How To Object
Preserving Harmony in Drumbeg:
Overview:
The proposed development introduces a significant height contrast with the existing homes. Examining the render created by the developer (see below) we can see there are currently
19 – single-storey bungalows and cottages,
15 – 1.5-storey homes, and
5 – 2 storey homes. With only
1- 2.5 – storey building on the Ballyskeagh Road.
The proposed development’s 17 – 2.5 storey houses will undeniably alter the landscape. As the land slopes upward away from Quarterlands Road, the impact intensifies, looming over rural cottages at the site’s rear to an equivalent of three storeys.
This height discrepancy raises concerns about visual harmony, privacy, respecting the existing neighborhood’s character and preserving the AONB landscape.
NB. Roof Space Height in the proposed designs is 3 M approx with the clear potential for Loft Conversions further overlooking the neighbourhood.
Height Dynamics:
Analyzing the proposed 2.5-storey homes against the backdrop of predominantly lower structures accentuates the potential visual disruption. This issue, coupled with the slope dynamics, emphasizes the need for careful consideration and rejection to maintain the aesthetic balance and respect the surrounding homes.
Community Impact:
As stewards of our community, we must preserve the unique charm and visual cohesion of Drumbeg within the Lagan Valley Regional Park AONB. Our collective voice can influence decisions that shape the future of our area.
The Maths
Calculating the heights and the potential of the designs facilitating roofspace hence 2.5 storeys – depends on the height of the ground floor above the outside level, ceiling heights and the clearance height required in the attic
- External ground level to the ‘ground’ finished floor level (GFFL) of the house can be determined by the number of steps going up to the front door. In common usage, a step is two rows of brick with a flag on top. One course of brick is ~100mm and a flag is normally 40mm so one step is 240 mm (2x 100 + 40) high. Commonly two steps are employed so the height in this case from external ground level to be 0.48m to GFFL. So ~0.48m is common above ground to ensure the property is weatherproof.
- The clear room height from floor to ceiling is usually 2.4m (8′). The thickness of the first floor section in the sandwich is ~20mm from bottom storey ceiling+ 200mm for floor joists + ~20mm to top of upper storey flooring, giving a total of 0.24m. So one storey is commonly 2.64m high. However some designers like to have higher ceilings with the clear space being 2.7m, so the basic one storey height in that case would be 2.94m.
- The height from the Attic floor to external ridge height is a question of design. If it is intended to be a regularly visited space it should be internally 2.4m clear to allow enough headroom over a usablewidth. Given the angle of the truss and the thickness of the roof tiles and ridge, there would be around 0.4m added to the clear height giving an attic floor to ridge height of ~2.8m. Some of the properties in the proposed development had their heights reduced by 0.5m so in that case the attic floor to external ridge height would be ~2.3m.
The properties in Sandyhill and Quarterlands Lane look as though they have attic floor to external ridge heights of ~1.8m based on counting the bricks of the likely floor levels.
Using the various options above to calculate an external house height from the figures provided:-:
- External to GFFL 0.48m+ 2 storeys @ 2.64m each + attic floor to ridge 2.3 = 8.06m.
- External to GFFL 0.48m+ 2 storeys @ 2.64m each + attic floor to ridge 2.8 = 8.56m
- External to GFFL 0.48m+ 1 storey @2.94 + 1 storeys @ 2.64m + attic floor to ridge 2.3 = 8.36m
These are theoretical figures based on common practice, but there are no dimensioned drawings provided for the proposed development to compare against.
In terms of translating the above figures to equivalent ‘storeys’, all three two-storey properties presented could be viewed as having the potential for future third-storey loft conversion.
