Urban Design Guide - Section 2 Enhance and ... - Islington Council

SECTION 2 

ENHANCE AND RESPECT 

EXISTING CHARACTER

2.1 CONTEXT AND LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS 

Highbury Place – new houses have been 

adjoined to the grade 2 listed Georgian 

terrace and created compositional unity by 

careful replication of the proportions and 

details of the existing buildings. 

On the right is a fine example of a 

contemporary terrace that fits harmoniously 

opposite an Edwardian terrace of similar scale 

and proportions. 

2.1 Context And Local 

Distinctiveness 

Much of Islington benefits from a rich streetbased 

urban fabric both inside and outside 

conservation areas. New buildings should 

reinforce this character by creating an 

appropriate and durable fit that harmonise 

with their setting. They should create a scale 

and form of development that is appropriate 

in relation to the existing built form so that it 

provides a consistent / coherent setting for 

the space or street that it defines or encloses, 

while also enhancing and complementing the 

local identity of an area. 

The nature of the existing street frontage will 

therefore normally determine the extent of 

potential development. 

“The character of townscape depends 

on how individual buildings contribute to 

a harmonious whole, through relating to 

the scale of their neighbours and creating 

a continuous urban form”. (DETR - ‘By 

Design’, p21) 

Within this context, high quality 

contemporary designs will be supported, 

except in uniform terraces where exact 

replication may be required for the sake of 

compositional unity. Contemporary designs 

can be used in historically sensitive areas 

– nevertheless extra care needs to be taken: 

the scheme should be of an extremely 

high standard and designed from a strong 

understanding of the surrounding context. 

Pastiche design that is a poor copy of the 

original design will generally be resisted. 

“New and old buildings can coexist happily 

without disguising one as the other, if the 

design of the new is a response to urban 

design objectives”. (DETR - ‘By Design’, 

p19) 

All new buildings will need to respond 

appropriately to the existing frontage and 

normally follow the established building line 

18 Islington Urban Design Guide December 2006

(refer to section 3.2 – Building Lines). In areas 

that have lost their original street pattern and 

character, street based redevelopment will 

often be required to knit the area back with 

the surrounding street pattern. 

Buildings that stand out because they fail to 

conform with these standards will only be 

acceptable in exceptional circumstances (refer 

to 1.1.2, 2.2.3 and 3.2.5). 

“A building should only stand out from 

the background of buildings if it 

contributes positively to views and 

vistas as a landmark. Buildings which 

have functions of civic importance are 

one example”. (DETR - ‘By Design’, p21) 

Further detailed guidance and policy on 

buildings within conservation areas is 

provided by Conservation Area Design 

Guidelines and section 12.3 of the UDP. 

Compton Rd - a Victorian terrace (left) sits 

opposite a weak pastiche. (right) 

2.1 CONTEXT AND LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS 

A pastiche design that has none of the 

refinement of the adjacent late Victorian 

terrace. 

This infill (on the right)is not entirely faithful to 

the existing building but it nevertheless 

re-establishes the lost half of a Victorian semi 

detached house. 

Islington Urban Design Guide December 2006 

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2.2 HEIGHT AND SCALE 

Union Chapel soars above Compton Terrace - an 

important and appropriate local landmark. 


2.2.1 Background 

During the post-war period, parts of 

Islington like many other places in Britain 

suffered from unsympathetic 

redevelopment. The harmony, character and 

order of the street-based environment, was 

undermined by uneven and comprehensive 

development. Nevertheless, subtle variation 

in height and form can sometimes add 

interest, particularly where it has evolved 

over a number of years. Before 1939 where 

bigger variations occurred, this appropriately 

reflected the relative public importance of 

buildings such as a church or town hall. Today, 

sharp differences between the scale of small 

buildings and large, out-of-scale monoliths 

have broken down the old building hierarchy, 

undermined the character of many areas 

and their sense of order. Where there is an 

opportunity to address this they should be 

corrected. The Building Heights Advice Note, 

nevertheless defines specific areas within 

the borough where buildings that exceed 30 

metres can be located subject to a number of 

criteria. 

2.2.2 Overall Criteria 

Street frontages with a consistent roofline 

and facades are generally sensitive to 

alteration and there will normally be a 

presumption against change (refer to section 

2.4). There is usually more scope for change 

in the roofline and facades within streets 

with a variety of frontages / building heights, 

particularly where the height of frontages is 

relatively low in proportion to the width of 

the street. 

This tower block has no respect for the original 

height, scale or street line. 

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Islington Urban Design Guide December 2006

This building was seamlessly extended from two to 

three storeys and now responds better to the scale 

of its immediate neighbours. 

An opportunity for significantly extending the 

height of a street frontage - a more consistent 

building line and the extra enclosure would help 

define the street. 


Upper Street - the subtle variation in height is given underlying order by its narrow plot widths - any change 

to the roofline might undermine its harmony and human scale. The N1 shopping centre (foreground) has been 

successfully inserted by respecting this arrangement. 


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A sensitive intervention that marginally rises 

above its neighbours at a bend in the road. 

Example of uneven development - this 

block has no respect for the height, scale 

or proportions of the uniform terrace or the 

topography. 

However, variations in building heights, do 

not in itself provide a justification for height 

increases. An alteration or extension to the 

existing roofline may still be unacceptable in 

the following circumstances: 

• Where the existing street frontages and 

roof profile have historical and / or 

architectural importance and / or 

contribute to an area’s individual 

character. This will include listed buildings, 

conservation areas and sometimes other 

buildings that do not have this status. 

• Where the alteration to a façade or 

roofline impacts adversely upon the 

architectural integrity and quality of the 

existing or neighbouring buildings. 

• Where a change to the roofline or façade 

would be out of scale with its neighbours, 

especially if it starts to inappropriately 

dominate the street, and undermines the 

rhythm of the street frontage. 

• Where change adversely impacts on views 

and landmarks. 

• Where it impacts adversely on the 

topography of the street. 

• Where it causes a canyon effect and / or 

unduly overshadows the street. 

• Where it impacts adversely on the 

character of an open space or the public 

realm. 

• Where it creates an imbalance in height 

between opposite sides of the street. This 

may not be relevant where there is 

potential future scope for the 

redevelopment of the opposite side too, 

or on wide streets. 

The two sides of the street are unbalanced. 

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2.2.3 Views and Landmarks 

General Principles 

The scope for high buildings including 

buildings that rise above 30 metres and larger 

street frontages are covered in the Building 

Heights Advice Note. The IUDG deals with 

general principles and standards. 

As set out in section 12.2 of the UDP, the 

Council will protect and enhance strategic and 

local views of strategic and local landmarks. 

Any building which blocks or detracts from 

important or potentially important views, will 

be resisted. 

Notwithstanding the above, a building 

that stands out can sometimes contribute 

positively to the urban environment by: 

• Becoming a focal point. 

• Providing an element of surprise or 

contrast. 

• Reinforcing a sense of place. 

• Highlighting the importance of a public 

building. 

This may provide a justification for a building 

that, contrasts with its neighbours or, more 

occasionally, rises above its neighbours. 

It will nevertheless need to be a special 

building that is suitably located and designed 

to an exceptional standard that embodies 

an integrity that is carried through all its 

elevations. It must also respond to its 

surrounding threshold (refer to section 3). 

