These are often an unthinkable offence against design and planning policy in many planning departments. Many don’t even like them on the rear of houses but are powerless to stop them under GPDO / PDR legislation (developing an example of which has been keeping the grey cells busy this morning).
But the front, full width, flat dormer is not impossible, as Zollikon has just proved by achieving planning permission for exactly this – at the first attempt. A little more attention to the Design Statement than usual developed the case by close reference to the existing house design and an analysis of neighbouring architecture and recent planning decisions in the area to show how the proposal would actually result in a better outcome than might be the case if simply unthinkingly following rules and guidelines without any flexibility.
Thankfully, the LPA (Local Planning Authority) agreed that the proposal would ‘ameliorate the grain of the local vernacular’. Exactly!