This had some unexpected knock-on consequences, and so the alterations we needed to make included raising the roof ridge height and altering the number of dormers. Whatever the reason, once we had taken over the project and carefully checked through the drawings before making a start on our building control application, we realised that we would have to make some changes so it would meet the regulations that check whether buildings are safe, accessible and sustainable. Sometimes there just isn’t time to check everything in the detail needed to make sure, sometimes changes made in response to requests from the planning department can actually end up making the plans no longer compliant with building regulations.

Ideally, a successful planning application should be in line with the building regulations, but that isn’t always the case. In spring 2023, we made a variation of conditions (Section 73) application for a project that we had taken on for RIBA Stage 4 (in our system, that’s Stage 2). Working with our clients to best understand their needs and desires, the changes we made to their planning permission decision allowed us to make the most efficient use of their land. The new London Plan also allowed the revised scheme to meet parking space requirements. Our minor material amendment was pursued as a variation of condition application, which helped us maximise the site’s potential while remaining attentive to neighbouring planning considerations like privacy and overshadowing. However, after the 2021 rollout of the new London Plan, we could add an additional bedroom to two of the three houses and keep within the site footprint. Under the previous London Plan, we were only able to accommodate three two-bedroom homes on the site. Our desired change was prompted by the allowances of new policies that had come in since the original application was made. The parent planning application permitted the demolition of an existing bungalow and erection of three 2 bedroom houses in its place. In May 2021, we successfully secured a minor material amendment for new layouts and a 400m roof ridge height increase in Bexley.

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