Appeal 3336744

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for the construction of two first-floor, rear infill extensions at [site address] , in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 6/2023/2095/HOUSE, and the plans submitted with it, subject to the following

The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision.

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: JND/1087/20; JND/1087/21; JND/1087/22; JND/1087/23; JND/1087/24; JND/1087/25; JND/1087/26; JND/1087/28.

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 main issue in this case is the effect of the proposed extensions on the character and appearance of the area around [address].

No 4 is a detached, two-storey house situated on the south side of [address]. The site slopes up from the road and also slopes up from east to west along the road. The houses along the road are all detached and of varying designs. The appeal property has a gable front with a side two-storey element having a half-hipped roof sloping down as a cat-slide style roof at the rear. The proposed development would involve the construction of a rear first-floor extension at the western end. This would effectively convert the cat-slide roof into a flat-roofed extension. There would be a further side/rear extension at the eastern side creating what effectively would be a flat-roofed dormer.

Policy SP9 of the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Local Plan 2016-2036 (LP), indicates that proposals should be informed by an analysis of the site's character and context so that they relate well to their surroundings and local distinctiveness, including the wider townscape. The Northaw and Cuffley Neighbourhood Plan (NP) has been adopted by the Council and I can afford it significant weight. Policy D2 of the NP indicates that proposals for extensions to existing properties, should respond positively to the Northaw and [name]. The Design Code notes that a newly built extension should not overwhelm the building from any given point.

In this case, the appeal property has a mix of ridge and hipped roofs. The proposed extensions would be at the rear of the property and would be largely set behind the main roof structure. They would also be set below the ridge lines of the main roofs such that they would not be readily visible in the street scene. I note that there is a flat-roofed dormer-style extension at No 2, while Nos 1, 2 and 3 have large flat-roofed garages in prominent positions projecting forward of the front elevations. In the context of the surrounding area along this part of the road, therefore, there are a wide range of designs and roof types, such that flat roofs are a significant feature. The proposed eastern dormer at No 4 would only be partly visible from the road due to boundary screening and the height of the front part of the house above road level.

The Council contends that the proposed extensions would be visible from the properties at the rear, but there are only two houses in easy view and the rear of No 4 is partly screened from these by boundary planting. The extensions would not increase the footprint of the house and would be largely absorbed into the existing roofs, such that they would not appear incoherent or incongruous, nor would they fail to appear subordinate or out of scale.

In conclusion, I find that the proposed extensions would not be harmful to the character and appearance of the area along [address], nor would they fail to relate well to the appearance and proportions of the host dwelling. On this basis, they would not conflict with Policy SP9 of the LP or with Policy 2 and the Cuffley local character assessment in the NP. Accordingly, I allow this appeal subject to the conditions above.

I have attached a condition relating to plans because it is necessary that the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plans for the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning. I have attached a further condition relating to materials in the interests of the visual amenities of the area.