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Advice on extension plans
On my planning permission application, the architect did not draw internal ceiling height for the part that was extending an already previous extension (h=2565) and adding to the sides as well. All it says on the proposed elevation plan is “walls rendered to match existing”.
On the last revised plans from my architect, he put in 2300 on the side elevation page. On other pages he has stated “new walls tied into existing…”. This measurement of the new ceiling is in fact lower than the ceiling we are replacing and extending from.
Our builder who has started the foundations notified us of this. No one caught it earlier. We asked the architect- who said “it’s all good” and that matching the existing extension is within our right.
The structural drawings don’t have the internal height mentioned anywhere but from the front elevation which is 2565 (that is part of the double extension though).
This could have been simply rectified except the neighbours who have constantly objected to our build state that the on-the-scale drawing we have shown them in our PWA has the 2300 measurements and we must stick to it or they will notify the planning enforcement officer.
I’ve gone through the PWA and came across the following but don’t know if that helps,
• The drawings and other documents attached to or referred to in this Award are accepted in good faith and taken to accurately and properly show the details of the notified conferred building rights.
• This Award is not an approval of design works.
• Nothing in this Award shall be held as conferring, admitting or affecting any right
of light or air or any other easement whatsoever.
• For the purpose of the Construction [Design & Management] Regulations 2015, the surveyors have not approved any design.
• This Award and its Appendices are intended for the administration of the work under the terms of the Act only and, may not be relied upon by the cited parties or any other third-party entity, for any other purpose whatever.
My architect is coming on site tomorrow to meet the build team, but I would love some intel from this group, i.e.,
do we press on and let the neighbours call the council?
Will they side with us that we are only extending from the original height?
Do we have to follow the drawings exactly as submitted in the PWA even when it has nothing to do with the wall close to the neighbours or to the integrity of their structure?
Or- do we assume the worst and must think of other ways of salvaging the inside height, e.g., digging down internally to make the floor lower?
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7 Replies
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I’m not completely sure but generally internal walls are outside of planning and it seems clear that the intention was the exterior dimensions were to match height. Would be best to have the discussion and likely get the architect to speak to planning proactively before your neighbours start meddling as they could hold things up unnecessarily as planning may just confirm the basis of their approval was on the external.
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Thanks. That’s what we’re hoping. That it can be rectified. The neighbours watch the works everyday and even have cctv angled towards us. If I have to ask them permission before adding this external height I’m not going to get it. My only hope is council having no issue?
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I would call building control as they will be coming out to sign the works off… how would the neighbours know the final internal heights?
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You need to be careful. Looking at the plans it is not clear if it is just the single storey elements you are adding or the two storey central/other elements as well. But based on the side elevation it is clear that that internal head height within the flat roof element is lower than the head height in the main part of the existing house. If you follow through with the existing head height it looks highly likely that you will increase the overall height of the single storey flat roof elements in order to still get the roof structure required.
Planning permission is not a guide to what you are allowed to do, it is fixed and most Authorities will make architects remove the ‘do not scale’ statement from drawings for this reason.
If the external height increases as a result of matching internal heights you will need at least an amendment to your permission if not a new permission due to your neighbours. They are ultimately correct you have shown a dimension and that is what has been approved, but only in the single storey flat roof elements. Sorry
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yes I do think they are correct in pointing it out. I want to know what I can do now to fix this.
The external height of the new single story flat roof to match the existing one would need to be raised by 250mm. It should have been caught before.
However- the exact external height was never cited in the plans approved by the council! So can I still go ahead or submit another application?
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it’s actually against RIBA code of conduct and thier insurance to advise a client to proceed without full approvals in place
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How would you neighbours know the internal height? Planning as far as our build we’re not interested in internal wall heights. Neither are building regs. Saying that if you are concerned I would always reach out and have a conversation.
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