This is a Victorian street in Carrington, Nottingham. Observe how the pitch of dormer roofs is consistent with the pitch of building roofs along the street. Roof detailing has also been added in proportion with the overall design. This makes the scene harmonic and beautiful.
3. Roofs & dormer windows
Most residential buildings in Nottingham have a pitched roof, this means that the roofs are not flat but they have a slope. The angle of roofs varies across the city and largely depends on the period in which the house was built. Proposed extensions need to include roofs with angles and materials that are in keeping with the character of the existing house.
A dormer is a roofed structure that projects vertically beyond the plane of a pitched roof. When it has a glass plane it is called a dormer window. Dormers are commonly used to increase the usable space in a loft and to create window openings in a roof plane. Proposed dormer windows need to be in keeping with the character or the original house and street.
Design Criteria
3.1 Proposed extensions have roofs that match the original house in pitch (slope), form, material and colour.
3.2 Ridge and eves sit lower than those in the original building.
3.3 Proposed dormer windows line up with existing windows and are not flat-roofed unless agreed with the case officer.
3.4 Proposed dormer windows are set back from the face of the front wall of the existing house, in character with the area.
3.5 Proposed roof lights and solar panels are evenly spaced, matching/relating to existing features.
This diagram shows that it is important to choose a dormer style and pitch that sits well in the context and within the architectural style of the building.