It looks like I may be refused planning permission to convert an internal room into a bedroom. The room has a velux window and fire door to a 'protected' stairwell. The planners said they may refuse as there is little "quality of life" in a bedroom with no outward facing window. Is this normal grounds for refusal?
I hear where you coming from, but I want to let it out eventually and that might cause some complications. BTW the velux is high in a conventional ceiling (not attic type velux)
Its a rubbish reason. Theres loads and loads of loft conversion with only velux windows in them. I converted a church 2 years ago and the only windows upstairs (3 beds and 2 baths) were velux.
What they tell you and how it comes down are not the same. As with Hallbeck, the last church conversion we did had three of the largest Velux down each side. The wall height would not have allowed windows anyway. My own pad here had two bedrooms with velux which we fitted on initial conversion but later changed to dormers....all with full planning approval. Incidentally, what is the room used for at the moment that it needs change of use approval as I would have thought an attic room was already classified as a bedroom?
What does the velux look out towards. First you say a protected stairwell but that may be the door not the velux. Then you say it is in a conventional ceiling. Usually veluxes go in sloping ceilings. Have you got a flat roof velux looking up at the sky?
This might help fill in the detail. I am hoping to convert the upper floor of a two storey shop into residential. Its an old building that historically (150 yrs) was a 2 up 2 down house with tiled roof. This room was once a bedroom, but a flat roof extension on the rear meant it lost its window and a new shylight was cut in the ceiling and roof. This looks to the heavens. All architects have recommended 2 bedrooms, but planning are unhappy and may refuse, as the middle bedroom would only have a velux window in the ceiling (high) and a fire door to a fire-protected staircase leading to the ground floor and out to the road. The planners are saying there is no quality of life in a bedroom with no external view. Is this normal grounds for refusal?
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