Jobs & Education1 min ago
Planning permission for house extension
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Planners don't err on the side of caution - they seek to interpret the Planning Policies in a rational way. These policies can be inspected if you need to - and come down in turn from national policies from John Prescotts department (in England - separate arrangements for Scotland and Wales - but broadly work the same way).
Side extensions are more likely to be turned down for being too large compared to the existing house in terms of bulk and mass, or out of character with the surrounding area. In rare occasions a visibility problem may occur with sight lines from the Highway - on bends or corners, but this explanation you have been given about seeing the skyline sounds to me like a stretching of the real reason for refusal.
I don' think it's the right to see the skyline per se but planning applications do consider daylight issues
http://www.planning-applications.co.uk/righttolight.htm
I would think that a single story rear extension is much more likely to get approval than a doublestory side one especially if there is a precident on the street. Planning decisions are often very precident driven.
Town or Parish council comments are also often very important and it always goes down well to talk to your neighbours about your plans before they find out by a notice posted at the foot of the house.
Of course listed buildings and conservation areas complicate things but I'm guessing these don't apply to you
The 45 degree rule is commonly applied see here:
http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/extensions/rear_extensions_detached.cfm
This council only applies it to double story extensions
but here:
http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/extensions/rear_extensions_detached.cfm
Wrexham seem to apply it to single story extensions too.
If your council applies to to single story extensions then a 5 meter extension is very likely to fall foul of it.
I'd suggest you give them a call and ask what rules they apply. They're likely to be surprised and pleased to have somebody talk to them before putting in for permission and you're likely to save a lot of time and money if you clear any obvious hurdles with them first