REPLACEMENT DWELLINGS
Planning permission will be granted
for the replacement of a dwelling house, subject to certain
criteria.
Replacement dwellings are the single
largest category of housing development in those areas of the
countryside which are subject to policy constraint. While
replacement of existing dwellings allows for the renewal and
upgrading of the housing stock, permissions have also been sought to
replace vacant buildings, which have not been occupied in recent
years or have been used for other than residential purposes.
In general the continued use, with adaptation if necessary, of
existing houses, especially those of traditional design, will be
encouraged in preference to replacement but this is not always the
preferred solution of the applicant.
Planning permission will only be granted for a replacement dwelling
in a Green Belt or CPA when the building to be replaced is a
dwelling house and fulfils certain criteria.
The dwelling house must:
- exhibit all the essential
characteristics of a dwelling house;
- be in use, or have last been
used, as a dwelling house. This use must not have been abandoned
or changed from another use, without previous planning approval;
- be occupied or be capable of
occupation with minor renovation; and
- be in the ownership of the
applicant, or have a reasonable prospect of being in the control
of the applicant.
A dwelling house, that has changed
its use, requires express planning permission to go back to the
original residential use, even if the change of use did not
constitute development.
The essential characteristics of a dwelling house will include the
existence of reasonably sound and complete walls and roof, windows
and doors that are intact, and internal arrangements to enable its
occupation as a dwelling house. In order to be readily capable of
occupation, it should be reasonably weatherproof or at least capable
of being made so with minor repairs. It should have the normal
requirements of living available, although-these facilities, or the
quality of the building, may not necessarily be of a standard
considered acceptable in a modern dwelling house. There may be
instances where an existing dwelling, which fulfils the replacement
criteria, should not be replaced for good planning reasons. Each
case will be considered on its merits.
Replacement of Listed Dwelling Houses
Permission will not normally be forthcoming to replace a dwelling
house which is listed as having special architectural or historic
interest. It is necessary for listed building consent to be obtained
for any works for the demolition of a listed building, or for its
alteration or extension, in any manner which would affect its
character as a building of special architectural or historic
interest.
Replacement of Seriously Damaged Dwelling Houses Applications for
replacement dwellings will be decided on the condition of the
dwelling to be replaced. Where no dwelling exists or if there is a
structure that does not meet the criteria for a replacement
dwelling, then planning permission will not normally be forthcoming,
even if approval was previously granted for a replacement dwelling
on the site.
Exceptionally, when a recently inhabited or habitable dwelling is
destroyed by an accident planning permission may be granted for a
new dwelling, in situ. Evidence about the status and previous
condition of the building and the cause and extent of the damage
must be provided.
Replacement of Tenanted Dwelling Houses It will not normally be
possible to approve an application for replacement of an existing
house that is tenanted. This is because almost all tenanted
dwellings in Northern Ireland are subject to legislation which
limits the rights of a landlord to gain possession and occupation.
Siting and Design of Replacement Dwellings Visual impact is the
critical consideration regarding the siting and design of
replacement dwellings. The siting of a replacement dwelling should
be within the same curtilage as the existing building, to take
advantage of any natural features or mature planting and to reduce
the visual impact of new larger dwellings with extensive gardens.
Off-site replacements will not normally be allowed.
The siting and design of the total new development should not create
a visual impact significantly greater than the existing building, in
order that it be satisfactorily absorbed or integrated into the
landscape. The promise of substantial landscaping, as a means to
reduce the impact of a prominent and overly dominant dwelling in the
longer term, is unlikely to be considered an acceptable design
solution.
Restrictions which could result in failure to satisfy basic minimum
standards, will not be imposed on the size and design of a
replacement. However, it is unlikely that a house of a size
significantly in excess of the one it is replacing will be
appropriate, if its visual impact is significantly greater. The size
of the dwelling may be constrained by the size of the existing site.
In such cases, planning permission will be refused, on the grounds
that the proposed development does not meet the criteria for
replacement dwellings. |