This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19715278
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| An underground extension beneath the garden lawn | An underground extension beneath the garden lawn |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| By Neil Bowdler BBC News, Ilford, Greater London | By Neil Bowdler BBC News, Ilford, Greater London |
| The Ilford home of school teacher Marian Myers and her family appears little different to the other chalet-style homes on this tree-lined road. | |
| There are signs of renovation - extensions in the roof line and one to the rear, but nothing unusual. | There are signs of renovation - extensions in the roof line and one to the rear, but nothing unusual. |
| Even the back garden looks like any other, until you notice the square glass windows in the ground - one in the decking, the other beneath a children's slide. | Even the back garden looks like any other, until you notice the square glass windows in the ground - one in the decking, the other beneath a children's slide. |
| In fact, underneath almost the entire garden is a large underground extension, measuring some four by 10 metres. | In fact, underneath almost the entire garden is a large underground extension, measuring some four by 10 metres. |
| The route to the below-garden extension is through a door in the kitchen which leads down to a play room populated by prams and glitter balls. It is very light - and large. | The route to the below-garden extension is through a door in the kitchen which leads down to a play room populated by prams and glitter balls. It is very light - and large. |
| "It's a bit of subterranean living in urban Ilford," Ms Myers says as we stare up to the garden and sky above us. | |
| "It's soundproof as well, which is great when you've got five or six children in here. We've lost no garden at all upstairs and gained so much space downstairs. It's brilliant." | "It's soundproof as well, which is great when you've got five or six children in here. We've lost no garden at all upstairs and gained so much space downstairs. It's brilliant." |
| So soundproof, indeed, that when the children want to communicate from the garden by knocking on the windows, she can't hear anything. | So soundproof, indeed, that when the children want to communicate from the garden by knocking on the windows, she can't hear anything. |
| "It's a perfect solution," she laughs. | "It's a perfect solution," she laughs. |
| The room is lit by two bullet-proof roof lights and features a ventilation system and a pump to remove toilet waste. | The room is lit by two bullet-proof roof lights and features a ventilation system and a pump to remove toilet waste. |
| The extension, which comprises a large play room and a shower room, is the work of Stuart Moss of Underground Living, a builder and planning consultant. It's his first such project and came in at £120,000. | The extension, which comprises a large play room and a shower room, is the work of Stuart Moss of Underground Living, a builder and planning consultant. It's his first such project and came in at £120,000. |
| Innovative thinking | Innovative thinking |
| He wants to turn the idea into a specialist business, and offer a one-stop shop for garden conversions. He now has a finished example to show prospective clients. | He wants to turn the idea into a specialist business, and offer a one-stop shop for garden conversions. He now has a finished example to show prospective clients. |
| Mr Moss says the idea came to him when he looked at the need for space in his own house. | Mr Moss says the idea came to him when he looked at the need for space in his own house. |
| "We were running out of space at home - children growing up, getting bigger and we were just thinking 'What's the next stage if they can't afford to move out?'" he told BBC News. | "We were running out of space at home - children growing up, getting bigger and we were just thinking 'What's the next stage if they can't afford to move out?'" he told BBC News. |
| "That's where the crazy idea came from - can we live underground and build underground?" | "That's where the crazy idea came from - can we live underground and build underground?" |
| Ms Myers' home is not the first underground house in the UK. Several "eco-houses", which use earth to insulate homes have been built, not least the former Manchester United footballer Gary Neville's "flower house". | |
| There has also been a recent drive within more salubrious postcodes of the country to excavate basements to create more space, which has led to several high-profile rows with neighbours. | There has also been a recent drive within more salubrious postcodes of the country to excavate basements to create more space, which has led to several high-profile rows with neighbours. |
| Now home-owners and builders are looking to the garden. | Now home-owners and builders are looking to the garden. |
| The planning application for the Ilford extension was considered by the planning team at the local Redbridge council offices. | The planning application for the Ilford extension was considered by the planning team at the local Redbridge council offices. |
| "It's not the sort of run-of-the-mill mill application that you would normally expect to receive," planning officer Alan Romain told the BBC. | "It's not the sort of run-of-the-mill mill application that you would normally expect to receive," planning officer Alan Romain told the BBC. |
| "If we had that depth of extension which was on the garden itself, then it would be unlikely to get planning permission. | "If we had that depth of extension which was on the garden itself, then it would be unlikely to get planning permission. |
| "But the only part of the development which would be visible to a local resident were the roof lights, and members were quite happy if that was the only effect there was, then planning permission should be granted." | "But the only part of the development which would be visible to a local resident were the roof lights, and members were quite happy if that was the only effect there was, then planning permission should be granted." |
| "It's a very innovative way of retaining garden space yet also providing additional floor space" | "It's a very innovative way of retaining garden space yet also providing additional floor space" |
| A radio report on the underground extension will feature on Radio 4's PM programme Thursday at 5pm | A radio report on the underground extension will feature on Radio 4's PM programme Thursday at 5pm |