Policy information sourced from the East Herts District Plan

HOU11 Extensions and Alterations to Dwellings, Residential Outbuildings and Works Within Residential Curtilages

Proposals for:

  • extensions and alterations to dwellings;
  • residential outbuildings or extensions to existing outbuildings; and
  • works within residential curtilages,

will be considered against the following criteria:

  • be of a size, scale, mass, form, siting, design and materials of construction that are appropriate to the character, appearance and setting of the existing dwelling and/or the surrounding area, and extensions should generally appear as a subservient addition to the dwelling;
  • side extensions at first floor level or above should ensure appropriate space is left between the flank wall of the extension and the common curtilage with a neighbouring property (as a general rule a space of 1 metre will be the minimum acceptable), to safeguard the character and appearance of the street scene and prevent a visually damaging ‘terracing’ effect;
  • flat roofed extensions, except those on the ground floor, will be refused as visually undesirable other than in those exceptional circumstances where the character of the original dwelling allows a flat-roofed design to be appropriately incorporated, or it represents a sustainable or innovative design approach;
  • roof dormers may be acceptable if appropriate to the design and character of the dwelling and its surroundings. Dormers should generally be of limited extent and modest proportions, so as not to dominate the existing roof form.

For more information please see the District Plan