Appeal 3284879

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for rear dormers with front rooflights at [site address] , Southgate, [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application Ref 21/01864/HOU, dated 6 May 2021 and in accordance with the following conditions:

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

The materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted shall match those used in the existing building;

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plan: 1885JA_HH SH2 [name].

The description of development is taken from the decision notice. The Council’s officer’s report refers to the submission of a revised plan, which is the approved plan referred to above.

The main issue in this case is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the Lakes Estate Conservation Area.

The appeal property is a semi-detached, square bay-fronted, two storey dwelling located in a residential area. It is situated about half-way along [address], a long street of similar two storey semi-detached dwellings.

The appeal property is located within the Lakes Estate Conservation Area, a dense residential area comprising a series of roughly parallel streets of mostly closely-spaced Edwardian semi-detached and terraced two storey dwellings set along continuous building lines. The spatial character of the streets of the [name], with roads and footways of similar width, houses set back from the streets behind small gardens and/or parking areas and pairs of houses set so closely together as to afford an impression of continuous lines of building, all combine to provide for a significant sense of uniformity.

Whilst the detailed appearance of dwellings in the Lakes Estate Conservation Area differs – and I observed during my site visit that alterations and extensions over the years have added to the unique appearance of individual dwellings – the overall sense of uniformity is enhanced by a number of features, including the rhythmic effect of alternating a pair of houses with canted bay windows and a pair with square bays; the regular spacing of street trees; and the presence of distinctive architectural detailing and decoration to front façades, including amongst other things, highly decorative entrance porches and ornately designed front doors and windows.

Like other dwellings along [address], the appeal property is set back from the street behind a parking area and has a long garden to the rear. Like the front of other pairs of dwellings along [address], the appeal property is no longer identical to the adjoining dwelling, No [address], but does share with it a significant sense of symmetry, with the with the eye being drawn to the pair of dwellings’ square bay frontages and the ornately decorated entrance porches.

Further to the above, during my site visit, I noted that many properties along [address] have been altered and/or extended. Apart from the replacement of front gardens with parking areas, alterations to the front of properties tend to be limited to relatively small changes, whilst larger extensions and alterations to the rear appear commonplace. [name] observed there to be many examples of front rooflights along [address], I noted that these tend to be small and unobtrusive. Being at roof level they are also partly hidden, especially from ground level views, by the tall and prominent bays and gables which dominate the streetscene.

Two small rooflights are proposed to the front roof of the appeal property. These would be partly hidden from general views by the tall square front gable feature and being small and high up along a street characterised by tall and densely developed dwellings, would not draw attention to themselves in any way. The two rooflights would appear neither prominent nor detrimental to the character of the roof nor to the overall appearance of the house when seen from [address]. Rather than appear incongruous, the rooflights would occasionally be glimpsed as unobtrusive additions. They would provide for internal improvements whilst conserving the special qualities of the host property and the Lakes Estate Conservation Area. 10.The proposed rear dormer’s dual pitched roof reflects a sensitive approach to design that avoids the creation of a dormer of large and “boxy” appearance, like others visible to the rear of neighbouring properties. Whilst the rear of the appeal property is largely invisible to all but private views from its closest neighbours, I find that the proposed dormer would create additional living space 2 in a manner that would respond to, rather than dominate the host property and that it would appear in proportion to the main roof, as well as that of the very large rear outrigger. 11.Whilst no such dormer extension appears on the roof of the attached dwelling, No 45, the perfect symmetry of pairs of dwellings is not a common characteristic of the area to the rear of [address], whereas the prevalence of alterations and extensions is. [name] 45 and 47 appear similar, there is little visual symmetry across the wider roofscape of this part of [address]. Given this and all of the above, I find that the proposed dormer extension would appear in keeping with the host property and the surrounding area and in this way, would conserve local heritage. 12.Consequently, I find that the proposed development would preserve the character and appearance of the Lakes Conservation Area and would not be contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework; to London Plan (2021) Policies H3, H4 and HC1; to Core Strategy1 Policies CP30 and CP31; to DMD2 Policies DMD13, DMD37 and DMD44; or to the Lakes Estate Conservation Area Character Appraisal, which together amongst other things, seek to protect local character.