Appeal 3311554

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for two storey front extension at [site address] , Northamptonshire [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application, [name]/22/00899/FUL, dated 12 July 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: 22-0608-01, 22-0608-02, 22-0608-03.

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 surrounding area.

The appeal property is a two storey semi-detached dwelling set within a spacious plot within a street scene of similar properties. The appeal property is located on a corner plot and there are clear views of the front elevation of the site from the street scene.

The appeal property adjoins No. [address], which has a 2-storey side and single storey front extension. Within the surrounding area a number of properties have been extended to the front and/or side elevations, resulting in a varied character to the surrounding area.

The Householder Extensions Supplementary Planning Document (2020) (SPD) states that ‘front extensions should normally only be single storey and should be in proportion to the original house so they do not extend too far forwards or be too dominant at the front of the property’. The SPD goes on to state that generally a 2 storey front extension will only be acceptable if it relates to a detached property in large grounds. In other circumstances, it is stated, they are often too dominant in the surroundings or they negatively affect the appearance of a terrace or pair of semi-detached properties.

The proposed 2 storey extension would be located to the front elevation of a semi-detached dwelling. By virtue of the site’s location the proposed extension would be visible from the street scene, in particular in views from the south. Nonetheless, the extension would be in proportion with and would not dominate the host dwelling. Furthermore, given the modest scale of the proposed extension and the existing alterations to No. 5, it would not imbalance the 2 properties.

Thus, whilst the proposal would be contrary to the guidance set down in the SPD, it would not have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the area. Therefore, although there would be a conflict with the SPD, the proposal would comply with those aims of policy 8 of the [name] 2011-2031 (2016) and policy EN1 of the Rushden Neighbourhood Plan (2018) which seek to ensure that development is of a high quality which responds to local character and respects the prevailing pattern of development.

In addition to the standard implementation condition, it is necessary, in the interests of precision, to define the plans with which the scheme should accord. In the interests of the character and appearance of the area, a condition is also necessary requiring external materials used in the construction of the proposed extension to match the existing dwelling.

For the reasons set out above, the appeal is allowed.