The Union Chapel’s dominance is undermined 

by a nearby residential tower block. 

Islington’s most recent major landmark. 


St James Church carefully framed by the 

buildings that front Clerkenwell Green. 


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The verticality of a corner can be exaggerated 

without reliance on extra height. 

Great care needs to be taken with the design 

of corners. The impact of a poorly designed 

or detailed elevation becomes magnified on 

corners particularly if it is designed to be 

emphasised. 

Buildings do not have to be big to stand out. 

Corners are often best addressed by 

creative articulation rather than any 

height increase. 

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Emphasising Junctions 

It is sometimes appropriate to have a focal 

point that announces or reinforces a place 

or closes a view. Closing a view at the 

junction of streets can heighten the role of 

architecture in giving character to space and 

provide an element of anticipation. 

It is often appropriate to emphasise a corner, 

particularly at an important junction. This is 

usually best achieved by exaggerating the 

vertical proportions of a façade through 

clever articulating devices, for example by: 


• Curving the frontage. 

• Wrapping the fenestration around the 

corner. 

• Terminating the roof differently. 

It is sometimes appropriate to provide 

further punctuation by raising the height of 

the corner marginally above the prevailing 

height to reinforce the importance of a 

junction. Where extra height is proposed it 

should be contained so that it does not spill 

further down the street frontage, otherwise 

the punctuation will become diluted and 

the coherence of the rest of the frontage 

undermined; in other words the punctuation 

of the junction should be a ‘full stop’ and not 

‘part of the sentence’. 

1 City Road occupies a prominent corner. 

As well as closing the view, it also lines up 

with the centre line of Moorgate for which it 

provides a defining landmark. 

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. London Borough of Islington LA100021551 2007. 


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Consistent height and building form and 

height on both sides of a new street 

provides balance and a good consistent 

backdrop that gives the street coherence 

and an appropriate sense of enclosure. 

2.2.4 Comprehensive 

Redevelopment 

On a large site where there is an opportunity 

for comprehensive redevelopment with 

new streets and spaces created, there may 

be scope to incorporate street frontages, 

within the centre of the development that 

are marginally higher than the existing area. 

Where the new development meets existing 

streets or street frontages it will still normally 

need to conform with the height of the 

neighbouring or adjoining terrace and will 

therefore need to be considered in terms of 

the above criteria in section 2.2. 

New schemes often work most satisfactorily 

where the height and building form is 

consistent along each new street frontage, 

so that they read in terms of the rhythm 

of the frontage and as a backdrop to the 

space or street they define, and do not draw 

too much attention. A variation of building 

height can contribute towards a fragmented 

environment. Most notably when individual 

buildings inappropriately dominate, or are 

too monolithic in appearance, such as that 

occurred in many 1960’s developments. 

(Refer also to 3.2.4 Practical Application of 

the Perimeter Block Layout). 

Parts of Islington have suffered from 

uneven and fragmented development that 

undermines the coherence of the spaces 

between buildings. 

A variation of buildings 

can contribute towards a 

fragmented environment, 

particularly when individual 

buildings inappropriately 

dominate or are too 

monolithic in appearance, 

such as occurred in many 

1960’s developments. 

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2.2.5 Height to Width Ratios 

General Principles 

Building height also needs to be considered in 

terms of its proportion in relation to the size 

of the space it defines / encloses. The height 

of a street frontage should provide sufficient 

sense of enclosure, natural surveillance and 

maximise the potential development 

opportunity of a site. 

Most of Islington’s Victorian residential 

terraced streets have a height-to-width ratio 

of between 0.5 to 1 and 0.7 to 1. Streets 

with a ratio of between 0.5 to 1 and 1 to 1 

normally provide a well proportioned street 

frontage which provides a good sense of 

enclosure. 


Streets with Frontages that Exceed their 

Width 

Schemes where the height exceeds the 

width of the street will not normally be 

acceptable if they cause a canyon effect 

and inhibit sufficient light and air reaching 

the buildings and street below, unless they 

can be justified in terms of adding to local 

distinctiveness. Nevertheless there may be 

more scope on those streets with a north-tosouth 

orientation as they normally allow more 

sunlight to permeate than streets with an 

east-to-west axis. 

The height of street frontages should normally be in 

proportion to the width of the street they define 

(Image from ‘By Design’) 

The south of the borough, and some of the 

other older parts of Islington, were originally 

characterised by a dense network of streets 

and alleys where the heights of building 

frontages often exceeded the width. High 

sided frontages along comparatively narrow 

streets will therefore normally be acceptable 

where they contribute towards maintaining 

the existing character of the area. 

– Deep narrow street typical of 18th and 19thC 

in the south of the borough 


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Westbourne Rd looking south from Bride St 

junction - 0.7 to 1 ratio provides strong 

enclosure that does not undermine amenity. 

Westbourne Rd looking north from Bride 

St junction- enclosure is weakened by the 

wider street, squat frontages and gaps 

between the end on houses. 

Low Frontages and Wide Streets 

Anything less than a 0.3 to 1 height to width 

ratio can result in streets, which suffer from 

too little enclosure where the buildings appear 

divorced from the street. This can sometimes 

be justified where the immediate context is 

characterised by this scale of buildings, and 

where it contributes to local distinctiveness. 

Additional enclosure can often be provided by 

trees along the kerb edge or, in front gardens. 

Elsewhere, low frontages may appear 

inappropriately suburban in scale. They also 

may not maximise the development potential 

of the site or the natural surveillance 

opportunities. 

Exaggerating and Minimising the 

Apparent Height 

Sometimes there is a need to exaggerate or 

minimise the apparent height of a new 

development so that it accords with the 

context of the street. There are 

circumstances where the scale of 

development proposed is too small for its 

context. For example, the size of the frontage 

can sometimes be increased by generously 

extending the front face of the building above 

the top floor. 

Some of Islington’s main commercial streets such as Holloway Road are considerably wider than the height of 

the buildings that face them which sometimes provides scope for bigger frontages. 

28 


Conversely, it can be necessary to keep the 

scale of the frontage to a minimum, especially 

along roads that are already rather narrow and 

cavernous. This can sometimes be achieved 

by generously setting back the upper floors 

behind the front roof parapet so that it is not 

apparent from the street. Such a solution will 

also need to work in terms of its impact from 

longer views where it may be more visible. A 

ziggurat, or stepping back, approach was a 

common 1930’s and post-war solution. This 

approach will not normally be acceptable in 

streets with a uniform frontage (refer to 2.4). 

The use of monopitch or semi-barrel vault 

roofs can be used to emphasise or minimise 

height at the front or rear as appropriate. 

The scale of this frontage has been deliberately 

exaggerated by continuing the façade treatment 

above the top floor. The top line of openings appear 

like the windows below but they have no glass as 

they serve only the open roof terrace 


Natural light is maximised into this high sided narrow 

street by the use of a semi barrel vaulted roof 

While these Victorian frontages are modest in relation to the street width, this arrangement is the defining 

characteristic of the area. 


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Despite being considerably bigger than its 

immediate neighbour, this building is more in scale 

with the rest of the City Road surrounds. 

