Dormer planning issues!

[Staceycoops14]

Hey all. We are currently modernising a bungalow and want to put a dormer on top. Planning has been a nightmare even though we could have built a (smaller) dormer under permitted development! Anyone been through this? We now know the only issue they have with it is it privacy to either side neighbour (not adjacent- he has no problem!), and have asked for one side where a French door is to be a window instead and the other side in the bathroom to be a high window you can't see out of. What annoys me the most about this is that I believe under permitted development rights I can have my French doors and normal window. Any advice welcome! (Ps need the head height really so have to go through planning :(

Privacy issues can sometimes be overcome with obscured glass. Obviously houses have bedrooms with windows, so are you in a bungalow road? Has no one else got houses or chalet houses? Put the window at the front? Then it overlooks the street then put a roof light at the back which doesn’t need pp. Would any of this work?

Ps: overlooking rear gardens in standard streets from standard houses is - standard! It’s normal. Why is there an issue here?

There are a fair few bungalows around us, but it's definately not predominantly bungalows. I can only assume it's because the ones either side are. Planning are very vague and won't give a straight answer! I thought bedroom windows looking out was pretty standard to see into most people's gardens too. What's even more frustrating is that there is a bungalow right behind us and if anyone should have an issue it should be him...but he's not bothered at all! I am happy to obscure the bathroom window, we probably would have anyway, but I'm less inclined on the French doors swapping to windows. At a loss of how to argue it further, only that permitted development would allow me to do it without asking and they would still have the same objections, so why different under planning rules. Arrr.

Why do you want french doors for on a dormer?

We thought about it as wanted a balcony but the balcony was a very definite no from the planners. Juliet balconies are usually accepted though.

Ok. If you want French doors in a dormer and a usable balcony, that’s not the same as a plain dormer. I would just do a dormer and ask for a Juliette balcony. This will need pp. I think if you just have a dormer window it will be easier. Add in roof lights.