Appeal 3320135

The appeal is dismissed.

The description of development is taken from the application form. The Council’s decision notice describes the proposed development as “Installation of 1m high brick built boundary wall to front; 4 x 1.8m high brick built piers and two composite timber vehicle access gates; 2m high brick built portico with composite timber pedestrian access gate; hardsurfacing to front garden (retrospective).”

The development the subject of this appeal has already taken place. Whilst the Council’s description, which is based on the submitted plans, refers to composite timber gates, I note that metal gates were in place at the time of my site visit.

The main issue in this case is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.

The appeal property is an extended two storey detached dwelling. It is located within a residential area, characterised by the presence of largely detached two storey dwellings sets back from the road behind gardens and/or parking areas and with gardens to the rear.

During my site visit, I observed [address] in this location to be characterised by the presence of pavements with grass verges, street trees, hedgerows and planting to front garden areas. This provides for a notably green and spacious character.

The above qualities are enhanced by the presence of generally low garden walls and/or railings and the occasional fence to the front boundaries of dwellings, where the common presence of hedgerows, planting and/or greenery provides for views and glimpses through to front gardens/driveways.

The development the subject of this appeal introduces tall brick pillars, a large, tall, flat-roofed brick-built portico and tall gates to the front boundary of the property. Consequently, the development appears as a dominant feature of significant scale, lacks greenery and appears in stark contrast to neighbouring boundary features. During my site visit, I observed that the development draws undue attention to itself as an incongruous feature.

The tall brick structures dominate the front of the property and together with the treatment of the rest of the frontage, form a large, dominant and imposing boundary feature that appears excessive in scale, in terms of both height and width, relative to neighbouring boundaries. The harm arising from this is exacerbated by the absence of greenery, resulting in the development appearing as an alien, harsh urban enclosure within a wider environment notable for its green and spacious qualities. 10.Taking the above into account, the proposed development would harm the character and appearance of the area, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework; to London Plan (2021) Policy D3; to Core Strategy1 Policy CS1B; to DMP2 Policy DM1 and to the Council’s Supplementary Planning Document: [name] (2010), which together amongst other things, seek to protect local character.