Appeal 3300045

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a timber clad carbarn within the forecourt of the property Roselands, [site address] , Surrey, [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 22/00520/HHOLD, dated 6 March 2022, 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 materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted shall be those specified within the application and there shall be no variation without the prior approval in writing of the local planning authority.

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans, drawings: MB 1087-0010 PL1, 0230 PL1, 0005 PL1, 0210 PL1 and 0220 PL1.

No development shall commence until there shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority a scheme of landscaping to the reinforced planting zone indicated on the approved plans. The scheme shall include indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on the land, identify those to be retained. All planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the occupation of the building or the completion of the development, whichever is the sooner; and any trees or plants which within a period of 5 years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species unless otherwise agreed in writing with the local planning authority.

No development, including all construction activities shall commence until all tree protection measures including tree protection fencing and ground protection shall be undertaken in strict accordance with the approved details contained in the Arboricultural Implications Assessment ref. J61.95 and Tree Protection Plan drg. No. J61.95/02 as prepared by Broad Oak Tree Consultants Limited. All arboricultural matters must then follow as described in these approved details.

I consider that the main issue is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.

The property the subject of this appeal, [site address] , is a two-storey detached dwelling set in a large mature verdant plot. The area is characterised by similar properties in a silvan setting.

The appellant proposes the erection of a modest detached timber clad carbarn with a mono-pitched roof. The barn would be located towards the south-west corner of the plot in front of the house and backing onto [address]. It is proposed to both retain the existing TPO tree and reinforce the existing planting around the building, thereby screening the barn from the public domain. Accordingly, if I were minded to allow the appeal, in accordance with the appellant’s proposal, I could condition the reinforcement of the existing planting.

I appreciate that garages and car ports to the front of the properties are not a common feature in the road. Nevertheless, on balance, given the modest size and form of this proposal, the planned reinforcement of screen planting and as the parking of vehicles in the carport would make them less open to public view from the road I consider that the proposed barn here would not cause harm to the visual amenity of the area as suggested by the Council.

I therefore conclude in respect of the main issue that the proposed development would not cause harm to the character and appearance of the area. It would therefore accord with the aims of Policy DES1 of the Reigate and Banstead Local Plan Development Management Plan ([name]

and the guidance contained within Supplementary Planning Guidance Householder Extensions and Alterations ([name] 2004) and the RBBC Local Character and Distinctiveness Design Guide Supplementary Planning document ([name] 2021) as new development is required, amongst other things, to respect the character of the surrounding area and the visual appearance of the immediate street scene.

The conditions follow from those suggested by the Council. To ensure a high quality development, I shall include a condition about the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the building.

In the interests of the maintenance of the character and appearance of the area I shall require the tree protection measures proposed to be undertaken as the details submitted and a soft landscaping scheme to submitted to the Council for approval.

In the interests of certainty, I shall impose a condition requiring the development to be undertaken in accordance with the approved plans.

For the reasons given above and having regard to all other matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should be allowed.