Second planning application

Our second planning application has now been submitted. It's exactly the same as the first, but is accompanied by the following explanatory text:

In reference to our planning application submitted today, I have the following additional comments on the specific building line sought:

1. Maintenance of building line, symmetry, site-specific precedent
The proposed extension is designed to maintain the building line of the group of similar houses (three pairs of semi-detached houses all with the same building line), and the building line of the individual house which currently has a single storey extension flush with the front of the original house;
The extension was designed to extend sympathetically the existing roofline of the pair of semi-detached houses;
The extension was designed to introduce a new visual symmetry to the individual house, having regard to the context of the group of similar houses and to the neighbouring property to the south.

The established building line on the individual plot – that of the single storey extension in poor repair – is currently flush with the front of the original house, and the new proposed extension is intended as a replacement and enhancement of the existing extension. A previous planning permission granted for replacement with a single storey extension also allowed maintenance of the current building line.

2. Structural issues
In addition to the overall appearance of the final structure, we have a number of entirely pragmatic reasons to seek maintenance of the established building line. First is that we wish to extend the roofline directly across the extension: this will increase the utility of the loft-space, and ensure that the most straightforward structural solution can be implemented. Any deviation from the building line will require one of two options: either (a) alteration to the roofline, with the introduction of additional hipping and gulleys, or (b) maintaining the current roofline with a consequential significant overhang to the front of the house and reduction of the upstairs accommodation.

Option (a) would require introduction of additional hips and gulleys to the roof, which, in addition to being visually unappealing and injurious to the integration of the extension with the existing roofline, will increase the maintenance requirements and increase, if only marginally, the possibility of failure at several points on the roof, as well as requiring more complex, visually intrusive, and high maintenance guttering arrangements to assure suitable run-off.

Option (b) would reduce the available upstairs space as the building line at the back would remain flush with the current house, and thus unnecessarily cramp the new accommodation. It would also require significant structural reinforcement to support the overhang – again increasing the maintenance requirements and increasing the possibility of failure.

We believe that either option for deviating from the building line would introduce an unnecessary degree of risk to the roof structure, and involve higher costs, and will have implications for the internal configuration.

3. Internal configuration
Because of the limitations imposed by the existing layout and structure, the placement of openings from the existing house to the proposed extension cannot be amended significantly. This means that any set-back from the established building line, without undertaking a total reconfiguration of the existing and proposed internal accommodation, would reduce the sizes of the rooms to the front of the proposed extension to a size which is inconsistent with the overall dimensions of the house and would seriously reduce the utility of those rooms and the overall flexibility of the accommodation. The only obvious alternative to avoid cramping the rooms to the front would require the removal of the proposed utility room and en-suite bathroom, which would very seriously compromise the quality, comfort and value of the house to us.

Conclusion
Given the site precedent, proposed roof structure, and internal accommodation constraints, we are particularly keen to maintain the building line as established, flush with the front of the house. We hope you will give this favourable consideration, and will be happy to provide any further information you may require.

And that pretty much says it all.