Front Dormer

TheProfessional

I have come across this house and it got me thinking. On a street with no other front dormers, I thought this was an automatic no?

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property/107069702

Slithery

TheProfessional said:

On a street with no other front dormers, I thought this was an automatic no?

What on earth gave you that idea?

TheProfessional

Our last house we were going to get a loft conversion (but then moved) and the loft guy shook his head when I raised it as a possibility!

hazyjo

TheProfessional said:

I have come across this house and it got me thinking. On a street with no other front dormers, I thought this was an automatic no?

I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property/107069702

But someone surely has to have been first? So even that would go against your presumption?

I viewed this once many moons ago. Was reminded of it from your post. Just really wasn't sure how much I could 'undo'! !!!!!!/fguvV

scottishblondie

Often “random” front dormers were done in the past when planning wasn’t so strict or well enforced. There are a number of properties in our area where there is one house on the street with a front dormer added in the 60s or 70s where more recent applications have been denied.  Some are incredibly ugly and out of keeping with the property.  It’s hard to say from the listing photos when it was added, but if it was recent then it’s easy enough to check for permissions. 

user1977

scottishblondie said:

 It’s hard to say from the listing photos when it was added, but if it was recent then it’s easy enough to check for permissions. 

It's been there for at least 12 years according to Street View. Nothing relevant in the planning history but well out of time for enforcement anyway. 

musehead

Around the area I'm looking is mostly terrace houses with no front dormer. But you do occasionally see random ones. They must have been added when planning rules were less strict as scottishblondie says above. Having read quite a lot of recently planning application reports, they are very concerned these days about whether extensions can be seen from the street, and if they are in keeping with the original look of the property and street. I've not seen any front dormer applications but I'd expect them to be declined.

AdrianC

Never mind how current planning decisions may or may not work... How long since that dormer was done?
Streetview shows it there in 2009, although it did get a cosmetic tart-up between 2014 and 2018.

A quick look at the planning history of that property shows change of use from a shop to a house was granted in 1993, then changing the front elevation to make it look more like a house in 2003. Neither of those apps have any elevation drawings with them, though. Is it possible that a shop would have required more use of the loft space for accommodation than the houses either side? Absolutely...

TheProfessional

Interesting points! Yes must have been there a while then. I wonder once you have one on the street it would make others easier