As the demand for housing development across London has intensified, more people are considering the opportunities available to them in building ‘down’ in order to maximise space on their site. At present not all basement extensions need planning permission with a series of cases concluding that they are acceptable provided that they do not extend any further than the existing footprint of the house.
However it is not all plain sailing. Central Government are reviewing how basement developments should be determined in planning and, as a result, the process of gaining permission for basements could change dramatically in the future. A possible indication of this was a High Court ruling in early December 2016 that determined a basement development in Kentish Town would require full planning permission.
Whether you have an existing basement or not, expanding your property underground is an effective way to increase the area of living space for a house whilst preventing it being regarded as ‘too large’. It is not always limited to just one storey, with some permissions allowing for uses such as swimming pools, gyms, home cinemas and even new residential dwellings, thus greatly increasing the value of your site!
If planning permission is required, fear not for Fuller Long will be on hand to determine what requirements would give you the best chance of success at every stage of the planning process and have extensive experience in gathering all the required information for an application. Indeed, our consultants have great experience in determining the potential for basement extensions throughout the London area.
Therefore if you are unsure what opportunities there are for building a basement under your dwelling, or wish to maximise the size of your home, please contact us on 0808 164 1288 for a no obligation conversation with one of our experienced team of consultants.
