Dormer windows planning

ShowMeTheCash

Just wondering has anyone applied for planning for Dormer windows?
If so was it straight forward?

Reason I ask, I have spoken to the planning authority twice before and it appears the default answer to everything is no!
I have even had the authority try and tell me I could not do things that legally I could do and they seemed to get pretty annoyed when I had my architect and solicitor remind them of that. (Was to do with a categorization of the area)

I will be converting my attic at some stage dormers would open out the space a little better than velux. But I can already see the headache coming down the road with the local planning authority.....

Just wondering has anyone been refused before and on what grounds?

Gumbo

Too big
Too close to party wall/boundary
To the front
Over looking / didtance to other properties
Badly designed

All the above reasons for refusal.
In saying that, 90% of my dormers get approved. Sometimes slight alterations to take place such as reducing the size etc

What council are you in?
Are there any other dormers near you?

sydthebeat

Dormer windows on the front elevation of a standard Irish single storey dwelling almost always look terrible

Gumbo

sydthebeat wrote: »

Dormer windows on the front elevation of a standard Irish single storey dwelling almost always look terrible

+1

I actually don’t like the traditional dormer even in the rear.
The only way to make them look well in my opinion is to do something slightly different, like zinc clad or similar.

ShowMeTheCash

kceire wrote: »

Too big
Too close to party wall/boundary
To the front
Over looking / didtance to other properties
Badly designed

All the above reasons for refusal.
In saying that, 90% of my dormers get approved. Sometimes slight alterations to take place such as reducing the size etc

What council are you in?
Are there any other dormers near you?

Not in a council as such live in the country so my home is on a 2 acre site.
The house was built originally to be story and a half but the half was not really needed at the time so it is just loft space.

My house is facing the north Atlantic the road into my home is at the front.
There are a few holiday homes near by maybe 50 meters further down the slope of the hill.

I think my main issue is the area

ShowMeTheCash

sydthebeat wrote: »

Dormer windows on the front elevation of a standard Irish single story dwelling almost always look terrible

The dormer part does not need to be at the front, I can put it at the back of the house where it would not be visible.

Personally I would prefer Velux however I think the three dormers would maximize the space better.

Dormers in the country are pretty common.

Gumbo

ShowMeTheCash wrote: »

The dormer part does not need to be at the front, I can put it at the back of the house where it would not be visible.

Personally I would prefer Velux however I think the three dormers would maximize the space better.

Dormers in the country are pretty common.

Get some drawings and approach the planners.
Maybe try and modern up the style. Think zinc clad dormer.

Loads on google I can’t link to as on the phone.

DOCARCH

@ShowMeTheCash. Are there dormers to other houses in your area/on your road?

Precedent can be a factor too.

If you are proposing something similar to what has been already done/granted permission in the (immediate) area then it's very hard for the council to refuse.

On the other hand, if you are to the first to consider/apply for permission for a dormer, the council will weigh up the precedent that will set.

ShowMeTheCash

DOCARCH wrote: »

@ShowMeTheCash. Are there dormers to other houses in your area/on your road?

Precedent can be a factor too.

If you are proposing something similar to what has been already done/granted permission in the (immediate) area then it's very hard for the council to refuse.

On the other hand, if you are to the first to consider/apply for permission for a dormer, the council will weigh up the precedent that will set.

Depends what you mean by this area, I am in the country so houses are spread out.
3 permanent residence in my immediate vicinity , me, my parents and great uncle. No Dormers but then two of those homes are quite old.

The holiday homes my parents built, they all have Velux windows but have a much steeper pitch to them and a completely different style.

On the opposite hill yes there are a number of houses with Dormer windows within say 1km of my house.