Antrim and Newtownabbey·LDP 2030 Plan Strategy (adopted 2025)·Page 329·B15

Loft space conversion and roof alterations

Loft conversions can provide additional accommodation, but alterations to roof profiles require careful consideration due to their visual impact. Rear extensions should not project above the ridge of the existing dwelling, and rooflights are a sympathetic option that may require Building Regulations compliance for means of escape.

The use of loft space to provide bedrooms or other living space can often provide additional accommodation. However, alterations to the roof profile of any building can be particularly sensitive as roofs play an important part in contributing to a building's appearance and the overall character of the area. An extension to the rear of a property should ensure that the roof of the extension does not project above the ridge of the existing dwelling as this can give an unsightly view along the streetscape. Rooflights, which lie parallel with the plane of the roof, are a particularly sympathetic way of providing light to a room within a roofspace. They may often constitute permitted development but care should be taken to ensure compliance with Building Regulations where such windows are intended to provide a means of escape.

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