Extension Questions - Corner Plot

[Jennie85]

Hi there,

I am not ready to extend yet but had a few questions as we are on a corner plot. It’s hard to explain but the road turns as you get to our house. Our front door is at the side of the house but faces the continuation of the road and other neighbours.

We want to extend out of the side of the house (single storey) but as this is going onto the boundary where the pavement is, are there any specific rules regarding how close we can go to our own boundary?

Also are we allowed to move our front door to the front? Our neighbours door is on the front and it’s only ours at the side due to being on the corner.

I have attached a site plan to help explain!

Things start getting tricky when you're on a corner plot. I assume that you're No 41 and the front door faces out towards the bottom right on the plan.

BTW is the building near the bottom of the plan another house or is that your garage?

To answer the easy question first:

"Also are we allowed to move our front door to the front?"

Yes, absolutely no problem with that at all.
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"...but as this is going onto the boundary where the pavement is, are there any specific rules regarding how close we can go to our own boundary?"

You can (generally speaking) extend to the side of your property or to the rear without needing planning permission (again, it gets complicated for corner plots).

From what you have said it appears that the main front (the "principle elevation") of the house is the side where you currently have the front door.

If you wish to build an extension in front of this then you will need to apply for planning permission. The planning permission will state how closely to the boundary line you can extend your home.

That is something for you to negotiate with your local planning department.
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In contrast, if you wanted to build an extension on the area that I've outlined in red then you wouldn't need planning permission, but if the building at the bottom of the plan is not your garage but another home then you would need to do a Party Wall Agreement with your neighbour.

Thank you so much that’s definitely very helpful.

I have marked in black where our front door is and where our adjoining neighbours is. We were hoping to move the front door to where is shown in yellow (matching next door) and extending out of the side again shown in yellow. Is this not possible with the way the layout is?

Also yes that is our garage shown at the bottom of the garden!

"Is this not possible with the way the layout is?"

It's certainly possible. The only thing is though that you will need planning permission first rather than just being able to start building without getting any sort of permission.

Your proposed extension is technically to the front of the house and so will need permission.
Presumably anyone reading the application will get that it's really the side of the house - but what do I know.

Will it change where you exit your property and step onto the pavement? That may need permission too.

I agree that will need PP.

Extensions on corner plots can be tricky because they are so visible and can impact the street scene (of two roads) in quite an obvious way.

If it is only single storey, it will stand a better chance, but I would guess it would need a proper roof, rather than a flat roof. As to how far out you can go, it will totally depend on how it impacts the street scene.

I would get a decent architect, and apply for what you want. That may be refused, but you would have the right to appeal, and could still make a second application with a reduced extension if the appeal fails.

I wouldn't be certain that such an extension wouldn't require planning permission.

There are a variety of factors that could mean that PP is required. We don't even know the dimensions of the extension, let alone whether the site is in a Conservation Area etc.

That's true. I guess I should have included those caveats.