Converting flat roof into terrace - planning permission

[stellar371]

Hello there, anyone got any experience to share about planning permission?

I?d like to turn my flat roof into a roof terrace, but the original planning permission for the property (a conversion from outbuildings 15 years ago) explicitly forbids ?sitting out? on it. It?s one storey high and surrounded by taller properties, though on one side, it has a view along back gardens of the road. Since the property was originally converted, other properties in the area have added roof terraces, and our immediate neighbours are doing a loft conversion, meaning that lots of neighbours can look into each other?s gardens - and indeed onto our roof. So I don?t think there is any valid argument that turning our roof into a terrace would invade others? privacy.

I?ve no experience at all with planning permission, and I?d be interesting in learning how much it might cost and how difficult it usually is. I?ve had a look at the government?s planning portal but there doesn?t seem to be anything useful on there about roof terraces.

Many thanks for any advice you might be able to offer!

[Jules-and-Boo]

Why not call the department and have a chat. the main concern would be that the ceiling would have to be build to support additional weight, rather than just the roofing - you wouldn't want to fall through. And there would no doubt be safety issues. And the neighbours might get a say.

[womanofdulwich]

You also need to look at the terms if your lease.

[alex_b]

When we were doing our loft we designed a terrace over the rear of the house; changing the pitched roof to a flat terrace. We proposed 1.8m high screening (frosted glass) around the edge of the terrace to allay any privacy concerns, our architect felt this was the minimum we could get away with. When the council officer visited he seemed ok with the privacy measures but said he'd recommend against granting planning permission as the terrace would be visible from the road. In the end we decided to remove the terrace from the application to make sure the rest of it got through, as we were raising the ridgeline.

As Jules-and-Boo mentions you'll also need to think about the structural elements, this is for building control rather than planning. A local architect would be able to advise you on this as well as the planning aspects.

Do you know if the roof terraces around you have planning permission? There are a few on our road that from their construction I'm sure are built without planning consent (i.e. they are accessed through a normal window and have lightweight fencing).