Appeal 3299902

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for the replacement of the garage with a side extension including rear dormer and rooflights, changes to all windows, doors and porch at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref.22/00656/HOU, dated 27 February 2022, 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 strict accordance with the following approved plans and documents: PL1-P100 [name] – Proposed (roof plan added) PL1-P100 [name] – Proposed, with mark up PL1-P200 [name] – Proposed, with mark up PL1-P201 [name]#2 - Proposed PL1-P202 [name]#3 – [name]-E001 Location Plan PL-E002 Block Plan - [name]-E002 Block Plan – Existing showing Shaded Proposed Development P-P099 [name] - Proposed PL1-E200 Elevations – Existing PL1-E201 Elevations#2 - Existing PL1-E202 Elevations#3 - Existing PL1-P100 [name] – Existing Tree Survey Impact Assessment Basement Impact Assessment

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

The main issues in the appeal are the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the host dwelling and streetscene, the setting of the [address] Conservation Area and the effect on the [address]/[address] Strategic Area of Special Character.

The appeal site is a two storey dwelling situated on [address], which is a cul-de-sac made up of similar dwellings. The topography of [address] rises quite steeply from its junction with [address]. No. 8 is a corner property which is located at right angles to no.7 and is only glimpsed from [address]. No.8 has a single storey attached garage and some off road parking. Its rear garden is on a lower level to the main house and it backs onto Richmond Park and the rear of dwellings in [address]. It is directly adjacent to the [address] Conservation Area. It is within the [address]/[address] Strategic Area of Special Character which is a non-designated asset.

The proposal is to demolish the existing garage and construct a basement level element with 3 storeys on top of it, one of which would be a roof dormer storey.

Whilst the bulk of the proposal is large at four storeys, the scheme makes effective use of the available land and topography. The basement storey would utilize part of the lower garden without detrimentally impacting on the amenities of neighbours and leaving sufficient private amenity space for the occupants of the appeal site.

The side extension would not extend wider than the existing garage and its additional bulk and massing would be visually balanced with the existing northern element of the dwelling. Whilst the proposed roof would have a hip which would not be matched at the northern end of the building, the hip would be shallow, would be visually concealed from most public vantage points and would reduce the impact of built development from [address]. The rear dormer would be well-designed, having a pitched roof and being aligned with fenestration on the 3 levels below it.

The insertion of roof lights and changes in fenestration would not cause loss of amenities to neighbours and would be in keeping with the character of the property.

The proposed increased bulk and massing would be designed so as to sustain rather than overwhelm the original character of the property. The resulting development would be in a modestly larger footprint than the existing dwelling. Owing to the topography of the site, the orientation of the host dwelling and its semi-concealed position in [address], it would not be visually unacceptable either to the host dwelling itself or to the character or appearance of the streetscene. There would be no measurable impact on the setting of the [address] Conservation Area or on the [address]/[address] Strategic Area of Special Character.

Overall, I conclude that the proposal would not result in harm to the character or appearance of the host dwelling, the streetscene, the setting of the [address] Conservation Area or the [address]/[address] Strategic Area of Special Character. The proposal would accord with policies CS8 and DM10 of the Council's adopted [name] (adopted 2012).