The appeal of rooftop developments is not difficult to recognise and landlords and developers are delivering them in ever greater numbers. They can work beneficially for:

• Landlords who can command significant premiums for granting an air space lease with development rights
• Developers who are working with an existing infrastructure, keeping construction costs low
• Existing residents, if they are offered a common parts upgrade (or similar)
• Penthouse flat buyers who enjoy the views
• Locals who can appreciate the improved aesthetic of a redesigned roof line
• Planners and local authorities whose residential density numbers are enhanced and whose policies encourage them.

This article sets out the practical and legal steps and considerations that are important for the smooth and successful implementation of a rooftop development: