External balconies and terraces for a house extension - what are the issues.

In most cases forming a balcony or raised terrace will need formal planning permission. Even house extensions built under the sites permitted development allowances will not be legal if they include for a veranda, balcony or raised terrace.

Planners tend to dislike these elements of a house extension when formal planning permission is required. This is because they think that they may have an adverse impact upon the private amenities of your neighbours.

Therefore house extensions that do include for a balcony, verandah or raised terrace will only normally be permitted where there are no neighbours close by that could be affected. Rural and isolated locations where your property overlooks open countryside is generally as an acceptable location for such house extension design features.

If a homeowner in a urban area wants to pursue this element of the house extension design through formal planning then you may have to accept some compromises along the way to accommodate any overlooking issues. Perhaps educing its size or relocation the balcony to another part of the extension would reduce any overlooking issues.

Even suggesting the use of a side screening element to the balcony or raised terrace would contribute to maintaining neighbour privacy. Hopefully your house extension designer or architect would have already identified these potential planning issues and advised the homeowner accordingly.