House Extension - Planning Permission Questions

Bishop22

Similar questions have surely been asked before regarding Planning Permission, I've looked around but cannot find the exact advice so please bear with us.


We are looking to extend our home, the kitchen are in particular to add Utility Room space, move a downstairs loo and to change the back door, as it stands you walk straight into the kitchen from outside which is a disaster for draughts and dirt. Site is approx .6 acre, we live in the country so alright generally for space. We have neighbours but they are a good distance away each side.

Aware 40sq mtrs is allowed without Planning. So specifically our questions are:

Q1. In reference to 'the rear of the house' - is there an issue if some of the extention extended to the side of the existing house? Most would be to the rear but I dont want to fall foul of the rules.

Q2. We have a septic tank in the back garden. I was aware of the regulations of keeping this x distance from the original house when we built it. What happens now when the extention encroaches on this space, which it definitely will.

Q3. We built a small garage approx five years ago in the back garden, it was constructed within the space requirements so didn't need planning. Used for keeping lawnmowers, paint, solid fuel and all that junk that doesn't need to be kept in the house. For the purposes here lets say its 25 sqm. Do we need to subtract this 25 sqm from the allowable 40 sqm which leaves us with only 15 sqm for the house extention? Or am I totally reading this wrong?

Q4. We might open a new window on a wall in the existing kitchen area, this would be to the side of the house, ground floor and facing the neighbours house. What are the implications of doing this? We would of course talk this over with the neighbours before making any plans/changes. They are great friends and thats the way we want it to remain.

Very early in this house entending process, so just trying to understand what we can do without having to go through the Planning Permission process. Don't want to scrimp on the space either so if we need planning that's what will be done. Appreciate all advice thats based on experience/knowledge.

Many thanks !

BryanF

If it's to the side you need planning

As part of your planning application you will be required to have an eng sign off on the septic tank. Allow a few grand for this

Separate

Assuming its a meter from the boundary and the neighbours are ok about it, you'll should be ok

Gumbo

Bishop22 wrote: »

Similar questions have surely been asked before regarding Planning Permission, I've looked around but cannot find the exact advice so please bear with us.


We are looking to extend our home, the kitchen are in particular to add Utility Room space, move a downstairs loo and to change the back door, as it stands you walk straight into the kitchen from outside which is a disaster for draughts and dirt. Site is approx .6 acre, we live in the country so alright generally for space. We have neighbours but they are a good distance away each side.

Aware 40sq mtrs is allowed without Planning. So specifically our questions are:

Q1. In reference to 'the rear of the house' - is there an issue if some of the extention extended to the side of the existing house? Most would be to the rear but I dont want to fall foul of the rules.

Q2. We have a septic tank in the back garden. I was aware of the regulations of keeping this x distance from the original house when we built it. What happens now when the extention encroaches on this space, which it definitely will.

Q3. We built a small garage approx five years ago in the back garden, it was constructed within the space requirements so didn't need planning. Used for keeping lawnmowers, paint, solid fuel and all that junk that doesn't need to be kept in the house. For the purposes here lets say its 25 sqm. Do we need to subtract this 25 sqm from the allowable 40 sqm which leaves us with only 15 sqm for the house extention? Or am I totally reading this wrong?

Q4. We might open a new window on a wall in the existing kitchen area, this would be to the side of the house, ground floor and facing the neighbours house. What are the implications of doing this? We would of course talk this over with the neighbours before making any plans/changes. They are great friends and thats the way we want it to remain.

Very early in this house entending process, so just trying to understand what we can do without having to go through the Planning Permission process. Don't want to scrimp on the space either so if we need planning that's what will be done. Appreciate all advice thats based on experience/knowledge.

Many thanks !

Q1 : Any extending to the side requires full planning permission.

Q2 : You need an engineer to certify that the tank can work or indeed, design how it can be moved or replaced with a better system. If you must keep X meters from the tank, then you must keep it, full stop.

Q3 : No, the shed is a separate entity, its max allowance is 25 Sq. M, your extension cans till be 40 Sq. M providing you meet the other criteria including 25 Sq. m of garden space remaining.

Q4 : You need to keep it a minimum of 1000mm from the boundary wall at the side.

Bishop22

Good clear advice BryanF and kceire, thank you both.

Sounds like we are definitely going to be snookered with the septic tank so. Extending to the rear of the property is definitely going to eat into the minimum distance as we only just about made it to the regulations on the initial build. We have a deep water well down the front of the site so the septic tank was kept well clear in the rear garden. There wasn't a condition in the planning to build the house in line with the neighbours house next door but I thought we'd keep in line to keep everything in check. Even on nearly .7 acre that put us tight on the tank and percolation. Can never have enough land I suppose.

We registered the tank in time for Mr Hogan. If we were changing the tank, does anyone know what the specifications are as regards the newer waste water treatement systems clearance/dimensions/percolation area etc? That might be costly but may resolve the existing space issue, and it may be more positive for the environment (despite the existing system functioning without any obvious glitches).

Thanks again.

rayjdav

Throw it open to you that before you go down the road on this, have another look at the house/site and where best an extension may fit. It may not be where you plan now, taking sun, tank as you said, neighbours etc into consideration.

Many times I have met people and being told "we want to extend here with this plan" and after a chat, "they decide";) that maybe the original idea was not the best option.

A fresh pair of eyes to the project can throw open a whole lot of new ideas..

EPA 2010 Guidelines is the criteria required now. Minimum separation distances as per link. Table 6.1
http://www.epa.ie/pubs/advice/water/wastewater/code%20of%20practice%20for%20single%20houses/Code%20of%20Practice%20Part%201%202010.pdf