Appeal 3281818

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a proposed dormer to the front of the dwelling to existing attic room at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 21/03701/FU, dated 27 April 2021, and the plans submitted with it, subject to the following conditions:

The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision.

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: [name]. 3180 01 dated 27 April 2021.

The material to be used on the sides of the dormer hereby permitted shall match the roof covering of the existing dwelling.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) was published on 20 July 2021. Paragraph 218 indicates that its policies are material considerations which should be taken into account in dealing with applications from the day of publication. The principal parties were therefore invited to comment on whether the revised Framework has any implications for this appeal but did not submit any comments. I have determined the appeal having regard to the provisions of the revised Framework.

Whilst not referred to in the reason for refusal, the Holbeck Neighbourhood Plan (NP) which was formally made on 9 April 2018 forms part of the development plan for Holbeck. The appeal site is located within a Housing Heritage Area which is identified as a non-designated heritage asset within the NP. The main parties were therefore invited to comment on the implications of this for the appeal but did not submit any comments.

Against this background, the main issue in this case is the effect of the proposed development on the significance of the Housing Heritage Area as a non-designated heritage asset, having particular regard to the effect on the character and appearance of the host property and the [address] street scene.

The appeal dwelling is a late 19th Century dwelling at the western end of [address]. Based on the NP, the significance of the Housing Heritage Area derives from its road layout, the back to back form of the terraced dwellings and their strong historical connection with the area’s industrial heritage. The regular grid iron layout of the surrounding streets and the similarity in the materials, detailing and pattern of door and window openings in the terraces’ front elevations creates a degree of regularity and uniformity in the [address] street scene.

The Householder Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (2012) (SPD) indicates that dormer windows on front elevations are not normally acceptable, particularly on unbroken roof slopes. The SPD recognises, however, that on some streets the predominance of dormer windows changes its appearance sufficiently for dormer windows to be considered part of the character. In these circumstances, the SPD indicates that dormer windows on the front elevation should be small, retaining the original roof form, constructed of appropriate materials and should reflect the proportions and positions of existing windows.

The terraced row within which the appeal property is located does not have dormer windows, but there are velux windows serving the roof space. Ten of the dwellings on the opposite side of [address] have been extended at roof level with box dormer windows, including Nos 28 – 32 opposite the appeal dwelling. On the appeal site side, Nos 1 and 9 have box dormer window extensions.

Although the dormers on the dwellings opposite the appeal dwelling are in an elevated position, they are a regular and established feature in the street scene which are visible when walking along [address] in either direction. I therefore conclude that due to their number and visibility, dormer windows have become an established feature in the street scene.

There would be adequate separation distance between the window and the eaves, ridge and sides of the existing roof to ensure that a sufficient area of the roof plane would remain and the window would therefore appear as a proportionate addition. The window’s horizontal proportions would not reflect the vertical and more traditional proportions of the dwelling’s existing windows as required by the SPD, but the dormer would be seen as a separate feature from the existing windows and its central position over the doorway would help to maintain a degree of symmetry in the front elevation. It would be seen in conjunction with the other dormer windows in the street scene and would not appear as an unusual or discordant addition.

Although the dormer would project above the existing unbroken roof plane, it would appear as an appropriate addition to the host dwelling and I conclude that it would not harm the character and appearance of the host property or the regular and uniform character of the [address] street scene and would conserve the significance of the Holbeck Heritage Housing Area.

For these reasons, I find no conflict with Policies GP5 and BD6 of the Leeds Unitary Development Plan Review (2006), Policy P10 of the [name] and principle HDG1 of the SPD which collectively require high quality design for new development and that alterations and extensions should respect the scale, form, detailing and materials of the original building and the locality. The proposal would also accord with NP Policy HC3 which requires development within the Holbeck Housing Heritage Area to respect the characteristics which give the area its distinctive identity and with the provisions of the Framework that proposals affecting heritage assets should take account of the desirability of sustaining and enhancing their significance.

In addition to the standard time limit condition, I have attached a condition specifying the approved plans in the interests of certainty. In the interests of the character and appearance of the host property I have specified a condition requiring the external materials used on the sides of the dormer to match the roof covering of the existing dwelling.

For the reasons outlined above and having had regard to all other matters raised, the appeal should be allowed.