Appeal 3278884

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a car port at Morello, [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 2021/0680, dated 24 February 2021, and the plans submitted with it.

The car port has already been erected and I have amended the description of the development proposed to remove unnecessary reference to the application seeking planning permission retrospectively.

The main issue is the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area.

[address] is part of a private estate comprised of large, detached houses set back from the road in off-set positions and within spacious plots, behind a landscaped verge and planted front boundaries. There is a broad consistency in the size, orientation and positioning of houses and plots, but there are variations in architectural styles.

The car port has been erected in front of a double garage, running along the northern boundary of the appeal site. The off-set positioning of dwellings ensures that it does not protrude beyond the front elevation of [address] to the north, despite being closer to the highway. Tall, thick hedging forms part of the side and front boundaries of the appeal site, partially obscuring views of the car port from the road.

The car port has been built to a high quality minimalistic design timber and metal elements which include cedar slats to the sides. It adjoins the double garage at eaves level and is of a size which is commensurate to the large dwelling and plot, and spacious surroundings.

The car port is taller than the front boundary hedging, but it is seen as a modest addition to the frontage of the appeal site on account of its limited height and open south-eastern elevation. Its high quality finish is appreciable in the limited available views from outside the appeal site and its overall design and siting complement the architectural form of the appeal dwelling. It is lower than the adjacent side boundary planting and forms a neat, coordinated relationship with [address], to the north.

The southerly aspects of the appeal site and the neighbouring plot to the north, which form part of the distinctive townscape of the area referred to in the Design and Character Supplementary Planning Document Companion Guide1, are therefore preserved. The car port’s angled position to the road reflects the prevailing positioning of buildings along [address].

Although the thick boundary planting obscuring views of the car port from outside the appeal site cannot be relied upon in perpetuity, I consider it likely that such, or similar, planting would remain along these boundaries in future. Even in the absence of thick boundary planting, the minimalistic and open design of the car port would have little effect on the overall quality of the character and appearance of the area.

Therefore, although the car port has been constructed closer to the road than most other buildings along [address], its location, design, appearance and scale are not incongruous with its surroundings. It comfortably blends with the appeal dwelling and the neighbouring building to the north without causing any harm to the street scene or the character or appearance of the area.

The car port accords with Policy DM2 of the Elmbridge Local Plan Development Management Plan (2015) and Policies CS10 and CS17 of the [name] (2011). These require, amongst other things, all new development to achieve high quality design which integrates with, takes account of, and preserves local character.

I have not been provided with any suggested conditions and as the car port has already been constructed, I do not consider any conditions would be reasonable or necessary.

There are no material considerations that indicate the application should be determined other than in accordance with the development plan. For the reasons given above, I therefore conclude that the appeal should be allowed.