Planning Permission for a Basement in a Conservation Area

Beta Scope

• Conceptual design to propose a basement to extend the living space to meet the property owner lifestyle requirements.
• Modifications to the front yard and the existing fence to enhance the look of the front façade.
• Seeking a Pre-application advice from the Local Authority planning team because of the site location sensitivity.
• Submitting full plans, elevations, sections, and 3D visualisation.
• Statement and Heritage Statement to the Local Authority.
• Lighting study including daylight and sunlight assessment.
• Acting as Agents on behalf of the client and responding to local authority queries providing solutions to the comments raised by the planning officer.

Background

Beta Design Consultants were commissioned by the client to proposes the excavation of a basement under the existing footprint of the house, extending slightly beyond the rear building line, with front and rear lightwells. The front bay will be continued down to basement level with a metal grille over the front lightwell. To the rear, walk-on glass rooflights will be provided to the lightwell immediately against the rear elevation of the house. Beta scope was to carry out the conceptual stage, the planning stage and the building control stage after the planning is granted. The setting had many challenges including:

• The main challenge is to introduce this new level and provide sufficient amount of daylight without affecting the street character of the conservation area. Beta carried out daylight and sunlight Assessment to assure that design for the front lightwell and rear skylight will meet all the requirement for the amount of light for the proposed function.
• The site location in a conservation area requires a sensitive proposal and modification to the surroundings. Beta picked this up in the early stage of the design process and came with a solution that meets the client needs as well as the planning requirements.
• The local authroity strict requirements for detailed basement impact assessment. Beta Design Consutlants corporated with soil investigation company to produce basement impact assessment to assess the excavation level and to minimise the effect on the adjourning properties.

Beta Solution

Beta Design Consultants worked very closely with the clients to devise a strategy for approaching the design and submitting plans to the local authority.

The basement is to be founded approximately 3.3m below ground to provide TV room area and fitness/games space. proposed to modify the existing brick fence by removing damaged timber fence and add metal railing on top of it because the existing fence is in a bad condition, and add soft landscaping to the front yard next to the fence to enhance the look of the house and to provide more privacy to the front lightwell. The brick fence will be repointed in a traditional matching color mortar.

The planning application is granted full planning permission with conditions relating to the basement impact assessment. Beta started to prepare for the building Regulation package and structural design.

Practical Details

Introducing the soft landscaping behind the proposed railing was a very welcomed idea from the local authority as it is not only going to enhance the property façade, but it will also enhance the street view.