Permitted development rules for unusual property with front door at back

[steveinoz01]

Hi

My house faces away from the highway so my drive and front door are effectively at the back of the house (See image below). My back garden then faces onto the highway separated by a large hedge and fence . The front door of the house has always been at the back in relation to the highway. When I say 'highway' its actually a country lane.

The house is detached and has a large garden much bigger than the space occupied by the house and planned extension.

I plan to add a single storey rear extension to the back of the house (where the back door is, not the front door) which will go out by the permitted 8 metres from the original house under PD.

My questions are -
1) As the back of the house fronts onto the highway will this be a problem? The planning portal only mentions extensions to the front of the house facing the highway.
2) By extending the full 8 metres I will be about 5.5 metres from my boundary to the highway. I can't find any rules about how close a single storey rear extension can be to the property boundary.

Thanks

Steve

 

[^woody^]

It looks like the principle elevation is the one with your font door, so yes that will be a rear extension and PD will apply (if you have PD rights), and you can build up to 1m from the boundary.

Wait for other comments though before you start digging

 

[roboughton]

My local building control has a sections where you can ask about pre planning so it maybe a good idea to give them a call/email to clarify

 

[steveinoz01]

My planning department has an online pre planning advice service that allows you to submit enquiries. I did this and they replied saying they were too busy and hope to offer pre planning guidance from April onwards!! I am reasonably confident its a PD proposal but just wanted to check on here before I go to the expense of getting drawings done and then I can do the neighbour consultation application thing.

 

[endecotp]

//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/principal-elevation-challenged-for-a-40-year-old-shed.454287/

I wouldn't be confident without getting some advice from the council.

 

[steveinoz01]

So they could say the back of the house is the principal elevation as it nearest the road, that could be a big spanner in the works! The back of the house is 13 metres from the boundary with a further hedge of about 1 metre and the road can not be seen from the garden (or accessed as its too low) as it drops away as it passes our drive entrance. The front door has always been on the side of the house it is on now. Looks like I will have to risk the expense of drawings and see if we need to argue where the principal elevation is after it has been reviewed by the planners. What a pain!

 

[^woody^]

Facing a highway does not define the principle elevation. There are several other factors.

 

[roboughton]

So they could say the back of the house is the principal elevation as it nearest the road, that could be a big spanner in the works! The back of the house is 13 metres from the boundary with a further hedge of about 1 metre and the road can not be seen from the garden (or accessed as its too low) as it drops away as it passes our drive entrance. The front door has always been on the side of the house it is on now. Looks like I will have to risk the expense of drawings and see if we need to argue where the principal elevation is after it has been reviewed by the planners. What a pain!

I would give planning a call, the email you mentioned said April so hopefully they will be getting things in place with it nearly being April.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Facing a highway does not define the principle elevation. There are several other factors.

I think if this was my job I might be steering the client towards a LDC ..... If only to prevent some painful annoying letters further down the line from an overzealous LA.

 

[steveinoz01]

Very good point.... It was January when they told me I had to wait until April and I hadn't realised that much time had passed. I will give them a call.

Thanks.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

So they could say the back of the house is the principal elevation as it nearest the road, that could be a big spanner in the works! The back of the house is 13 metres from the boundary with a further hedge of about 1 metre and the road can not be seen from the garden (or accessed as its too low) as it drops away as it passes our drive entrance. The front door has always been on the side of the house it is on now. Looks like I will have to risk the expense of drawings and see if we need to argue where the principal elevation is after it has been reviewed by the planners. What a pain!

I would give planning a call, the email you mentioned said April so hopefully they will be getting things in place with it nearly being April.

I would bet woodys salary on the fact that a local authority will not be slightest bit interested in giving any meaningful advice without some reasonable information anyway.

 

[roboughton]

So they could say the back of the house is the principal elevation as it nearest the road, that could be a big spanner in the works! The back of the house is 13 metres from the boundary with a further hedge of about 1 metre and the road can not be seen from the garden (or accessed as its too low) as it drops away as it passes our drive entrance. The front door has always been on the side of the house it is on now. Looks like I will have to risk the expense of drawings and see if we need to argue where the principal elevation is after it has been reviewed by the planners. What a pain!

I would give planning a call, the email you mentioned said April so hopefully they will be getting things in place with it nearly being April.

I would bet woodys salary on the fact that a local authority will not be slightest bit interested in giving any meaningful advice without some reasonable information anyway.

Yep I am not saying it will be definitive but a pre planning application may sort him out. Can we split Woodys wage

 

[^woody^]

I would bet woodys salary

I'll see your bet and raise you Tony's collection of steel connection details on parchment.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

That's not fair, he only ever specifies one size of beam!

 

[^woody^]

If the back of the house is a bland elevation, then even if the front is bland too, the door and the fact that there is a private [front] driveway indicates that the front is the principle elevation. If the front has additional features, then it's a given.

If the back elevation is more detailed than the front, then it might be different.