Householder Planning Application for new garage conversion and porch in Shifnal approved  by Shropshire County Council.

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Following an initial planning appraisal with the client En-Plan: Planing & Architecture formulated and submitted a Householder Planning Application for the conversion of the existing garage and the creation of a new enclosed porch area underneath the existing roof overhang.  The application has been approved and as of Novmeber 2020 we are awaiting Building Regulations Approval for the technical building guidance for the project.

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As the property is located within Kemberton the proposal must accord with ghe provisions of the Kemberrton Parish Plan. This plan expresses the views of the people who live and work in Kemberton. It sets out how the residents want the community to develop over the coming years and what they want to conserve and protect. This plan sets out a framework for the future and the ways in which The Parish can try to shape and influence that future.

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Kemberton is first mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) under the name of CHENBRITONE. At this time there was no mention of the church. The first record of a Church at Kemberton was in 1230 when Gilbert was named as Chaplain here. The present Church built in 1882 is the sixth, or could be the seventh, on the same site. Finally the new Tower was completed in 1909. The Church is dedicated to St John the Baptist and the Nave to St Andrew. This is unusual having dual dedication.

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The plan has identified the need to preserve the character of the Parish especially when one considers a lot of the properties within the Parish are located in the Kemberton Conservation Area. The Parish have identified that there is a limited need for additional housing in Kemberton. The overall overwhelming consensus was that the village character needs to be preserved. Additional housing was not sustainable as the village had very limited amenities and infrastructure. Any form of development should be limited to an individual residential house (either starter or family homes), or a conversion of an existing building. These properties should also be private built homes and fall within the village existing curtilage. There is a lack of employment, very limited public transport, no public open space and no medical or educational facilities. The surrounding areas such as Shifnal Town and Telford and Wrekin have already been identified as areas of increased housing development and the associated improvement in the infrastructure and amenities such as school expansion. Social housing needs that can rely on support services such as local employment and transport links has already been identified and provision made in the Shifnal Town Plan and the wider area of Telford and Wrekin.

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With the above in mind no objections were received from the Parish Council as the proposal fully complies with the aims and objectives of the Kemberton Parish Plan.

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Technical Issues to Consider with a Garage Coversion

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Infilling the garage door opening tends to be the most visible part of your conversion from the outside and whatever you choose to infill the opening it will need some support. Some garages have a foundation that runs across the garage opening which you can use to support your infill. Unfortunately the only real way to tell
if the front of your garage has an existing foundation is to dig a hole and find out. If there is no foundation under your garage door opening there are two main options.
 

You can either dig a foundation 1m deep or to the same depth as the foundations of the existing house, call us to inspect the foundation and then fill it with concrete, or you can install a catnic lintel between the existing foundations upon wich you can build up the new cavity wall infill. If the opening is only the width of a single garage door install two 150mm deep concrete lintels across the opening supported by the existing foundations. En-Plan will be happy to provide you with more advice about which is the best option for you when we get to site. It is important to refer to Approved Document A for detailed guidance on upgrading any structural element.
 

Upgrading the garage floor level can present issues as garage floors are generally lower than the floor in the main house and they often slope towards the garage door. For these reasons garage floors are generally raised as part of a conversion. There are two main ways of raising a garage floor. Whichever way you choose it is important to consider insulation and damp proofing. It is critical to ensure that any damp proof membranes provided to the floor are continuous with those in the walls, which are often at a higher level.
 

In garages these are generally only a single brick approximately 100mm thick and they often have intermediate piers that buttress the walls and give them additional strength. A single brick wall will not provide adequate weather resistance to a habitable room and a supplementary wall will need to be provided behind the original wall. This can be done either by building an additional skin of masonry to form a cavity wall, the cavity can be insulated as the wall is built, and the wall can then be dry lined or plastered. Alternatively an independent timber framed wall can be constructed with a cavity between the new framing and the existing wall. The frame should be constructed from treated timber and insulation should be provided between the timber studs. Once the frame is in place an insulated plasterboard finish can be applied ready for decoration. Occasionally garages are built with 225mm thick solid brick walls. If they are in good condition and have a damp proof course they will normally provide adequate weather resistance but they will need to be lined with an insulating board to improve their insulation. It is essential thta you achieev th required u-value for the new wall to achieve the required thermal efficiency for a garage conversion required by Approved Document L.
 

If any of the walls of your garage are shared with a neighbour it is considered to be a Party Wall. These walls will need to be upgraded to reduce sound transfer between your new room and your neighbour’s property. En-Plan will be happy to provide you with advice as to how you can upgrade any Party Walls in line with the Party Wall Act.

If you are looking to include a sink, bathroom, shower room or cloakroom in your conversion it is important that you consider drainage at an early stage. Any new appliances will need to connect to your existing foul drainage system as they are not allowed to be connected into rainwater drains. When planning your layouts make sure that there are suitable routes for pipes to run to a point where they can connect to existing drains. and ensure all work is done in accordnace wioth Approved Document H.
 

Windows and Ventilation of any new habitable rooms will need to be ventilated. Generally this is achieved by providing an opening window equivalent to 1/20th of the floor area of the room with a trickle vent at high level. All new windows must be fitted with highly efficient double glazed units and it is wise to make sure that they contain an opener with a clear area of at least 0.33m2 and 450mm wide and 450mm high. This should be large enough for you to escape through in the case of fire. This is essential if the door out of your garage opens into a room other than your entrance hall. Special fire escape hinges should be# fitted to this window to ensure that it can be fully opened if you ever need it. In bath or shower rooms an extract fan should be fitted and in rooms without opening windows extract fans should be fitted that are triggered by the light switch with overrun timers that allow the fan to remain on after the light is turned out. All windows and doors must comply with Approved Docuemnt L.
 

Fire Precautions  are extremely important when you are investing money in your home it is a good opportunity to review the fire precautions that are available in the existing house in line with Approved Document B. Mains operated smoke detection significantly improves fire safety in the home and the Building Regulations require that it should be installed where garages are converted to habitable rooms. Electrics: you are likely to require some electrical alterations as part of your conversion. Depending on the age and condition of your existing electrical system it is sometimes possible to extend existing circuits but sometimes new circuits and even a new distribution board will be required. It is a good idea to get advice from a competent electrician at an early stage. When appointing an electrician please ensure that they are able to issue you with BS7671 test certificates when they have completed their installation as these will be required before your Building Regulations Completion Certificate can be issued and you will incur additional costs if the test certificates have not been provided.

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To conclude a well designed and constructed garage conversion can be a definite asset to your home that can provide useful extra space and add value to your property. A poorly thought-out conversion can reduce your property’s value and in some cases compromise your safety and the structural integrity of your home. It is
important to ensure that you plan your conversion carefully and get the work carried out by an experienced contractor ad is approevd by your Local Authority Building Control.

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Further Information

 

If you would like to find out more about how our Planning Consultancy and Architectural Design Services can work in perfect sync to achieve a successful outcome in the planning system please contact us and we will be only too happy to talk through any questions or development proposals you may have.

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