Appeal 3303116

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a first floor rear extension at [site address] , [site address] , [site address] , Hartlip, Kent [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application, 22/501861/FULL, dated 7 April 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 match those used in the existing building.

The main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the host dwelling and that of the local area.

The appeal property is a stable building converted to residential use that has been the subject of a partly implemented single storey extension that was allowed on appeal. This sits in extensive grounds with large front and rear gardens. Although a converted stable building, the appeal property gives the visual impression of being a substantial cottage of historic vernacular design, constructed from red and part yellow stock brick, with a hipped pantile roof.

The appeal property forms part of a scattering of buildings at [site address] in what appear to be a variety of residential, agricultural and equine use. It is located outside the boundary of any defined settlement and is in otherwise open countryside and accessed from [site address] , a country road that connects the [site address] area to the village of Hartlip, which appears to be the nearest defined settlement.

To the rear of the appeal property is a substantially completed single storey lean-to extension. This does not stretch the full length of the rear elevation of the host dwelling, aligning with only the side elevation that faces away from [site address] . At the time of my site visit the approved lean to roof, windows and doors to this extension were yet to be implemented.

The proposal is for a first floor to be added to the full extent of this existing extension. The existing ground floor extension and proposed first floor extension would be clad in horizontal black finished feather edged timber with a pantile roof to match that of the host dwelling. The windows of the proposal would be in timber to match that used in the host dwelling and would align with the existing window openings.

The roof of the proposal would be hipped in form and would integrate with the existing roof of the host dwelling to create an internal valley. The angles of the roof of the proposal would match those of the main roof to the host dwelling, however, as the proposal would not be as deep as the host dwelling, its roof would not be as tall.

The proposed extension would be of significant size, which, when taken with the existing ground floor extension, would result in an approximate 75% increase in floorspace compared to that of the original host dwelling. However, the integration of the proposal with the existing extension, its vernacular design, lower roof line and setting back from the road facing flank elevation, would result in the proposal appearing as a subservient and appropriately scaled and massed addition to the host dwelling.

The proposal would, therefore, read as an architecturally sympathetic addition that would maintain the appearance of the host dwelling as a rural farm building; the original form, and appearance of which would remain substantially apparent and would not result in a weakening of its character.

The recessive and subservient appearance of the proposal and its complimentary rural vernacular character and appearance would be readable in all significant views of the appeal property from the wider area, including [site address] and surrounding fields and buildings. The proposal would, therefore, reflect the rural character of the local area and be complementary to the existing collection of nearby buildings and structures that reflect this rural and agricultural character and appearance.

For the reasons given above, the proposal would not result in any significant harm to the character and appearance of the host dwelling or that of the local area.

Along with the requirement that the proposed development is implemented in accordance with the plans submitted with the application and the standard condition relating to the timing of implementation, I have added a condition to ensure design quality, which would require that materials to be used for the proposed development match those of the host dwelling.

The appeal is allowed