Planning question...

[Airsource Ltd]

What constitutes the front elevation of a house? My house looks like this

Front

HHHHH HHHHH G HHHHH G

i.e. a detached garage to the side of the house, set back from the front of the house. The garage was built at the same time as the house; i.e. it is not a subsequent development.

Is the front elevation

a) A line drawn along the front of the house and extended out in front of the garage b) A line along the front of the house, down the side of the house until level with the garage, then along the front of the garage.

In other words, provided I meet all the other requirements, can I build on the space in front of the garage?

[Bob Mannix]

In planning (and drawing) terms, the "front elevation" is a view, not a thing, and is everything you can see from the front. The garage will appear as if level with the house front. Only the "plan" drawing will show the relative positions front to back. Thus building in front of the garage will change the "front elevation" and so cannot be done (usually) without planning permission.

[Airsource Ltd]

I asked the wrong question - I should have said principal elevation, not front elevation. I know what front elevation is in drawing terms, but the new planning regs introduce this new term.

Having done some more research, it appears that

a) Principal elevation means the front elevation of the part of the house nearest the highway - but not outbuildings. b) I can't build forward of a wall forming the principal elevation

So that seems to suggest I can do what I like behind it (plus or minus all the other restrictions).

I guess I'll tootle round to the Guild Hall and see if I can pick someone's brains there.

[Airsource Ltd]

In particular:

[Roger Mills]

to as the "Building Line".

In days of yore, you often couldn't build *anything* in front of the building line, and anything which changed the front elevation (like your proposed garage mod) needed planning permission.

However, that appears - from the document which you cite - to be no longer the case. To be absolutely sure, I suggest you speak to someone from your Local Authority Planning Department. I have always found mine to be very helpful.

[Bob Mannix]

That was/is my understanding too

Indeed - I don't know why people avoid the horse's mouth so assiduosly!

[Airsource Ltd]

... because getting there and finding someone to ask requires some spare time between 9am and 5pm....