Extension to 1920 house

[Sooboo]

Hello
I have put plans into local office for permission to make small one level extension which has been passed, but..... In the project I am moving a downstairs bathroom to upstairs (existing bedroom) and didn't really want a loo downstairs anymore. The local office paid a visit and said I need to put back in a loo downstairs as I have all the pipe work there also it must be disabled suitable. My house was built in 1920 I am only extending/rearranging this seems like I'm being totally dictated too! Any comments/advice would be most appreciated.
Thanks

 

[dann09]

Are you splitting the property into two units?

Is your house a somehow special case?
Do you have a special needs occupant?

Its usual nowadays that after the first phone call, you will receive a drive-by visit from BCO, prior to any planning or Regs. Did you have such a visit?

 

[Sooboo]

We're not splitting the house in two, it is a small terraced cottage. It is not a 'special' house with no special needs persons. He is saying that because we are doing away with the bathroom as it is at present ie downstairs, we have to put a loo in its place because the drains are there and make it for disabled usage. He's also said this,is not open to any appeal process!
Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

This has been debated before, but the gist of complying with Part M of the Building Regs is that you should not make an existing situation worse. Clearly removal of a downstairs bog is not making it better.

 

[ivixor]

Yes, this is part M of the building regs - if downstairs toilet was available previously, it needs to stay there. Sorry.

 

[tony1851]

Sooboo; as per the above, look at the top left of page 12 here;

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_AD_M_2013.pdf

(it says p14 on the bar at the top but it's actually p12 in the real-world doc.)

The specific case noted concerns removal of a downstairs wc.
(Pity you didn't post here before contacting Building Control )

 

[Sooboo]

Oh!what about the disabled side of things? Do we have to have door wide enough for wheelchair etc? Thanks again

 

[tony1851]

No. The point is that you musn't make the situation any worse than it is now, even if a person in a wheelchair coudn't get into the downstairs wc as it is.

 

[Sooboo]

Sorry Tony being really thick! Do you mean I MUST make the door wide enough and also the size of the new room large enough for a disabled person?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No the toilet must be no smaller than before. The clear opening when you go through the doorway must be no smaller etc. Technically!

 

[indus]

Thanks, a very informative thread. I never knew you weren't allowed to get rid of a downstairs loo. Though I'd personally always want a downstairs loo it does seem bizarre that the powers that be can dictate where you take a dump in your own house.