Finsbury Square and surrounds - High frontages 

in relation to the street widths are consistent with 

their central location. 

The apparent height of the red brick building has been kept to a minimum by stepping the top two floors and 

using recessive materials (glass and metal) so that it harmonises with the rhythm and scale of the existing street 

frontage. 

30 


Relationship of Building Frontages with 

Open Spaces 

Where building frontages face onto public 

open spaces and squares, they should 

normally provide sufficient sense of enclosure 

and suitable backdrop to define and overlook 

the space while not over powering it. 

Open spaces can feel particularly threatening 

if they do not have an adequate level of 

natural surveillance from surrounding 

development. Nevertheless, the height should 

not be so great that they unduly dominate 

the space. Highbury Fields is a good example 

where this relationship works harmoniously. 

In contrast, King Square suffers from a 

fragmented and inconsistent frontage that 

contributes to the poor cohesion of the space 

itself and creates areas that are poorly 

enclosed with a lack of surveillance. 

19 th C King Sq as it was originally designed with a 

consistent height and edge that defined it (above) 

before it was demolished and rebuilt in the 1960’s. 


King Square today suffers from a poorly 

defined edge with a range of building 

sizes that contribute to undermine the 

coherence of the space. 

Highbury Fields - Georgian terrace 

provides an appropriately scaled backdrop. 


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The horizontal slab front does not provide 

windows at second floor level; it is also at odds 

with the vertical organisation of its neighbours. 

The building on the left has little consideration 

of the vertical proportions, strong building line 

or formality of its Victorian neighbour. 

The coloured banding exaggerate the 

horizontal proportions of the library 

building, that fail to pick up the rhythm of 

the taller narrow frontages along the street. 

2.2.6 Rhythm, Scale and 

Proportions 

Plot Widths and Vertical Proportions 

The scale of a building is also determined by 

its bulk and width and the manner in which 

the façade is articulated. Historically most of 

Islington’s street frontages are characterised 

by narrow plot widths where terraces are sub 

divided into plots where the height is greater 

than the width of the building. This 

contributes to the vertical proportions that 

underlie the human scale of pre-1939 

residential terraces and other street 

frontages. The vertical proportions are 

expressed both in the overall dimensions and 

the individual elements, especially the 

fenestration, and the manner in which they 

are composed within the frontage. The 

repeated pattern of narrow street frontages 

creates a rhythm that also gives many of 

Islington streets both harmony and 

coherence. 

High quality contemporary designs will 

normally be sought that are skillfully 

interwoven into their context, by 

incorporating the rhythm, scale and 

proportions of the existing street frontage. 

The design should echo the narrow plot 

widths where this is the predominant building 

form in the surrounding area. 

Breaking down a long street frontage into 

a series of separate bays also helps avoid 

buildings appearing monolithic and provides 

them with a more human scale. Particularly 

with residential schemes, where there is an 

opportunity to create a whole new street 

frontage, consideration should be given to 

breaking down the frontage into a series of 

smaller frontages. This can be achieved by 

incorporating a contemporary reinterpretation 

of a terrace with a regular rhythm. Where 

it conforms to the configuration of its 

surrounds, this approach can also assist 

the integration of a comprehensive 

redevelopment. 

32 


A fine contemporary terrace incorporating 

narrow plot widths / vertical proportions that 

achieve a regular rhythm through repetition. 

A recent extension to an existing two bay 

Victorian terrace - although some of the 

detailing is accurate, the window 

arrangement fails to pick up the existing 

rhythm of the terrace as the gaps between 

the window pairing is too great. The unsightly 

rainwater pipes further undermines the 

rhythm. 


A contemporary building frontage skillfully 

added to the end of a terrace. 

A playful variation of the existing street 

frontage that picks up the vertical proportions 

and rhythm of the rest of the frontage. 

Another example of a contemporary terrace which achieves a regular rhythm through repetition of its 

vertical elements. (Drawn by George Petrides, Agenda 21 Architects) 


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Fonthill Rd - the mansard roof continues 

without a break over two properties 

undermining the rhythm of the 2 bay frontages. 

Diespeker Wharf - Despite its strong roof line 

the vertical proportions still read through. 

In commercial streets which are characterised 

by larger buildings / longer street frontages, 

there is often more freedom to model the 

street frontages, particularly where the 

frontage is more heterogeneous. 

Nevertheless, consideration should also be 

given to how they work within the rhythm 

of the wider street frontage; they can also 

benefit from the use of vertical proportioning 

devices. 

Relationship of the Roofline and the 

Elevation 

Rooflines should normally respond to the 

articulation of the rest of the façade. It should 

normally be possible to read the width of the 

plot divisions from the bottom to the top of 

the building. The roofline should reflect the 

rhythm, harmony and scale of the longer 

street frontage. Stepped or sculptured 

rooflines can appear monolithic particularly 

where the shape of the roof does not pick up 

the sub division of the façade. 

2.2.7 Sloping Sites 

Stepped Rooflines and Frontages 

Street frontages that run down a hill should 

normally have a stepped roofline frontage and 

threshold that echoes their topography and 

allows the ground floor to synchronise with 

the footway and threshold space. Large blank 

flank walls at the junction between buildings 

should be avoided. Splitting residential 

buildings into narrower plot widths with a 

smaller number of flats of self contained 

service cores, also allow street frontages to 

step down a sloping street. 

The vertical proportions are undermined by 

the roof treatment that continues largely 

unbroken across the roof emphasising the 

buildings monolithic size. 

34 


Modelling Long Building Frontages 

All new schemes must provide level access to 

meet the provisions of part M of the 

Building Regulations. Therefore some 

ingenuity is required where long building 

frontages with large floorplates are located on 

a slope. On steep hills, consideration should be 

given to incorporating entry points / 

frontages at different levels (as it steps down 

the slope) to allow the threshold, as well as 

the roofline to reflect the topography. In 

extreme circumstances, passenger lifts that 

stop at half levels sometimes provide the 

scope to break the floorplates. Alternatively, 

consideration can be given to modelling the 

roofline and frontage on a single floorplate 

building to suggest a step. Care nevertheless 

needs to be taken to ensure this is not at the 

expense of architectural integrity. 

Sloping site not reflected at the ground floor. 


All new schemes must 

provide level access to 

meet the provisions of 

part M of the Building 

Regulations. 

The middle building is too tall. It steps up 

too much not allowing a further step for 

the furthest building. 

Stepped frontage that follows the slope of 

the hill one plot at a time. 


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2.3 ELEVATIONAL TREATMENT 

A typical mid Victorian street frontage of 

individual houses, identified as vertically 

grouped paired windows that repeat in a rhythm. 

Too many small or identical windows with no 

underlying proportions or grouping framework 

can create an uninteresting facade and fail to 

break down the scale of a building. 


The architects of Georgian, Victorian and 

Edwardian buildings took care to ensure the 

external form of the building created a 

suitable backdrop to the public realm. Modern 

building regulations and an understandable 

desire to create comfortable living 

accommodation have focussed greater 

attention upon internal space standards 

and layout. It is important that this is not 

at the expense of the architectural quality 

of the elevations. The internal and the 

external requirements will always need to be 

reconciled. The street frontage must work in 

terms of its relationship to its neighbours and 

in terms of its own architectural integrity. 

