Appeal 3285572

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for first floor extension at [site address] , Kenilworth [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application, [name]/21/0872, dated 4 May 2021, subject to the following conditions:

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

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: BLR / 02 [name] and Site Location Plan Ref: #00628689-D296B5.

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 site visit was undertaken by an Appeal Planning Officer whose recommendation is set out below and to which the Inspector has had regard before deciding the appeal.

The effect of the proposed extension upon the character and appearance of the street scene.

No [site address] is a two-storey semi-detached property where the ground floor projects forward of the first floor across the full width of the dwelling and the attached dwelling. The surrounding dwellings comprise pairs of dwellings in several different styles, with consistent scale and proportions but some variation in the design and the materials used. This consistency positively contributes to the character and appearance of the street scene.

The proposed extension would only extend approximately half the width of the dwelling with the ridge set well below that of the main roof. It would not be built forward of the ground floor and would use matching materials. As a result, the proposal would appear proportionate and subservient to the existing dwelling and its scale would not unbalance the appearance of the pair. It would also respect the characteristic features of the dwelling by retaining the decorative window designs and a significant amount of the ground floor forward projection adjoining that of the attached dwelling.

The various house designs on the wider estate incorporate different window types and rendered panels or brickwork at first floor, therefore they are not uniform at this level. No 21 has a similar first floor extension to that proposed, as do several other dwellings within the wider estate on similar house types. As a result, and due to its sympathetic design, the proposed extension would not appear alien or incongruous within the street scene. Consequently, the scale and appearance of the proposed extension would not harmfully disrupt the consistent appearance of the dwellings or the street scene.

Therefore, the proposed extension would not harm the character or appearance of the street scene and would comply with Policy BE1 of the Warwick District Local Plan 2011-2029 (adopted 2017) and Policy KP13 of the Kenilworth Neighbourhood Plan 2017-2029 (made 2018). These policies expect development to respect and have a positive response to the surrounding buildings and the site characteristics in terms of scale, height, form and massing.

I also find no conflict with the Residential Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (2018) which, while it does not provide advice regarding front extensions, recommends extensions are generally subservient to the existing dwelling and respect the character of a matching pair. Moreover, the proposal would accord with the general design policies within the National Planning Policy Framework.

Further to the statutory commencement condition it would be necessary in the interests of certainty for the extension to be carried out in accordance with the approved plans. In the interest of the character and appearance of the area it would be necessary for the materials used in the external surfaces to match the host dwelling.

The proposed extension would comply with the development plan as a whole and for the reasons given above and having had regard to all other matters raised, I recommend that the appeal should be allowed.

I have considered all the submitted evidence and the Appeal Planning Officer’s report and, on that basis, I agree with the recommendations and shall allow the appeal.