The clients owned a 1930s Cheshire-brick semi-detached in High Barnet, just outside a conservation area boundary. While the property itself wasn't within the conservation area, Barnet's planning policy requires that rear dormers on semis in this zone do not harm the character of the wider street. Our first step was a detailed character assessment of the surrounding properties.
The L-shape configuration — rear dormer plus hip-to-gable extension — maximised usable floor area while keeping the ridge height below the main roof. This is the critical measurement Barnet officers check: any ridge height increase above the original roof requires a stronger design justification.
We prepared a full planning package including existing and proposed floor plans, four elevations, a roof plan, and a short Design and Access Statement addressing Barnet's residential design guidance. The DAS specifically referenced the street's prevailing dormer style — flat-roof dormers clad in zinc — which we replicated in our specification.
Barnet validated the application within 5 working days and issued the decision in week 9. No pre-application advice was required, which saved the clients approximately £200 in pre-app fees and 4 weeks of elapsed time.
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