Policy information sourced from the Islington Local Plan

H5 Private outdoor space

  • All new residential development and conversions will be required to provide private outdoor space, in the form of gardens (for houses and ground floor maisonettes) or balconies (for upper floor dwellings). Any provision must be of a good quality which is designed – in terms of its shape, position and location within development proposals – to ensure a good level of amenity with regard to daylight and sunlight, noise, enclosure, overlooking, privacy and security.
  • Glazed ventilated winter gardens may be considered an acceptable form of private outdoor open space where:
    1. gardens or balconies would lead to issues of overlooking, either for future occupiers of the proposed residential unit or for existing adjacent residential units; or
    2. gardens or balconies would be likely to experience noise in excess of relevant standard set out in Appendix 2.
  • Where winter gardens are acceptable in line with Part B, they must have a drained floor and be thermally separated from the interior; and must be of a good quality in line with considerations set out in Part A.
  • The minimum requirement for private outdoor space is 5sqm on upper floors and 15sqm on ground floors, for 1-2 person dwellings. For each additional occupant, an extra 1sqm is required on upper floors and an extra 5sqm on ground floors.
  • Balconies and other private external spaces must have a depth and width of not less than 1.5 metres.
  • Communal provision of private outdoor space, in lieu of private outdoor space for each individual residential unit, will only be acceptable for non-family units, where:
    1. provision of individual private outdoor space is considered likely to cause significant adverse impacts related to overlooking and noise, both within and external to the development;
    2. the provision of communal outdoor space would lead to a higher quality scheme overall;
    3. the level of communal space provided is commensurate with the type and size of the accommodation and the households it is intended to serve; and
    4. access to communal space is not restricted, particularly on the basis of the tenure of residential units.
  • Where roofs are utilised to provide private and/or communal outdoor space, proposals must demonstrate that:
    1. there are no adverse impacts relating to noise, overlooking and privacy of future residential occupiers as well as existing residents adjacent to the site;
    2. the space is designed to prevent crime and to ensure that security of residents is not compromised; and
    3. use of roofs for amenity purposes is balanced with the use for green roofs and renewable energy equipment in line with relevant Local Plan policies, through careful design which prioritises and integrates the benefits for biodiversity, carbon reduction and amenity.
  • All new build residential developments and, where practicable, residential conversions, must provide step-free access and a level threshold from homes to private outdoor space.
  • Any basement and/or ground floor unit must have a defensible space not less than 1.5 metres in depth in front of any window to a bedroom or habitable room.

For more information please see the Islington Local Plan