Appeal 3294889

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for an extension to the front of the property at the ground and first floor at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, [name]/EPF/3145/21, dated 3 December 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: 002, TFX-110, TFX-101, TFX-202, TFX-201, TFX-102, 001, TFX-210, TFX-203, TFX-103, TFX-200 and the Tree Protection Plan dated 16/11/21.

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.

All the trees and hedges shown on the Tree Protection Plan dated 16/11/21 whose canopies overhang the site shall be protected by strong fencing, the location and type to be previously approved in writing by the local planning authority. The fencing shall be erected in accordance with the approved details before any equipment, machinery or materials are brought onto the site for the purposes of the development, and shall be maintained until all equipment, machinery and surplus materials have been removed from the site. Nothing shall be stored or placed within any fenced area, and the ground levels within those areas shall not be altered, nor shall any excavation be made, without the prior written consent of the local planning authority.

The Council’s decision refers to policies DM9 and DM10 in the Epping Forest District Local Plan [name] 2017 (LPSV) which concern design quality. I have noted that, although not yet adopted by the Council as part of its development plan, the LPSV has been through the examination process and has reached a very advanced stage. I am not aware of any unresolved objections to these policies so far as they relate to this appeal. Therefore, I have attached significant weight to these emerging policies.

The main issue in this appeal is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the dwelling and the area. The development plan includes policies CP7, DBE1, DBE3 and DBE10 in the Epping Forest District Local Plan & Alterations (1998 & 2006) (LP) which together seek to ensure, amongst other things, that development proposals are of a high quality that respects their settings.

[address] is a private cul-de-sac of large, recently built dwellings of a distinctive and cohesive, contemporary style. The appeal dwelling sits at the entrance to the development and is sited at [address]. It is a two storey detached house with a main pitched roof and a rear projecting gable.

The proposed two storey extension would be sited to the front of the dwelling, occupying most of the front garden. The front garden is bounded to the side by allotments and at its front end by a track leading to those allotments. It is surrounded by tall trees and set back from the road behind a parking area and a close boarded fence. It is therefore somewhat secluded and well screened from view, making little contribution to the street scene. The proposal would obscure the view from the entrance towards the trees sited beyond the far side boundary of the site but those are not prominent in the street scene given the ground levels which slope down away from the entrance and the presence of larger trees in the foreground. The Council has not objected to the loss of amenity space for the occupiers and I have noted that the dwelling has a reasonable amount of garden to the rear. The siting of the proposal would therefore be acceptable.

The width of the extension would not exceed that of the rear projection and would be significantly less than that of the main part of the dwelling. Its length would also be less than that of the main part of the dwelling. Its ridge height would be significantly lower than that of the main ridge and the rear projection. As such, the new extension would be sufficiently subordinate to the other elements of the dwelling and would not be disproportionate in terms of size, scale or mass. The three elements would form an attractive composition which would sit comfortably in the street scene, reinforced by the proposed matching materials.

I find then that the proposal would be acceptable and would not harm the character or appearance of the area. It would accord with the LP and LPSV policies referred to earlier.

In addition to the standard commencement condition, a condition is necessary requiring that the proposal is carried out in accordance with the approved plans, in order to provide certainty. A condition requiring matching external materials is necessary in the interests of the character and appearance of the dwelling and the area. I have included a condition for the protection of trees as there are some which overhang the site slightly and the submitted tree survey protection plan indicates which of those should be protected during construction.

For the reasons given above, I conclude that the proposed development would accord with the development plan and there are no material considerations that would outweigh this. The appeal should be allowed.