Worcester City Council is asking people to give their views on a policy document that aims to ensure extensions to homes in the city are well-designed.
The Council has produced a draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that sets out clear guidance for extensions and alterations to dwellings and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
The guidance covers a range of issues, including design quality, the size of extensions, the impact on neighbours, roof extensions, outbuildings and parking.
The overall aim of the guidance in the draft SPD is to help ensure that extensions and alterations to Worcester homes are well-designed, do not reduce the quality of life for neighbours, and are in character with the local area.
Worcester residents can have their say on the draft SPD until Friday 22 May on the consultations page.
Councillor Robyn Norfolk, Chair of Worcester City Council’s Place and Economic Development Committee, said: “When someone extends or alters their home there’s always a risk involved.
“The design might be completely different to the existing house, it could reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the garden next door, or a neighbour’s privacy might be reduced because of new windows overlooking their home.
“The guidance in our draft Supplementary Planning Document is designed to help avoid those problems and it’s important that we get it right, so I would like to encourage people to give their views at www.worcester.gov.uk/voiceit.
“Once the SPD is finalised and formally adopted, it will form an important part of how decisions are made on planning applications for extending or altering homes in Worcester.”
Printed copies of the survey can be obtained by calling 01905 722233.
Once the consultation finishes on 22 May the updated draft SPD will be scrutinised by the Planning and Economic Committee before it goes to a meeting of the full Worcester City Council to be formally adopted.