2.3.1 Windows 

The windows are a key component of the 

façade that help define a building’s character 

and provide underlying order as well as its 

overall proportions. 

Window Shape, Position and Sizes 

Care needs to be taken to ensure that the 

windows are of an appropriate scale to the 

façade and that each window in the façade 

has some relationship with each other. Key to 

this is identifying the appropriate shape, 

position and size of the windows. 

Some elevations can be unduly monotonous 

because of the number of repeated windows. 

The risk of this is greatest in large façades, 

particularly when small windows are used, 

where they can appear lost within the 

elevation. 

Too many different types of windows, 

particularly if they appear to have no 

apparent relationship to one another, can 

result in an untidy façade. 

Too many different types of windows and 

treatments can create untidy and incoherent 

elevations. 

36 


Repeated vertical grouping that defines 

plot width and creates underlying rhythm. 


Low floor to ceiling heights can generate 

squat proportions – in this case it disrupts 

the vertical proportions that characterise 

this terrace. 

The vertical proportions of the window 

openings are able to dominate because the 

horizontal banding is a subsidiary element. 

The continuous horizontal banding dominates 

this frontage. This and the single entrance 

results in a building that reads as a monolith. 

As well as the absence of a vertical ordering 

device, the lower floor-to-ceiling heights 

of the newer building on the right are made 

more obvious by the fact that the ground 

floor is appreciably lower than the Victorian 

frontage. 


37


Victorian and Georgian architects used symmetry, 

proportions and hierarchy to create a vertical 

window grouping. 

Contemporary buildings are usually characterised by 

lower floor to ceiling heights with little or no 

variation between each floor. This requires other 

strategies to achieve vertical articulation such as 

grouping windows into vertical bands. 

Vertical Articulation (and addressing 

lower floor-to-ceiling heights) 

Articulating strategies should always be 

employed to provide street frontages with 

underlying order. The window arrangement is 

an important element in breaking down the 

scale of building frontages. For the reasons 

stated in 2.2.6, this is usually best achieved 

by emphasising the vertical proportions. 

Vertical proportions can be achieved by: 

• Designing the windows so that their 

vertical axis is greater than the horizontal 

and / or dividing each window into a series 

of vertically proportioned glazing panels. 

Horizontally proportioned windows 

can sometimes be given more vertical 

emphasis by incorporating vertically 

proportioned glazing panels. 

• Grouping windows into vertical bands 

that allow the fenestration to be read as a 

vertical grouping rather than a horizontal 

one. For example, Georgian and Victorian 

architects expressed individual terraced 

houses by pairing windows or grouping 

windows typically in a symmetrical 

arrangement. This usually involved 

employing geometric proportioning 

devices and a hierarchy that defined and 

differentiated each floor by the graduation 

of the vertical height of the windows 

within an implied vertical grouping. Later 

Victorian and Edwardian buildings also 

used other devices such as the projecting 

bays and more elaborate decoration and 

architraving. 

Lower floor-to-ceiling heights of modern 

houses can reduce the opportunity to 

graduate windows in this way, and can 

generate inappropriately squat or horizontally 

proportioned buildings and windows. 

38 



The glazing bars of the UPVC replacement 

windows are so thick that they take up most 

of the window aperture. 

As well as the unsympathetic repainting, the 

metal replacement windows undermine the 

coherence and quality of this unusual frontage. 

The unsympathetic UPVC replacement windows 

are revealed by the outward tilt of the casement 

window as well as the fake glazing bars. 

The original crittal windows have suffered 

from an ad hoc replacement resulting in an 

incoherent mismatch. 


39


The balconies help to reinforce the window 

pairing / grouping that underlies the rhythm 

of this frontage. 

Management or lease arrangements are 

helpful to ensure that balconies are not 

undermined by clutter. 

Glazed balconettes that allow the vertically 

proportioned windows to read through. 

Window Types 

Where window replacement is sought in 

existing buildings, they should normally be 

done in the original style and materials, for 

example, timber sliding sash windows on 

Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian properties, 

and Crittall windows on inter and post-war 

buildings. This is most necessary on street 

frontages where the windows are visible from 

the public realm. 

Replacing timber or Crittall windows with 

modern alternatives such as UPVC windows, 

and to a lesser extent, powder coated 

aluminium windows are usually unacceptable 

not only because they are an unsympathetic 

material but also because glazing bar profiles 

are usually substantially bigger. The width of 

the opening light frame is also usually greater 

than the fixed pane. For these reasons they 

can look cumbersome. Their extra solidity can 

undermine the solid / void relationship of wall 

and window. Where it involves the 

replacement of Crittall windows, the extra 

width of the glazing bars can also reduce the 

amount of daylight penetration. 

However, some powder coated alluminium 

products can achieve slenderer profiles and 

can sometimes provide acceptable 

replacements on post-war buildings. 

Where they are considered acceptable, 

window replacements should be applied 

universally across the elevation to ensure 

consistency. 

2.3.2 Balconies 

As well as providing useful outside space, 

balconies can help articulate a façade. They 

tend to work best within larger 

developments where they can contribute to 

creating a rhythm when they are grouped 

vertically across floors and horizontally 

spaced within regular intervals. 

40 


Conversely, they can be inappropriate if they 

are allowed to dominate an elevation by 

covering the whole frontage. Continuous 

repetition of balconies can appear 

monotonous unless they are carefully grouped 

in a manner that contributes to the rhythm of 

the street frontage. Balconies that continue 

horizontally across the entire façade tend to 

inappropriately accentuate both the horizontal 

proportions and the overall scale of the building, 

unless they are offset by a strong vertical 

proportioning device. They also can also 

undermine natural surveillance by obscuring 

the views from the windows. 

Care must be taken to ensure that balconies 

work with the language of the rest of the 

façade. A vertically proportioned window can 

read as a horizontal one if the bottom half is 

obscured by the balcony balustrading. Glazed 

or transparent balustrading can address this 

and ensure natural surveillance is not 

impeded. Management or lease arrangements 

are nevertheless helpful to ensure that 

balconies are kept clear of clutter. 

Balconies must be carefully integrated, and 

positively contribute to the order of the 

whole of the street frontage. They are also 

less likely to fit into a street if the adjacent 

frontages have no balconies or similar 

features. 

Balconies can provide additional sense of 

structural depth when they are recessed 

within the façade. This must not undermine 

the potential natural surveillance benefits; 

there should preferably be a window serving a 

living room also on the front face of the 

building, or the balcony should not be too 

deep. 

When balconies extend outwards from the 

main façade they can appear as “bolt on” after 

thoughts. If they project too far from the 

façade, they can also appear to unbalance the 

building. 

These balconies are neatly integrated into 

the façade, but care needs to be taken that 

natural surveillance is not sacrificed as a result 

of recessing the window too deep. 

Balconies should avoid looking 

as if they are “bolt-on” after thoughts. 



41


Use of different facing materials can have 

disastrous results. 

Care needs to be taken 

to ensure that the new 

material is sympathetic 

with the local vernacular. 

