Development Management Policies - Direction of ... - Islington Council

5 Housing
Minimum sizes for private
outdoor space:
Unit type (persons)
7p
8p
Minimum (m 2 )
10
11
D. All private outdoor space is required to provide step-free access and a level threshold
from the home.
E. Balconies providing amenity space should have a depth of not less than 1.5 metres and
gardens should have a depth of not less than 4.5 metres.
F. All ground floor units are required to have access to private outdoor amenity space of at
least 30m 2 .
Also refer to Policy DM49 (Play Space) for additional requirements for the provision of play
space and DM48 (New Public Open Space).
5.0.33 Private outdoor amenity space requirements have focused on the size of gardens. This
has meant that if a new building or converted house has flats that do not have access to
a garden, no other outside space has been provided. Given the dense built character of
Islington, ground level gardens are difficult to provide, and access is often given only to
the ground floor residences. If a communal garden is provided good accessibility,
management and maintenance are key to its success. However, this costs money and
still does not provide residents with their own private outdoor space accessible directly
from their home.
5.0.34 Balconies and roof terraces/gardens can help provide some outdoor space for city dwellers
where gardens are not achievable. Larger buildings can have the ability to provide both
private balconies and communal roof terraces. Using roofs for amenity space can reduce
runoff of rain water by having plants and surfaces which slow the rate of water runoff. It
is acknowledged there can be a potential conflict in the use of roofs between the need for
amenity space and creating green roofs and providing space for renewable energy
purposes. Good design should aim to resolve any potential conflicts between creating
green roofs, providing renewable energy and supplying amenity space on roofs for
residents. It may be that some roof space may not always be suitable for amenity purposes.
5.0.35 Concerns with overlooking and noise have traditionally meant that roof terraces have not
been considered acceptable but careful design can reduce this impact. Concerns regarding
noise should also be considered in the context of the noise generated by residents using
their gardens, and how that currently impacts on dwellings above them.
Development Management Policies - Direction of Travel Islington Council
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