As London’s basement phenomenon grows, so too does irritation at what some see as greed. But what’s so wrong with digging down, asks one London architect

To many they are a plague, to others an opportunity, but whether big or small, they are always controversial. A report earlier this year revealed that the number of applications for house basements in London has more than tripled since 2011. The rise of the multistorey “iceberg” basement, with cinemas, swimming pools and bowling alleys, has seen Rachel Johnson, Brian May, Ruby Wax and even the French government attempt to fight off the ambitions of the super rich. But are all basements so bad? It’s time to sort the truth from the myths.

Digging down is plain greedy

Families grow and moving is expensive. Also, children are staying at home longer as setting up home becomes harder so buildings need to adapt to their owners’ needs. In the past, homes usually sprawled out or up but in central London– one big conservation area – this just isn’t possible. Some mavericks have suggested that adding an extra two floors to any London building would solve the housing crisis. But right now digging down is the only option for families bursting at the seams.

Victorian London cheerfully created dark, damp subterranean spaces below pavements

Going underground is a new phenomenon

Digging down to better suit our housing requirements is nothing new – it’s an extension of the cellar. Victorian London cheerfully created dark, damp subterranean spaces below pavements. If you own a house on a London street, you usually own the land under the pavement up to the centre of the road. One London architectural practice was pilloried in the press for suggesting building a basement under the pavement directly abutting their client’s house. This was legal and won planning consent. The neighbours had tried to characterise it as an illegal land grab, despite the fact Victorians built coal cellars under pavements all over London precisely because they owned this subsoil.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Raumplan house and garden, Dublin, Ireland designed by John Feely Architects. Photograph: Alamy

Trucks will trundle at all hours

If you’re living near someone digging a basement, you most likely live in London. Property values elsewhere in the UK mean it doesn’t make sense to dig. So get over it. You already live in a big, noisy city. If you want peace and quiet, buy a cottage in Devon. The fleets of supermarket home delivery vans cause more noise and traffic in much of London.

Basements can’t be built without damaging neighbours’ houses

Building a basement under an old building has been likened to open heart surgery. In many cases this is accurate, but of course open heart surgery has become a pretty everyday procedure. In the end it comes down to the quality of the teams carrying out the work. Local authorities have gone off in the wrong direction; instead of creating ever more planning hoops through which building owners must jump, they should create lists of accredited contractors and consultants that everyone can agree have the certifiable skills for the job. There’s currently no regulation beyond the standard professional qualifications needed for doing any building works. If you’re able to choose your heart surgeon, you’ll want to ensure they’re a good one.

Most of London sits on clay. Clay doesn’t absorb water. Hence digging a big hole isn’t going to affect the water table

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mirrored storage in a basement reading room. Photograph: Alamy

Basements affect the local water table

A common complaint from neighbours trying to derail a planning application. Most of London sits on clay. Clay doesn’t absorb or allow the transit of groundwater. Hence digging a big hole in clay isn’t going to affect the water table.

The works aren’t tightly policed by local authorities

You should see the mountain of paperwork we have to shift before anyone starts digging even a molehill.

The specialist contractors don’t know what they’re doing

London probably has the world’s highest concentration of outstanding structural engineers and for land value reasons has probably now become the world capital of domestic basement building. Consequently, a specialised, well-managed and ultra-efficient basement excavation industry has grown up in the city. If London can safely dig Crossrail, it can safely dig domestic basements. Perhaps these are skills we should be exporting abroad.