. Looks like a great project.
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HU-215933427 thanked Isla Cherry
HU-215933427
Original Author
2 months ago
Thanks for your reply Isla, it's always great to hear what other people have done.

I should have included that we would still have a back door providing access to the alleyway, ideally with a small reception porch type area as a buffer, so we would still have access to the alleyway. The alleyway itself is only 130cm which would make a huge difference to the feel of the rear extension.
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It looks like you'll gain lots of space, so definitely worth playing around with plans to make use of it. I don't know how many of you live in the house or how you use your living space, but here's a few thoughts... - a utility is always worth it - no one will use a downstairs bath or shower if there's no bedroom down there, but a downstairs loo is really valuable -if a few people are sharing the upstairs bathroom, one door off a hallway is more practical and easier in terms of privacy -if you can get a small double into the third bedroom, do. Extra space for guests is always a good thing -some separate, quiet living space is always a bonus in an open-plan house. You might not get a full separate room, but dividing some of the space with a half wall will help. Or you could use an open bookcase as a divider. - storage is key in an open plan space. No point in having lots of floor space if it's cluttered with stuff, so include lots of big built in storage. I didn't really use measurements in this sketch, so I hope it's not way off...
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A family member has bought a house with a similar original layout that had been extended upstairs with a car port underneath with access to the garage. It works but the house is quite unbalanced and downstairs feels cramped so they are now looking to extend to rear to extend kitchen which will give them similar to what you are planning. Not what I would have done but they wanted to live in a particular village. I think extending is so expensive and risky at the moment that I would seriously consider if moving is an easier and cheaper way to achieve what you need.
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Thanks for explaining that. Yes, depending on your budget, you could move the stairs to a more central location within the home such as where your boiler and Utility are now. This will allow a nicely sized front hallway and a square off the living room. You can then re work the back space of the house to include a bigger kitchen dining space and a new utility space, with a larger downstairs WC and possibly even a downstairs working space. Upstairs can also be re-configured to house 3 or 4 bedrooms especially if you go into the loft. The best place to start would be to discuss with a local architect who knows the local planning team and then get an interior designer to help with flow and layout decisions.
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Isla Cherry
2 months ago
You are definitely on the right track. It might be worth a chat with a planning consultant to find out what is possible. Pity you are in Oxford as I know a great one in Bristol.
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Sarah L
2 months ago
Best thing to do is speak to the local planning department first to get an understanding of what does and doesn't need planning permission for what you are proposing. The are usually happy to help before submitting a formal planning application.
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Amico
last month
last modified: last month
We’d love to assist you with the planning and design process.

Our company, Amico Design, offers services across most of the UK, including Oxford, and can help you design, obtain approvals, and ensure compliance with regulations for your proposed extension.

Feel free to contact us for a consultation and explore how we can bring your vision to life.
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tim_baker921
last month
First floor extension will be outwith permitted developement. Planning aside think about your neighbours. How are you going to build this without their cooperation. Definitely keep rear access.
Jonathan
last month
Because you are looking to do a loft as well as build out this gets quite big and may be beyond permitted development. Given that even with permitted development the local authority can consult neighbours and right to light may come into play I think that you should be getting professional advice. In my experience the local authority planning department varies from one area to the next, so you may be lucky and get good advice, most likely they will be vague and useless. I think you should set up a consultation with a local architect for an opinion on local policy and a guide to cost of nearly doubling the size of this house.

Separately I agree with other comments that you should keep the side access or accept complications with the neighbours and the window cleaners ladder going through your kitchen once a month.
Isla Cherry
last month
last modified: last month
I know a great planning consultant, he's invaluable based in Bristol so it depends where you are. Speak to a good one first before getting the council involved. We used their (councils) pre-planning once and it was absolute garbage for a large fee. You don't want to be barrowing topsoil through your house either by losing the side access.
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Will we get planning permission for this rear/side extension?

Anna G

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Isla Cherry

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Will we get planning permission for this rear/side extension?

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