Appeal 3317172

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for erection of covered parking for 2 No. existing parking spaces at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application Ref: 22/00973/FUL dated 12 October 2022 and the plans submitted with it, subject to the following conditions:

The works authorised by this consent 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: SK2, SK3, SK5.

The colour and finish of cladding and other external materials used in the development hereby permitted shall be those appearing on the approved plans. Where the colour and finish is not stated on the approved plans samples (or specification thereof) shall be submitted and approved in writing by the local planning authority, and thereafter used in the construction of the development.

The development hereby permitted shall be used for the parking of private vehicles and no other purpose.

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

The appeal site, [site address] (No.10) is located within a development of recently-built housing in a rural area with an open setting of fields and hedgerows. No.10, with its semi-detached pair No.[address] Farm, is a distinctive dark-coloured, metal-roofed dwelling, the appearance of which reflects simple forms found in agricultural structures. I consider the design of the host dwelling pair to be high quality and to make a positive contribution to the landscape setting within a residential development.

The proposal would cover and enclose two existing car parking spaces which lie between the end gable of No.10 and the highway verge. The proposed construction would incorporate a proprietary ‘green roof’ construction although sedum planting which is indicated would not have the appearance of vegetation grown on significant soil depth. The structure would be clad with horizontal boarding to reflect the existing perimeter fence.

Polices ENV1 and ENV2 of the East Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2015 (ECLP) set out the approach to be taken in considering development proposals in terms of landscape, settlement character and design. The Council suggest that the proposed design would detract from the high design quality of the host dwelling, infilling the gap to the road, also that it is a ‘suburban’ feature with an inappropriate ‘flat’ roof with harmful impacts on character and appearance of the host dwelling and the surrounding area.

Having considered the Council’s criticism of the scheme I consider the proposal has a number of benefits and positive aspects which have not been taken into account. These include the way the proposed ancillary structure would tend to reduce the visual impact of vehicles parked behind the existing low perimeter fence in the prominent corner location and that the flat, ‘green-roofed’ structure would retain and not undermine the prominent and architecturally dominant gabled roof profile of the host dwelling. In wider views the proposal would retain the existing development pattern as the structure would, by its design and construction form, be seen as a structure ancillary to the primary use as a dwelling and not an ‘extension’ of that use.

Although it is unlikely that the roof structure would be able to support more than sedum roofing which tends to have a brown appearance at times, it would nevertheless introduce a softening of the hard and bright appearance of vehicles which would otherwise be apparent in a prominent rural location. The proposal would therefore tend to support the distinctive appearance of the host dwelling and its neighbour in a ‘farmyard grouping’ development pattern.

[name] consider the proposal to be a well-considered design solution that accords with Polices ENV1 and ENV2 of the ECLP which seek to ensure development proposals respect landscape and complement local distinctiveness. On that basis I conclude the proposal would accord with the development plan taken as a whole and, having considered all matters raised and for the reasons given, that the appeal succeeds subject to the usual plans and timing conditions. In addition, given the basis of my reasoning, conditions to control materials and to ensure the structure is used for its intended purpose are appropriate and necessary.