Jason Harris, who is an Architect and Managing Director of T-Space, said: ‘Planning is the mechanism that enables the government to control how the country is developed, which they do via the local authorities. The Development Control departments of the local authority administer the system.’
‘In the majority of cases, applications concern existing buildings, or existing settlement areas. In these cases, the planning considerations generally revolve around the neighbourliness of the design, and the acceptability of the resulting building for its occupiers.’
‘Planners will want to see that it suits the general character of the area, does not cause privacy problems for others, does not add an undue burden such as parking, and that it provides suitable amenity for the future users - such as outdoor space, rooms that are of an acceptable size and rooms that have natural light.’
Otherwise, he notes, additional levels of control are applied in areas such as Listed Buildings, the Green Belt and Conservation Areas. The most common are the restrictions imposed by Conservation Area status. These are intended to protect an area that has a particularly well-preserved character. The main concern is the appearance from the street, so modifications such as loft conversions, replacement windows and overcladding are controlled.
The demolition of portions of a building also requires Conservation Area consent. These special designations allow the local authority a greater degree of autonomy on how to protect an area. The decisions are often referred to a handful of officers who deal with conservation matters, and their decisions are more subjective than those in general planning.
Check out the mortgage calculator, loans, credit cards & savings comparison tools
Find a trusted tradesman in your area using MyBuilder.
.jpg)
Complete guides to styles of architecture both in the UK and across the world
Take a trip inside George Clarke's house as he tells 4Homes about his five favourite home buys
The Home Show's George Clarke lists his top five buildings from around the world
Your Comments
Post your comment
Please note: In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in to Channel 4:
Sign In Here or Register Here
Comments closed
Comments are closed at the present time
Comments
Thank you for your comment!
Your message will be reviewed and the best ones will be published below.
If you intended to make an official comment to Channel 4 please contact us.
Comments