Loft conversions and dormers

Part of: Planning advice for common projects

A loft conversion which creates extra space in your home can have serious impacts on:

  • the appearance of a house
  • neighbouring properties
  • the streetscape

Therefore, the quality and appearance of your design will be important when we consider granting planning permission.

In general:

  • roof extensions like dormer windows should generally be located at the back of the property, away from the street
  • unless you live in a flat, within a conservation area or listed building, rooflights do not usually require planning permission if they are no higher than 150mm from the plane/existing slope of the roof
  • many people apply for ‘dormer’ windows, which are windows that protrude from a roof – dormers should be in keeping with the character of the area
  • a dormer window should be set a minimum of 1m from the edge of either side of the gable roof, or 0.5m from the edges of a hip roof
  • altering the shape of a roof is not granted planning permission because of its impact on the streetscape