Which is better??

[Neverending2020]

Having garage knocked down to turn into extra sitting room. I've got big driveway and never use the garage.
I can't decide whether to leave side alleyway for access through to back of house or extend all the way across and maximise the space.
Without leaving space for side access room size would be 11 ft x 16 ft.
With side access it would knock off just over 2 foot from the width so approx just under 9 ft x 16 ft.
Side access would really only be for gardiner - once every two weeks over 6 -7 months of the year.
I have shed in the garden for storage.
I'm leaning towards the first option to use all the space for the extra room but others say that having a side access is important and preferable.
I know ultimate decision is mine but interested to know what you think is more preferable.

I’d keep the side access or part of it for wheeling bins in and out of the back garden.

Keep the side access. Imagine if any work is needed at the back of the house and everything - waste going out and building materials going in - has to go through the front door. The whole of downstairs gets trashed.

Like you say it's only your decision, but I'd keep the side access, enough for the drains to be jetted, ladders taken through to the roof access, wheelbarrows when you have a pond dug, and all the rest of it.
However if the room would be unusable for the purposes you decide at the smaller size, then that changes it. Hundreds of thousands of houses don't have access round the side and that's not an issue, although often they have separate rear access of course!

I would keep the side access or else you'd have to keep your bins in view at the front and trail through the house to do any maintenance at the front.

I would agree with the others and say keep the side access. It will affect any future sale of your house in the future. A smaller room would still be a decent size and with careful furnishing It won’t matter a great deal. You still get your extra room. I guess there’s no rear access to the garden?

KTSA!!

It’s useful to have a gap between house and boundary for maintenance too, as Johnd2 says

Keep the access , I had none at previous house and I hated it

KTSA! I'm looking at houses to buy at the moment. Found one that was perfect in every way APART from the fact there is no side access, so anything that needs to go from the front of the house to outside the back of the house has to go through the house. Total deal breaker.

I had to re roof old house.
It required roof line scaffolding.
I was very very glad it went in via side passage.
The house had a dog leg hall and the poles would never have gone through inside the house

Majority saying side access which has surprised me! Most semi detached houses in my area have opted for the larger room size. Maybe its a London thing!

Larger room, 2ft sounds too small for useful side access

If you don’t keep the side access make sure you have a route through the house for large items like garden furniture. We are terraced with no straight line route to the garden. It has really limited out garden furniture choices. (Rattan sofa type stuff)

Have you checked whether you're able to extend right across (building regs/planning permission?)

Yes. As long as small gap is left. No planning permission needed as single story garage conversion.

Would have thought you'll need building regs approval though?

Building regs yes

As you are knocking the garage down, are you able to extend the footprint of it at the rear of the house? That way you could have the bigger floor area but still retain the side access.

I think it depends on your lifestyle - we recently house hunted in London and are paying more for a house with side access because with kids there is a real benefit to being able to store bikes and buggies and things in the back garden without trekking them through the house

No not intending to extend at rear. Got large through room and no need to extend further into garden plus would then become much bigger project. Garage conversion would not be expensive and be pretty simple and unobtrusive.

@Neverending2020 "Majority saying side access which has surprised me!"

That's because most of us have grasped the only concrete detail which is "is side access important" and answered that question!
If you'd asked "i want to do a side extension and I'm wondering how much of an improvement 11x16 would be over 9x16" then people would be forced to think harder and address the actual question. You'd get less replies but better quality.

I would definitely keep side access.

@johnd2 very astute John and I did wonder the same in that - yes - side access great but was any consideration given to the extra room size which to me is important too. When I look at properties on Rightmove my first and immediate check is the floor plan. Not does it have side access..

I lived in a house for 30 years that had no side access. Big house in London. It was a pain when having trees cut down and with kid's bikes (although we stored these in the garage which you won't be able to do. If you do build over the sideway, have very robust flooring and make a glass door back and front so at least a gardener can walk through if absolutely necessary.

You can't tell from floorplans whether there is side access. I considered the room size before I answered. Why wouldn't you?