B5.1.3 Dormer placement

Guidance: G5.7

For dormers proposed to the front or side elevations of a property that face the street they should:

  • align vertically with the windows on the lower floors to maintain a consistent architectural rhythm

  • be recessed from the main facade of the building to appear visually subordinate

  • be well set in from the roof edges, avoiding proximity to gable ends or party walls, to reduce visual dominance and preserve roof symmetry

3-D model sketch of a two-storey house with one gabled dormer on the right-hand side of the roof highlighted in orange.

Figure 139: Shows a good practice example: one small, pitched dormer which is asymmetrically placed on the roof (Guidance: G5.7)

Guidance: G5.8

Where two or more dormers are proposed, or where the proposal results in a pair of dormers, they should be symmetrically positioned to create a balanced appearance. In contrast, a single dormer should be placed asymmetrically, avoiding a central position on the roof to prevent disrupting the visual proportions of the building.

Exception: This design guidance is strongly encouraged but does not apply to dormers constructed under Permitted Development rights where planning permission is not required.

3-D model sketch of a two-storey house with two gabled dormers highlighted in orange.

Figure 138: Shows a good practice example: two small, pitched dormers which are well proportioned, and align vertically with windows on lower floors (Guidance: G5.7 and G5.8)

Guidance: G5.9

Dormers should be designed to complement the style of the existing roof, with pitched roofs generally preferred for visual coherence. Flat-roofed dormers should only be considered where they are an established feature on the street frontage and they do not detract from the overall appearance of the property or surrounding area.

Exceptions:

  • this design guidance is strongly encouraged but does not apply to dormers constructed under Permitted Development rights where planning permission is not required

  • in certain urban settings, flat-roofed dormers may also be acceptable where they do not detract from the overall appearance of the property or surrounding streetscape

3-D model sketch of a two-storey house with a large dormer window highlighted in orange. The dormer spans a significant proportion of the roof and looks out of scale.

Figure 140: Shows a bad practice example: a large front dormer which is out of proportion and too close to the eaves and roof edges (Code: C5.9)

Three black and white simple line sketches showing three different dormer window designs.

Figure 141: Shows sketches of the three common types of pitched roof dormers, from left to right: gabled, shed and hipped (Guidance: G5.9)

A stone coloured two storey dwelling and the lower floor has a door with windows to rooms on either side, the upper floor windows are three dormers set back from the roof edges. There is a grassed garden area in front of the dwelling.

Figure 142: Shows dormers which align with the windows and are set back from the roof edges (Guidance: G5.7). Image and architectural design provided by Hampton Design Contractors.

Row of three new build dwellings with open space and trees in the foreground. The middle dwelling has a small dormer on the front of the dwelling.

Figure 143: Shows an asymmetrically placed single dormer on a house in Wild Orchid Way, Pontefract (Guidance: G5.8)