dormer and party wall notice

[10phil79]

Hi

We're in the process of gathering quotes for our loft conversion and I am now working on the party wall notice I intend to serve on my neighbour. i'm not anticipating problems as he seemed fine with the proposals when we spoke earlier. However, i want to get the wording correct.

I will obviously include a line to cover the 3 steel beams and pads stones that are required, but do I also need to include a line regarding building off the existing party wall?

to explain- the rear dormer will be full width and built in timber off my half of the existing block-work party wall. Would this constitute raising the hight of the party structure? Or, should it be worded in another way?

Thanks in advance
Phil

 

[peca27]

Out of interest OP....

Have you got planning approval or a PD certificate of lawfulness for this full width rear facing dormer? I presume you have a semi + your building off your leaf of the party wall + the the inner leaf of the gable external wall on the other side?

Have you got Building Regs approval or are you doing it thru a Building Notice?

 

[10phil79]

you're correct - it is a semi and we are building off our leaf of the party wall and the inner leaf around the rear of the property.

We have submitted a full application to building control - now all approved. TBH - having found a really good architect technician (who employed the services of a structural engineer) it was far far easier than I would imagine the building notice process to be - especially as I will be doing some of the work myself and don't have a good knowledge of the regs.

With regards to planning - this work is within PD. I had an informal visit from the planning department which was useful. They have since written and recited the PD rules and suggested I apply for a certificate of lawful development. I am not sure whether it is worth it, unless anyone can suggest why??

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You do not need a Lawful Development Certificate, they encoutage people so that they (the LA) can make a bit of cash. Occasionally a contentious extension or similar that is in a grey area can make buyers/surveyors/solicitors nervous and then a Certificate can be useful.

 

[peca27]

My advice is, for the sake of £75, get a Cert. of Lawfulness. It's clears all grey areas both for now + in the future.

You Planning Dept. have written to you quoting the standard PD dormer rules + regs. But I have come across a case up here in West Yorks of been given the all the clear, no Cert. obtained, building a full width dormer + now Planning Enforcement causing a stoppage of works wanting a smaller dormer (despite meeting volume, 200mm eaves + below ridge guidlines).

An 'informal' visit from a Planning Officer doesn't constitute anything legally as far as I'm concerned, have you got it in black + white? There's no point saying 'but he said it's be ok!'......get that confirmation.

I take you have the dwg's all done, therefore get them submitted + the £75 fee and take away that worry.

In my humble opinion anyway.

The Building Control is a non-issue, any competant Technician should have got that approval with ease tbh. It's the Planning a client should be concerned with.

 

[10phil79]

Occasionally a contentious extension or similar that is in a grey area can make buyers/surveyors/solicitors nervous and then a Certificate can be useful.

we live in an estate full of dormer bungalows so would be amazed if anyone objected or had reason to be funny about things

peca27 - i hear what you say and agree on the informal visit...

Does anyone have advice regarding my original post?