Appeal 3317427

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for erection of first floor side and two storey rear extension to form additional living accommodation at [site address] , in accordance with the application Ref P22/05568/RVC, dated 16 September 2022, without compliance with the conditions previously imposed on the planning permission Ref P21/01938/F, dated 19 May 2021.

According to the planning application form, the proposed development was under construction at the time the application was submitted. However, by the time of my site visit the development was complete. As such, I have dealt with the appeal on that basis.

The main issue is the effect of the development upon the character and appearance of the building and surrounding area.

The appeal site relates to a detached two storey house on a corner plot at the junction of [address] and [address]. Houses on both roads are mainly detached and comprise a variety of designs resulting in a varied roofscape.

The approved design was for the 2 storey rear extension roof to join the main pitched roof to form a crowned section with sloping sides at either end. The extension roof has been built with one end gabled and rendered, instead of sloping and tiled, thus lengthening its roof ridge. The council considers these changes have resulted in harm to the building’s character and that the extension does not appear subservient to the main house.

The development cannot be seen from the front of the house. When viewed from the side, from [address], other parts of the building’s roof sit forward of the gable end, restricting views of it to such a degree that its visual impact is negligible. The rear of the house is visible from [address] approaching the junction with [address], and from the access road that runs towards the nearby school, behind the appeal site and houses on [address]. From these views the extension roof does not dominate the house because it is the same height as the main roof which it joins, and which continues to the side of the gable end forming a backdrop to it which softens its visual impact and that of the extended roof ridge.

Overall, the development remains subservient to the main house and the differences in design elements are absorbed within the rest of the building’s roofscape. There is therefore no harm to the building’s character, or that of the wider area, and the development complies with Policy CS1 of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan: [name] (2013), Policy PSP1 and PSP38 of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan (2017); the Household Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (2021); and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021) which require high quality design that respects the character and architectural style of the building and surrounding area.

For the reasons given above I conclude that the appeal should be allowed. The Council have requested planning conditions in relation to the time limit for the commencement of development, the use of matching materials and confining the development to specified plans. However, as the proposal is retrospective those conditions are not necessary.