2.3.3 Use of Materials 

The use of materials needs to be considered 

both in terms of the relationship with the 

surrounding built form as well as the 

articulation of a façade. 

Blending or Contrasting with the Context 

Care needs to be taken to ensure that the 

new material is sympathetic with the local 

vernacular. 

The prevailing type of materials in the 

immediate surrounds will often influence the 

choice of main facing material. It is often 

desirable for a new building to blend into its 

surrounds by using complementary 

materials for the sake of consistency and to 

ensure that it does not inappropriately draw 

the eye or undermine local distinctiveness. 

Sometimes the quality and nature of the 

proposed architecture can demand the use of 

contrasting materials. This is particularly the 

case if the character of the new building is 

underscored by its use of modern materials, 

and where traditional materials may 

undermine the integrity of the proposal. 

Where a new building is located next to an 

architecturally important building it may be 

sometimes necessary to use a material that 

allows the existing building to continue to 

be read in its own terms – the use of similar 

material may blur the boundary or compete 

between the existing and new building. 

The use of red brick draws the eye 

towards this building because it 

inappropriately contrast with the 

yellow stock of the original Victorian 

neighbours. 

42 



One-off new buildings often work better with contrasting materials. 

The glazed / minimalist approach does not compete with the original buildings and allows them to be easily read. 


43


This elevation suffers from being too 

busy as a result of both the variation in 

the use of materials and the variety of 

recesses and projections. 

This frontage cleverly reinterprets a 

building within the adjacent Victorian 

shopping parade using contemporary 

materials and articulating devices. 

The vertical proportions are too exaggerated. 

The facade would benefit from some 

articulation at the top and bottom. 

Articulating a Façade 

Use of different materials can help to 

articulate and add interest to a façade. For 

instance, as stated above, materials can be 

used as a framing device to group elements 

such as windows. However, care needs to be 

taken not to overload a façade; if too many 

materials are used then it can appear untidy or 

too busy. To retain the coherence of an 

elevation, it is often a good idea to restrict the 

number of different materials and to employ 

the same material in different parts of the 

façade. 

Attention also needs to be given to ensuring 

the right contrast between different materials. 

The scale of a frontage can be broken down by 

following the rules of classicism of articulating 

a base, middle and top differently. This can 

work well on high frontages. Care needs to be 

taken when employing this on lower buildings, 

as it might have the opposite effect if it results 

in horizontal banding and undermines the 

vertical proportions. The scale of a frontage 

can be further reduced by articulating the top 

floor as a recessive element and employing 

materials such as glass and steel with a 

lightweight appearance. 

Expressing the various uses of buildings in 

different ways can sometimes break down 

façades. An open glazed shopfront on the 

ground floor normally provides a good 

contrast to a solid frontage above. 

Materials that work best together often have 

a contrasting texture as well as colour; for 

example timber, brick, metal and render. The 

Edwardians were particularly successful in 

creating complex patterns from different 

colour bricks (as well as stone and terracotta). 

This is rarely affordable today and a reliance 

upon different colour brickwork to provide the 

necessary articulation is usually insufficient 

unless the grain of the bricks provides contrast. 

For example, yellow stock bricks and smooth 

dark grey engineering brick can sometimes 

work, particularly if one of the brick types 

projects or is recessed against the other. 

44 



The materials have been sensibly 

rationalised - the same grey metal finish 

has been used to group and frame the 

windows and the roof. 

Standing seams can appear crude and 

undermine the quality of a building 

particularly if it is characterised by its 

minimal reliance on decoration. 

The use of different colour bricks 

particularly if used in the same plane with 

little variation in the grain rarely provides a 

successful articulating device. 

Poor brick selection can cause problems 

with the long term appearance of a 

building. 


45


Colour needs to be used with care. 

Colour that is carefully chosen and intelligently 

integrated within the façade can sometimes add 

interest. 

Quality, Ageing and Sustainability of 

Materials 

Good quality materials and fixings should 

always be used. This is especially the case 

with contemporary buildings, which have less 

decoration, and rely more on the finish of the 

materials. 

The choice of materials should be influenced 

by the way they age, as well as their wider 

environmental impact. The Green 

Construction Supplementary Planning 

Guidance provides detailed advice on the 

latter. Materials should normally be 

selected that wear well with age and last 

a long time, and those that are known to 

weather badly with age should be avoided. 

Consideration should be taken given to 

weathering properties of materials at the 

beginning of the design process. Care needs 

to be taken with finishes that require more 

maintenance such as some timbers. Other 

materials such as some cladding and render 

finishes can fade and appear rather dull after 

they have been sun bleached. Examples of 

how materials appear after they have been 

weathered should normally be sought. 

Use of Bright Materials 

Care needs to be taken with bright or 

colourful materials where they inappropriately 

draw attention to particular buildings, and 

away from the street or adjacent spaces. This 

is especially the case with large or prominent 

buildings which already stand out where the 

use of neutral colours or, materials that match 

their context may be more appropriate. Highly 

reflective materials may also be problematic if 

they create glare. 

Tower block finished in neutral colours 

that do not shout out loudly. 

46 


2.3.4 Articulation through Recess 

and Projection 

Facades can be further articulated by 

employing recesses and projections that can 

animate a façade. 

Emphasising Vertical Proportions 

Vertical proportions can also be reinforced 

through contrasting light and shade. These 

can help accentuate plot widths and / or 

individual houses through use of repeated 

elements such as projecting bay windows and 

recessed front entrances. Where the sub 

division of a façade is less apparent, it is 

sometimes necessary to employ vertical 

shadow lines / niches to break it up. While 

downpipes on the front elevation should 

normally be avoided, consideration will be 

given where they can help to divide up the 

elevation into narrow plots, particularly if 

they can be neatly integrated within vertical 

niches. 

When projecting elements are used, care 

needs to be taken to ensure that they do not 

inappropriately dominate the main façade or 

create recesses that undermine the 

established building line / sight lines or create 

potential hiding places. 

Window Reveals 

Structural depth can be created by employing 

deep window reveals and varying the depth 

of facing materials. Older buildings are 

often characterised by deep reveals as well as 

decorative detailing that helps enliven their 

façade through contrasts of light and shade. 

New buildings can often feel flat and lifeless in 

comparison where insufficient attention has 

been given to creating a three dimensional 

façade. Unless flush windows are an 

intrinsic part of the building’s language, 

window reveals will often be sought which 

provide the façade with some depth. 

Recess and projection of the entire façade 

can undermine the legibility of the street 

or threshold space and be at odds with the 

building line. 

This frontage may be relatively well 

organised, but the lack of window 

reveals result in a flat, lifeless façade. 



47


Deep window reveals provide facades with a sense of structural depth (top and below right). The 

flush vertically articulated planar glass is an intrinsic element of the bottom left image. The I-beams 

along the floor plates and the deeply recessed ground floor provides contrast and depth. 

48 


2.4 UNIFORM / CONSISTENT 

STREET FRONTAGES 

2.4.1 Reinforcing Rhythm and 

Uniformity 

Many of Islington’s street frontages are 

characterised by Georgian, Victorian and 

Edwardian terraces or parades. Less common 

are streets with inter / post-war housing and 

/ or semi-detached / detached houses. The 

majority of pre-1914 residential street 

frontages typically employ a consistent 

rhythm resulting from a consistent roofline 

and the repetition of the formal ordering 

of each individual house facade. This order 

is created by the proportioning system and 

grouping of the fenestration, as well as 

decorative detailing such as the cornicing. 

