Orangery building/extension

[beckyvardy]

Hi all

Just looking for some advice.

Next year or maybe the year after, I want to build an orangery to extend our kitchen.

Do I need planning permission?

Our kitchen is built in the back of our house and it has a flat roof. Almost as if it was built after the house. All the houses in our street are the same.

Would I be better replacing the flat roof or building around it?

Can do a diagram in five.....

The broken lines are where I would like the extension to go.

The bathroom is behind the back door to the garden. Downstairs. So I am also struggling how to build but ensure I keep the window into the bathroom for light and ventilation.

I am absolutely no expert but we had a similar layout and we did need planning as we were going to the side of part of the building. It was an extension rather than an orangery but I’m not sure if that makes a difference.

Thanks both, that gives me a good starting point.

I'm in the northwest.

The neighbour whose house the extension would be closest too is the one who suggested an orangery over an extension. I'm not sure which would cost more.

We are very lucky in that we have such lovely neighbours either side of us.

It's still a long way off and we are in the process of doing up the bathroom in the next few weeks.

An orangery/conservatory counts as an extension in planning terms, so the normal restrictions would apply.

Unless you are in a conservation area, or the property is Listed, generally the standard rules apply (unless it is a relatively new property when 'permitted development rights' may have been removed) so check here:

www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/10/conservatories

Thank you 😊

Not sure if this is relevant or still true but you also need planning if the extension is within some distance of a public footpath. Or at least we did for a conservatory in our last house as there was a public footbath running down the back of all the properties.

I have an orangery kitchen. If it’s too big for permitted development rights, and it looks like it is, you need pp. This applies whether it’s an orangery or not.

Make sure you heat it adequately and have the best heat retaining glass possible - or it will be freezing! This type of construction isn’t cheap and it isn’t cheap to run! However I love my kitchen! It’s a pleasure to be in it!

I want to to extend my kitchen to a kitchen diner. We have no dining room and there is no space to put a table in currently.

I really miss having a dining room table.

I want to have a big kitchen with an island in with chairs around it.

I'm planning all this and we've only just saved to do the bathroom!

You also need to think about building regs as even if you don’t need planning you’ll need building regs. Quite a few things which were allowed in the past are not allowed any more (such as lantern roofs and open conservatories) as they lose too much heat. Or you have to have triple glazing/ internal doors which adds to the cost. A good, reputable builder should be able to help.