As with dormer windows, rooflights should generally be used with restraint. Clustered or oversized rooflights can often blight designs and visually disrupt the roofscape of a building. Rooflights should usually finish flush to the roof slope and be made recessive. They can be interesting additions particularly on contemporary designs.
Double stacking of rooflights should be avoided and attention should be paid to the siting of rooflights to ensure they react to the elevation below and align with existing openings. The use of balcony opening rooflights can often appear intrusive and careful attention should be paid to neighbouring amenity to avoid impact and overlooking.
In conservation areas and on listed buildings, 'conservation style' rooflights should be the default choice. As well as finishing flush to the roofline, these rooflights offer a black finish and a central glazing bar to further reduce their visual impact.
The use of lanterns within extensions and garden rooms can also offer solutions to gain additional natural light. These lanterns can be made to finish flush or offer low-level profiles reducing their wider visual impact.
The Building Regulations provides guidance on the allowable amount of glazing, large glazed rooflights/lanterns may need further justification to show compliance. Contact the Building Control team at NNDC for further guidance.
