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The Planning Application comprises two elements, a loft conversion to make better use of existing accommodation and the installation of a conservatory to replace a shed on the rear of the property.
Both elements will enhance the day to day use of the property and create a better living environment.
The loft conversion will provide much needed space for a children’s bedroom /study room that can readily be incorporated during essential re-roofing works. The conservatory will provide the rear of the house with access to a space that has views into the rear garden.
This written statement is made in response to concerns that have been raised in relation to the loft conversion element of the proposals.
Essential roof repair works are required to the property. The works will entail the complete re-roofing of all pitched roofs, upgrading of insulation, installation of maintenance free upvc fascias and soffits (similar to the adjacent property) and replacement of rainwater goods.
The essential re-roofing works affords us the opportunity to convert the roof space into a relatively large open plan area that can be used as a children’s bedroom/study room.
This has, we believe, been sympathetically incorporated without significant alteration to the existing roof lines, save the introduction of a small concealed roof terrace to the rear of the property.
The larger space will greatly enhance the use of the property and will create a larger living area and much needed storage space.
In order to create a pleasant environment and most particularly to take advantage of the distant sea views of Douglas Bay, we have chosen a Velux ATS roof terrace system that has low level windows. The Velux ATS roof terrace system is specifically designed for such a purpose and is set back into the roof structure thus creating an opportunity for a small terrace to be installed. (See attached extract fro Velux catalogue).
The particular Velux system maximises natural daylight and mitigates the need to introduce rooflights or windows on the front elevation which we do not believe would be acceptable.
As well as providing a pleasant roof terrace, the rooflight system and small terrace will importantly in this day and age provide an opportunity for a safe means of access for maintenance and window cleaning, and creates a much safer means of escape in the event of fire on the lower floor ( something not afforded by traditional rooflight or dormer).
As referred to earlier, the orientation of the house is such that it enjoys the benefit of distant sea views, which at first floor level are restricted by distant trees and three storey houses. See photograph below taken from first floor rear bedroom.
The Velux rooflight system and associated terrace therefore affords an opportunity to enable those sea views to be greatly enhanced.
It is apparent that it is the roof terrace element of the proposal that is giving the Planning Department cause for concern due to it giving the potential for an unacceptable level of "overlooking" of the neighbouring properties with the resultant lack of privacy that may arise.
However attach below a photograph taken from the window of the first floor Bedroom immediately below the proposed roof terrace to demonstrate the level of overlooking that currently exists.
It is our opinion that the terrace being some 3m higher, set back from the eaves line and cut into the existing roofline will result in less intrusive views from the terrace into the nearby neighbouring properties than that which currently exists at first floor level.
Contrary to encouraging greater intrusion into our neighbours' privacy, the roof terrace will be such as to take advantage of distant views.
The size of the terrace is such that it will preclude frequent use as a sitting area with table, chairs etc, but one which will provide a simple means to take in distant views.
Many of the nearby houses already have opening traditional windows at third floor level and the property on the other side if the lane to the rear has a balcony at first floor level. We are not aware of any overlooking or undue impact on our own privacy from any of those properties. A photograph showing the third floor level windows to the houses (next to our adjoining neighbour) two and three doors down from us, and a photograph of the balcony opposite are attached for ease of reference.
We appreciate privacy ourselves and would do nothing that we would consider to be an intrusion upon the privacy of our neighbours. We are not aware that any such concerns have been raised in this regard.
Maximisation of natural daylight and distance sea views is an essential part of the proposal and the velux window system as proposed is in our opinion the best means of achieving this without resorting to the introduction of a traditional dormer.
The roof terrace element affords no more opportunity of overlooking than a traditional window, and from a Planning point of view we believe the proposals as presented represent less of an impact than the introduction of a more traditional dormer window on the rear and/or the front of the property.
The terrace will create a better environment for a child and more importantly be much safer from a Health & Safety viewpoint. Submitting a revised application would jeopardise our chances of getting essential re-roofing works undertaken before the start of winter.
Accordingly we would urge that the proposals as submitted be considered favourably.
In the event that the un-amended application is not considered appropriate, an approval with a condition that limits the extent of accessible terrace to some distance back from the eaves line may be a compromise that we could accept and which would enable the re-roofing works to commence before the onset of winter months.
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