External door and window

amsbam1

I have a little one story studio at the end of my garden which I want to put an external door and adjacent window in so my friend can use it as a studio flat.

The studio was built a few years ago with planning permission and contains a separate bathroom.

I want the window to have tinted glass as it's coming on to an external private lane.

Do you think this is something that would be difficult to get planning permission for?

sydthebeat

amsbam1 wrote: »

I have a little one story studio at the end of my garden which I want to put an external door and adjacent window in so my friend can use it as a studio flat.

The studio was built a few years ago with planning permission and contains a separate bathroom.

I want the window to have tinted glass as it's coming on to an external private lane.

Do you think this is something that would be difficult to get planning permission for?

"studio flat" as in a separate habitable accommodation?

i think it would be extremely difficult to get planning permission for that, as its the type of development local authorities consider substandard.

a 'garden studio' is assumed to be for the enjoyment of the main dwelling.

amsbam1

sydthebeat wrote: »

"studio flat" as in a separate habitable accommodation?

i think it would be extremely difficult to get planning permission for that, as its the type of development local authorities consider substandard.

a 'garden studio' is assumed to be for the enjoyment of the main dwelling.

We weren't planning on it being entirely separated. It has a door leading into our garden so it has access to our dwelling, which is needed as he needs to use our washing machine, etc,.

So it wouldn't be a Self-contained unit.

sydthebeat

amsbam1 wrote: »

We weren't planning on it being entirely separated. It has a door leading into our garden so it has access to our dwelling, which is needed as he needs to use our washing machine, etc,.

So it wouldn't be a Self-contained unit.

well im just making the point that if its "a friend using it as a studio flat" then the council would consider that as a separate habitable accommodation and would be unlikely to grant planning permission.

where i say 'separate' i dont mean detached, i mean another habitable independent accommodation on site.

PMBC

Not 'habitable' within the meaning in the various Housing Acts unless it has sanitary accommodation i.e.toilet . But planning would have a problem, anyway since it will be obvious, if inspected, what it is being used for. Does the window have to face out to the rear access road? If not redesign layout for window elsewhere/inside. Altenatively try a roof light particularly the newer type with highly reflectorized inner surface. Long term the new arrangements may not be sustainable.
OK. Reread and see it has a bathroom and you are also looking for an external door. Very very difficult I think,

amsbam1

PMBC wrote: »

Not 'habitable' within the meaning in the various Housing Acts unless it has sanitary accommodation i.e.toilet . But planning would have a problem, anyway since it will be obvious, if inspected, what it is being used for. Does the window have to face out to the rear access road? If not redesign layout for window elsewhere/inside. Altenatively try a roof light particularly the newer type with highly reflectorized inner surface. Long term the new arrangements may not be sustainable.
OK. Reread and see it has a bathroom and you are also looking for an external door. Very very difficult I think,

The roof light instead of the window sounds like a good idea. Why are you suggesting the reflectorized inner surface? Is that for insulation or because it will be tinted?

We can also use another rear gate currently there for access.

So sounds like a roof light and using the other gate would be a better plan.

Would the roof light need planning permission?

PMBC

OK. I'm glad you found that useful and I need to clarify for you. I should have said 'light tube'.
Roof lights, when I was starting out forty years ago, were simply windows in the roof. For flat roofs that worked OK, apart from possible leakage due to poor sealing during their installation. If you have a flat roof that 'style' is still an option. Technically, since it is a change to the external elevation, it would require 'planning'. If it was me I wouldn't bother - a lot depends on your neighbours in such cases. Where yhe roof is pitched you need a 'shaft', so to speak, between the roof light and the ceiling of the room being lit. Light is lost in that shaft due to poor reflectivity of the walls/sides of the shaft and the longer/deeper the shaft the greater the loss. The solution to that was to paint the surfaces in a bright/white colour. Following from the latter some genius decided that 'reflectorising' those surfaces would a be good idea. So the reflectorized surface with a roof light above became 'a light tube'. I think if you google light tube you will find the idea and perhaps a better explanation.
Hope you find this helpful.

amsbam1

PMBC wrote: »

OK. I'm glad you found that useful
Hope you find this helpful.

Thanks, It's only a slightly sloped roof, so I think the window in the roof will work well.