Appeal 3300407

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for proposed detached private garage & formation of new vehicular access, drive & dropped kerb at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 22/00260/HOU, dated 21 January 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 accordance with the following approved plans: 21/1050-01; 21/1050-02; 21/1050- 03A; 21/1050-04A.

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 main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the appeal property and the surrounding area.

The area surrounding the appeal site is characterised predominantly by residential properties of traditional design and detailing. The built form in the area is mixed with front gardens along [site address] having structures within the front gardens including greenhouses, sheds and garages. It is this mixed built form that contributes to the character of the area.

The proposed garage would sit forward of the principal elevation of the appeal property. Given its positioning and setting, the proposal would not be out of keeping with the surrounding built form which includes neighbouring garages and other structures that are set forward of the main properties. The proposal would not be an incongruous addition and would blend in well with the existing built environment.

The proposal includes the removal of part of the stone boundary wall therefore the proposed garage would be highly visible. However, the garage, including the proposed door, would be sensitive in design, materials and scale, and would not appear as a dominating feature that would detract from the appearance of the street scene or the appeal property.

The City of Bradford Householder Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) states that garages are not normally acceptable to the front of a house. Therefore, there are occasions when garages can be considered acceptable to the front of the house. Due to the proposals design, scale, position and setting within the existing built form, it would not be an awkward or disproportionate structure that detracts from the character and appearance of the appeal property or surrounding area.

Accordingly, the proposal would not be a discordant structure and would not have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the appeal property and surrounding area. The proposal would be in accordance with Policies DS1 and DS3 of the City of Bradford Core Strategy Development Plan Document 2017 which seeks development proposals to contribute to achieving good design and high quality places, and be appropriate to their context in terms of layout, scale, density, details and materials. The proposal would also accord with the key aims of the SPD which includes seeking to ensure that proposals are well designed and compliment the character of the original property and the wider area.

Conditions relating to timeliness and the identification of plans are necessary in the interests of proper planning and to provide certainty. In the interests of character and appearance a condition is necessary in relation to materials.

The proposal would not conflict with the development plan and there are no other considerations, including the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework, which outweigh this finding.

For the reasons given above I conclude that the appeal should be allowed.