Where these features have been lost, the 

rhythm and unity of the terrace / parade / 

row of villas is often disrupted which normally 

undermines the overall quality of the 

streetscape. For this reason, change to the 

consistent pattern will normally be resisted. 

Where features have already been lost, their 

restoration will be sought whenever possible. 

Whilst they rarely have any of the decorative 

interest and geometric proportions of pre- 

1939 frontages, many post-war frontages 

also employ a repeated elements that can be 

easily disrupted by alterations and extensions 

that undermine the overall rhythm. 

2.4.2 Protecting Unaltered 

Rooflines 

The Front Roofline 

An important constituent to the rhythm and 

uniformity of a residential terrace or street is 

the roofline. A typical terrace or row of 

detached / semi-detached houses is designed 

with a consistent height at the front and rear. 

A well defined roofline throughout helps give 

terraces their inherent unity. It also allows the 

repeated articulation to provide the natural 

A typical Victorian terrace employing a consistent 

rhythm resulting from the repetition of the formal 

ordering of each individual house façade. 

A Georgian terrace with a consistent rhythm. 

The rhythm and unity of post-war housing can 

also be undermined by insensitive changes. 

2.4 UNIFORM / CONSISTENT STREET FRONTAGES 


49

2.4 UNIFORM 2.5 / CONSISTENT Residential STREET Rear Extensions 

FRONTAGES 

A terrace with existing roof extensions may have the 

opportunity of its unity being reconciled through 

allowing additional roof extensions to fill the gaps. 

A single roof extension undermines the 

unity of an otherwise uniform terrace. 

Further extensions could nevertheless be 

even more ruinous and potentially create 

a “gap tooth” appearance. 

Butterfly or valley roofs are particularly 

important features, which reinforce a sense of 

rhythm normally at the rear. 

rhythm that underpins the frontages. An 

extension that projects above or alters the 

original roofline at the front or rear can often 

disrupt this rhythm / unity and introduce 

features that fail to respect the scale, form, 

and character of the street frontage. Typically 

a roof extension also involves raising the flank 

boundary parapets and chimneys that further 

draws attention to itself. These considerations 

will be especially pertinent when the 

roofline is unaltered or minimally altered. In 

these cases there will be a strong 

presumption against any alteration or 

extension beyond the existing roofline. 

When considering the scope for change it is 

necessary to consider the particular 

terrace / uniform street frontage in 

question. It is not uncommon for there to be 

more than one type of frontage on one side 

of one street. What might be acceptable in 

one part of the street will not necessarily 

apply to the next terrace even if it is 

physically connected and on the same side of 

the same street. The same is true with 

terraces on the opposite side of the street. 

Outside conservation areas, there is 

sometimes scope for skylights providing they 

follow the profile of the existing roofline and 

conform to the standards set out below. 

The Rear Roofline 

While it is normally less visible from the public 

realm, the same principles apply to the 

roofline at the rear as well as the front, 

particularly where they are visible through 

gaps in the street frontage or where the 

roofline has a strong rhythm (such as 

repeated butterfly windows). Even when this 

is not the case, a break in a largely unaltered 

roofline is likely to have an adverse impact 

upon the quality of the private realm. 

Nevertheless, there will sometimes be scope 

for a small dormer window on pitched roofs 

at the rear providing it is no wider than the 

existing upper floor windows and conforms to 

the standards set out below. 

50 


2.4.3 Rooflines with Existing 

Alterations / Extensions 

Where the original roofline has been broken, 

the extent and nature of the existing roof 

additions will determine the scope for further 

change. For instance, a single roof 

extension that pre-dates the adopted UDP 

on an otherwise unbroken roofline will not 

normally constitute a precedent for further 

roof additions. While there are no absolute 

standards in these circumstances, the scope 

for roof extensions will normally be 

dependent on the following criteria: 

• The number of existing roof extensions, 

and the extent to which the unity / 

consistency of the roofline has already 

been compromised. 

• The length of the terrace – a short 

terrace with existing roof extensions may 

have the opportunity of its unity being 

reconciled through allowing additional roof 

extensions to fill the gaps. On a long terrace 

with houses in separate ownership, 

this is less likely to occur. 

• The age of the extensions – an extension 

allowed before the current UDP standards 

and policies will not normally set a 

precedent for new extensions. 

• Listed buildings and terraces within 

conservation areas will also be 

respectively subject to the detailed 

individual consideration of the listed 

building issues and Conservation Area 

Design Guidelines. 

On semi-detached villas, one sided 

extensions will normally be resisted where 

they undermine the symmetry of the 

original building. Two sided extensions on 

semi-detached villas and extensions above 

detached villas will usually only be considered 

where they exist elsewhere in the street on 

identically designed buildings. 

This roof extension has been generously set 

back but is still visible from longer views. 

One sided extensions on semi detached 

buildings undermine the symmetry of the 

original building. Despite being on both 

sides of the building, roof railings are alien 

to Victorian residential frontages and will 

normally be resisted. 



51


FRONTAGES 

A terrace with pitched ridged roofs with well 

integrated and uniformally designed dormer 

windows that maintain the rhythm of the terrace. 

A traditional mansard roof with dormer windows. 

Main Types of Roof Extensions 

Where they are acceptable, roof 

extensions on residential terraces or, 

villas must be restricted to a single storey. 

The profile and configuration of the existing 

extensions should normally be followed 

except in those cases where the existing 

design is considered out of character. The 

following are the most common types of roof 

extension: 

• A mansard roof is a traditional type of roof 

that is generally not appropriate for 

contemporary buildings. There are two 

main types. (a) Flat mansard 

incorporating steep front and back and 

almost flat top. These are usually not 

acceptable in conservation areas. 

(b) Traditional mansard incorporating a 

steep angled front and rear and shallow 

angled roof up to the ridge-line. Dormer 

windows are best suited to both types. 

• Pitched ridge roofs are occasionally used 

for roof extensions instead of a mansard. 

They can accommodate dormer windows 

or skylights that follow the roof profile if 

outside a conservation area (refer to page 

54). 

• Contemporary roof extensions typically 

incorporate modern materials (with a 

lightweight appearance such as glass and 

steel) and incorporate a vertical frontage 

and flat roof that is usually well set back 

behind the front parapet upstand. They 

are most appropriate on post-war or 

contemporary styled buildings. Sometimes 

there is scope for contemporary 

extensions on Victorian terraces where 

existing contemporary extensions already 

exist in the terrace or on corner buildings 

which are different / stand out from the 

remainder of the terrace. 

A glass and steel contemporary roof extension 

incorporating an oversailing brise soleil. 

52 


72˚ 

A flat mansard roof 


25˚ 

72˚ 

A traditional double pitch mansard roof 


53


FRONTAGES 

This dormer window is inappropriately 

elaborate. It is too solid and large. 

Types of Roof Level Fenestration 

• Dormer windows are typically 

incorporated within pitched roofs and 

mansard roofs. They generally should 

be designed so they do not draw the 

eye. Dormer windows usually work best 

where they are no wider overall than the 

windows in the façade, especially where 

they line up with the windows below. 

