Appeal 3315634

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for the erection of a part single, part two storey rear/side extension at [site address] , [site address] , Lancashire [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 22/01008/FUL, dated 2 August 2022, and the plans submitted with it, subject to the following conditions:

The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than three years from the date of this decision.

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Drawing 1790.P.1 ‘Proposed location, block and roof plans’; Drawing 1790.P.2 ‘Proposed floor plans’; and Drawing 1790.P.3 ‘Proposed elevations’.

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

The description of development is set out in the banner heading above, however, the development also includes a proposed two-storey projection at the rear. The appeal form and the decision notice describe the proposal as ‘erection of a part single, part two storey rear/side extension.’ The Council determined the application on this basis, and so shall I.

The main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.

The appeal site is located on [name], which consists of a circular road around a large, grassed, recreational area. Surrounding this is a mixture of semi-detached, two-storey dwellings, including No [site address] , and some bungalows. No 8 is attached to No 7, but it is also linked by a single storey garage to No 9. It is on the site of the garage where it is proposed to create the two-storey extension, with a single storey extension to the rear.

The proposal would match the materials of the host property, and at the front the extension would be set below the ridgeline of the house and extend no further forward than the existing garage. Whilst the first-floor rear projection has not been reduced in size by the amount requested by the Council, it would be lower in height than the two-storey extension at the front and would not appear overly large. Therefore, the proposal would be of an appropriate design and would appear subservient to the host property.

No 8 is clearly visible when entering [name] from [address]. However, as the proposal would be to the side, and set well back from the front elevation, it would not appear overly dominant in the streetscene.

Whilst the proposal would fill part of the existing gap that is visible above the garages of Nos 8 and 9, this is already filled by the backdrop of housing along Greenways to the rear. This contrasts with other parts of [name] where I saw that the gaps between pairs of houses were filled with open views of trees.

Although it has been suggested that the proposal would set a precedent for similar future development, two storey side extensions have already been permitted, as I saw at Nos 15, 23 and 24 [name]. This has largely retained the uniformity of design that would have existed when [name] was originally constructed and has not undermined the overall character and appearance of the area. [name] note that the Council’s Householder Design Guide seeks to avoid a terracing effect, this proposal would not result in this, and any future applications along [name] would be assessed on their own merits.

In conclusion, the proposal would not harm the character and appearance of the area. It would accord with Policy DM29 of the Lancaster District Local Plan 2011-2031, [name]: Review of the Development Management DPD, July 2020, and chapter 12 of the Framework, which combined require development to contribute positively to the identity and character of an area through good design and appropriate siting.

In addition to the standard implementation condition, a condition listing the plans is necessary to provide certainty over what has been approved. Furthermore, to ensure the satisfactory appearance and form of development, a condition ensuring that the materials match the existing house is necessary.

For the reasons given above, considering the development plan as a whole and all relevant material considerations, the appeal is allowed.