GOING OUT – GUIDE TO REAR EXTENSIONS
Rear extensions are often about establishing a better relationship with the rear garden.
Design Considerations
Victorian houses used to have their utility areas at the rear of the house and the result is for most houses the garden is cut off from the main living areas. Modern lifestyles and family living require that a visual and spatial connection is established between the kitchen/dining/living areas and the rear part of the house.
When designing a rear extension an architect will try to open up the rear wall, create sight lines, views and circulation paths between the internal and external spaces. A design of a home rear extension could be kept traditional and in-keeping with the character of the existing house or flat. Alternatively a rear extension can be a modern looking addition that establishes a dialogue between the existing house and the new addition. An architect can design the extension with you after considering construction, planning and other restrictions.
Planning issues
Very often single storey rear extensions do not need planning permission being dealt with under permitted development, it is unlikely however that a two storey extension would be allowed the full width of the back of the house and planning permission would have to be sought.