Larger dormers are sometimes acceptable 

where a precedent has already been 

set elsewhere in the terrace. The solid 

surrounds (cheeks) should be kept as 

unobtrusive and slender as possible – a 

simple lead cloaking with a double hung 

sash timber window is often the best 

solution. Except for the window frame 

and cloaking material, there should never 

be any solid face. The dormer should be 

positioned a clear distance below the 

ridge-line, and clear and proud of the 

boundary parapets, and above the line of 

the eaves. 

• Skylights that follow the roof profile can 

be appropriate where it is important to 

retain the profile of the roof slope. They 

are normally undesirable on mansard roofs 

or in conservation areas, where skylights 

appear as an intrusive / alien feature. They 

should also not crowd the roof – they 

should be limited to one or two per roof 

slope that are no wider than the window 

apertures in the main façade. The 

skylights should be designed with a 

slender profile so they do not appear to 

rise more than the typical depth of a 

window above the roof slope. 

This dormer window is unacceptable because: 

(1) it extends full width and loses the angle of 

the pitch roof; (2) it incorporates a solid face; 

(3) the vertical hung tiles are an inappropriate 

material; (4) it disrupts an otherwise unaltered 

roofline within the terrace; (5) the vertical 

brick built parapet boundary walls draw further 

attention to itself. 

54 


2.4.4 Side Extensions on the 

Street Frontage 

Along residential streets, which are 

organised as a series of semi-detached villas 

or houses, there is sometimes development 

pressure for front side extensions in the gaps 

between the houses. Normally infilling 

these gaps with a side extension is likely to 

undermine the rhythm of the street and / or 

the symmetry of the mirror image houses 

within the semi-detached formation. There 

may be scope for extensions where the 

proposal restores the symmetry and does not 

undermine the overall rhythm of the street 

frontage, or dominate the existing building(s). 

Side extensions often unbalance the 

original symmetry. 


Skylights should not crowd a roof slope. 


55


FRONTAGES 

The front boundary railings are so high they 

feel like security railings and undermine the 

relationship of the frontage with the street. 

2.4.5 Front Boundaries 

Front boundary walls are typically part of the 

uniform design of the residential frontage. 

They often incorporate dwarf walls and / or 

low-level railings. There will always be a 

presumption in favour of this arrangement. As 

well as contributing towards the uniformity of 

the residential frontage low-level wall / 

railing also permits a level of natural 

surveillance without undermining the privacy 

of the ground floor occupants. Boundary wall 

/ railings should be designed in a manner that 

is consistent with the existing street. They 

should provide an open aspect. High solid 

walls or railings that divorce the front façade 

with the street will normally be resisted. 

In line with the Council’s Streetbook, the loss 

of the front boundary will be strongly resisted 

where planning legislation provides control 

(refer to 3.7.2). 

An appropriate height for a front 

boundary. 

56 


2.4.6 Basement Extensions 

Basement extensions are typically created 

by excavating a lightwell area behind the 

front boundary. They can potentially increase 

the overall floor area of a building with 

little impact upon the external appearance of 

a residential terrace. Some basement 

extensions are permitted development. 

Where they fall within the scope of planning 

control, the council will seek a design which 

integrates with the existing elevation and 

front threshold. 

Basement excavations can be unsympathetic 

to the original frontage if they involve the loss 

of a verdant front garden. Where this is the 

existing characteristic of the street or terrace, 

part of the front garden should be retained. 

This may still not be acceptable if it requires a 

second line of railings close behind the front 

boundary. Providing it is acceptable on 

amenity grounds, this can normally be 

resolved by incorporating ventilation rails 

flush with the ground level and above the 

lightwell and basement window. 

This basement extension has been 

designed with a modest drop to avoid 

the need for a railing – the drop must 

meet Building Control requirements. 


In streets without verdant front thresholds, 

there is usually scope to excavate all the area 

behind the front boundary and, where direct 

access is required, incorporate an outside 

staircase. 

The basement 

windows should 

align and match the 

existing ones. 

The windows 

fail to integrate 

with the existing 

façade. 

Basement extensions can 

potentially increase the 

overall floor area of a 

building with little impact 

upon the external 

appearance of a residential 

terrace. 

Where verdant front gardens are a 

characteristic of the street, their loss 

can be harmful. 


57


FRONTAGES 

The end of terrace infill fails to respond to the 

scale and proportions of the existing terrace. 

With the exception of the balcony, this 

end of terrace infill responds to the scale 

and proportions of the terrace albeit in a 

contemporary language. 

2.4.7 End of Terrace Infill 

Development 

Nearly all Victorian / Edwardian terraces are 

characterised by a gap in the corner return 

that allows light and air in to the rear 

elevation and gardens. By allowing a glimpse 

of the rear gardens, they can also provide a 

soft backdrop to the street. For these 

reasons, there should normally be no change 

to this arrangement. Occasionally, an 

especially long gap or, outside conservation 

areas, the existence of a structure that is not 

contributing to the quality of the street, may 

however provide a justification for an infill 

building that improves the street frontage. 

There are normally only two approaches that 

satisfactorily respond to the street context: 

• A full height building that follows the 

existing scale, proportions, roofline 

and building line of the adjacent street 

frontage. In practice, land ownership and 

site constraints often make this solution 

difficult to achieve. Where a building 

proposal fails to respond to the scale and 

proportions of the existing terrace, it is 

unlikely to be acceptable. This will be the 

case if its height and width are different 

from the existing terrace buildings. 

• A building that is designed so that it 

appears as part of an existing front wall 

that connects the two terraces, but 

nevertheless separate from the terraced 

buildings. If the ground floor can be sunk, 

there is sometimes scope for a two storey 

building incorporating an upper ground 

and lower ground floor with windows 

punched into the front boundary wall and / 

or facing onto a hidden courtyard behind 

the front boundary wall. The height of the 

new building should not rise appreciably 

higher than the existing wall because 

it will otherwise cease to fit within its 

context. 

End of terrace infill building designed as 

part of the front wall. 

58 


2.5 RESIDENTIAL REAR 

EXTENSIONS 

2.5.1 Typical Arrangement 

Typically, the rear elevations of Georgian, 

Victorian and Edwardian buildings were 

originally built with a consistent arrangement 

down the length of the terrace or street. 

Some terraces were built with a flat rear face 

without rear extensions. More commonly 

they are organised in a solid / void pattern 

with an extension and lightwell “void” to 

maximise the amount of light and air reaching 

within the deep plans of many of the houses. 

The rear elevations nevertheless generally 

have less formality than the more ordered 

front elevations. This reflects the fact they 

fulfil a private rather than a public function. 

For these reasons, it is appropriate that they 

normally have some freedom to adapt / extend 

to the occupier’s requirements. 

2.5.2 General Principles 

Some extensions on single dwelling houses do 

not require planning consent under the Town 

and Country Planning (General Development 

Order) Act 1990. This guidance therefore 

applies to all extensions that fall within 

planning control. 

Rear extensions should avoid disrupting the 

existing rhythm of the existing rear 

elevations, or dominate the main building. 

