Appeal 3319692

The appeal is allowed. Planning permission is granted for a front porch extension at [site address] , Essex [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application Ref P2079.22, dated 21 December 2022 subject to the following conditions:

The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three 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 development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plan: 2226.02.

At the time of my site visit a porch extension bearing some similarity to that on the plan was in place at the site. However, the height of the porch did not appear to accord with the details shown on the plan.

I cannot therefore be certain that the development that has been carried out is the same that has been applied for. For the avoidance of doubt, I have considered the proposal on the basis of the plan.

The description of the proposal has been amended in the formal decision above to omit wording that is not a description of development.

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

The immediate area is of residential character, incorporating dwellings of mixed design, scale and material finishes. Porches are common features in this section of the street, as are prominent front facing gable design features, especially on properties further along to the west.

The porch would admittedly be one of the larger examples on the street and would have a greater bulk and presence than many others and this would be reinforced through the gable roof design.

However, the porch would not be unacceptably out of proportion with the host property and if finished in materials to match would not form a stand-out feature.

Although it would rather dominate the bay window in views from the west, the bay is a shallow and low key feature on this property, in this instance offering little to the appearance of the house. Its design would not be out of keeping with the area, which is mixed and which extensively incorporates gable features. There would be no visual harm.

There would therefore be no adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area. The proposal would not therefore conflict with policies 7 and 26 of the Havering Local Plan (2021) (HLP) which amongst other things require residential development of high quality design that respects, reinforces and compliments the street scene. There would be no conflict with the London Plan (2021) Policies that are before me. There would be no conflict with the SPD1 with regard to the section on porches.

Planning permission is granted subject to the standard three-year time limit. A condition requiring matching materials is necessary in the interests of the character and appearance of the area. It is necessary that the development be carried out in accordance with the approved plan for the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of certainty.

There is nothing to indicate that a decision should be made otherwise than in accordance with the development plan. I therefore conclude that the appeal should be allowed.