Particular care needs to be given to rear 

elevations visible from the public realm 

because of gaps within the street frontage, 

and the most prominent upper part of the 

rear elevation that are most visible from the 

private realm. 

A typical arrangement incorporating deep rear 

extensions interspersed with lightwell voids. Both 

the original roofline and rear extensions remain 

unaltered. Further extensions would be 

inappropriate. 

A relatively unaltered rear elevation of a terrace 

built with a shallow full width rear extension up to 

ground floor – alterations would undermine the 

original unity. 

2.5 Residential Rear Extensions 

Contemporary ground floor rear extension can work 

well providing they are designed to a high quality. 


59


Ground and Lower Ground Floor 

Where they can be neatly accommodated, 

there will normally be scope for lower ground 

or ground floor extensions within a lightwell 

or beyond the line of the existing back 

addition providing sufficient garden space is 

retained. 

High quality contemporary extensions will 

be encouraged on lower floors except where 

conservation guidelines require extensions to 

conform to the design of the existing building. 

Upper Floor Extensions 

On the upper floors, the materials, detailing 

and form of the extension should normally be 

sympathetic to the terrace. 

Single half-width upper floor extensions 

above existing extensions are often 

acceptable providing there is a punctuating 

gap between the eaves height and the top of 

the extension. 

The natural rhythm of rear elevations can be 

disrupted by extensions above existing paired 

additions where they have a consistent 

roofline. 

Extensions that project out beyond the 

original back line of the rear extension 

above ground floor level, will normally be 

unacceptable where they: 

• Interrupt a consistent arrangement / 

rhythm. 

• Inappropriately dominate the garden / the 

main building. 

In rear elevations / projections that have a 

consistent arrangement, extensions above 

the existing rear projections will normally be 

resisted, particularly in conservation areas. 

60 



Ground floor infill extensions are normally 

acceptable in design terms. Where there are 

generous gardens and they do not impede 

upon neighbours residential amenity, there is 

sometimes opportunity to extend out beyond 

the existing back line. 

Where there is existing variation in the rear 

elevations, extensions above existing rear 

projections will normally be acceptable 

providing they are visibly below the lowest 

point of the roof. 

Upper floor extensions that project 

out beyond the existing line of the rear 

projection or, extend up to the line of the 

roof parapet / eaves normally disrupt the 

rhythm / unity of the terrace. 

Where they project above upper ground floor 

level, rear infill extensions within the lightwell 

area can undermine the rhythm of the terrace. 


61

2.6 MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURES 

A green roof successfully integrated as 

part of the building’s architecture. 

Solar panels can often be appropriately 

integrated in the roof. 

Wind turbines can be appropriately located 

on buildings. Care needs to be taken to 

ensure they do not impact adversely 

on important views and landmarks or 

undermine the other standards in this guide. 

Rear Roof Terraces 

There is sometimes scope for roof terraces 

above flat topped rear additions. The key 

design criteria, is the impact of the design 

and massing of the ballustrading upon the 

rear elevation. Their suitability will therefore 

normally be considered in terms of the above 

criteria as well as the terrace’s impact upon 

adjacent residential amenity. A contemporary 

designed ballustrade can sometimes be 

appropriate if it is consistent with an 

extension immediately below. 

2.6 MISCELLANEOUS 

STRUCTURES 

Additional structures should normally be 

integrated within their built environment and 

should not inappropriately draw attention 

to them. The only occasional exceptions are 

installations that contribute to more energy 

efficient buildings. 

2.6.1 Green Roofs and Renewable 

Energy Installations 

In line with PPS1, the IUDG supports resource 

and energy efficient buildings. Green roofs 

and external structures required to achieve 

this objective, such as solar panels and 

wind turbines, will generally be encouraged, 

especially where they can be positively 

integrated within the language of a building 

in which they are incorporated. They should 

nevertheless be carefully incorporated so they 

do not undermine other objectives within 

this guide. For instance, where a structure 

potentially compromises the uniformity of 

a terrace frontage or undermines important 

views or landmarks, they may be better 

located at the rear where they are not visible 

from the public realm. 


2.6.2 Advertising and Signs 

Section 3.2.15 / 16 / 17 and policy Env 11 

of the UDP sets out the principles, standards 

and policies on advertisements and signs. The 

Islington Streetbook deals with highway signs 

or signs incorporated on street furniture in 

more detail, and shopfront signs are 

considered in the Shopfront Guide. 

Signs 

Where signs are allowed care needs to be 

taken to ensure that they visually integrate 

with the building or places they are attached 

to. They should also not be unduly prominent 

except in the case of “destination” public 

buildings where high level signage (above 

ground floor level) will sometimes be 

appropriate. They should also not unduly 

obscure shopfronts (refer to 3.4.2). 

Hoardings 

The size and temporary appearance of many 

advertising hoardings makes them normally 

particularly unsympathetic to their surrounds. 

The often-repeated commercial messages 

also undermine local distinctiveness. 

Generally, they will not be acceptable in 

conservation areas. Elsewhere, they will only 

be acceptable in exceptional circumstances, 

where they are not visible from the wider 

surrounds and provide a positive contribution. 

For instance, back-lit hoardings underneath 

bridges can sometimes contribute to making a 

less threatening environment – however, they 

will need to be carefully designed so they are 

well-integrated with their surrounds. 

2.6.3 Telecommunication Aerials 

and Equipment 

As with signs, telecommunication aerials 

and equipment often contribute to physical 

clutter. Every opportunity should be made to 

rationalise and reduce their impact within the 

public realm. 

Signage should not be allowed to unduly 

dominate. 

Signage can sometimes be justified for 

important public buildings. This sign has 

a sculptural / playful quality. It also has a 

practical role because it replaces the need 

for unsightly 3 metre high crowd control 

bollards. 



63


Satellite Dishes and TV Antennae 

When they are affixed to a street frontage 

or a part of the roof visible from the public 

realm, satellite dishes often adversely impact 

upon the streetscape and inappropriately 

obscure or draw the eye away from a building 

façade. For this reason they should normally 

be located out of view from the public realm. 

While their impact is less, standard television 

antennae should preferably be located 

towards the rear of the roof. On blocks of 

flats and larger buildings, consideration should 

also be given to rationalising television 

equipment by providing a communal aerial 

that serves the entire building. 

Mobile Phone Masts 

Satellite dishes can undermine street 

frontages and should be located out of 

view from the public realm. 

Particular care needs to be taken with mobile 

phone masts to ensure their size and height 

does not inappropriately dominate the 

surrounding public realm. They should only be 

allowed where they are largely obscured from 

the surrounding public realm, and do not 

impact adversely upon the skyline from 

longer views. 

2.6.4 Other Roof Structures 

Roof structures that are not an integral 

part of the building such as plant or railings 

should normally be avoided, particularly if 

they are visible from the public realm or 

undermines residential amenity. If space for 

plant machinery is required this should be 

accommodated within the building envelope. 

Lift overruns that project above the roofline 

should be avoided. If this is not possible, they 

should be incorporated on the rear part of 

the roof, where they are not visible from the 

street. 

Railings and plant on roof should be avoided.

Urban Design Guide - Section 2 Enhance and ... - Islington Council

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