Appeal 3359696

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a single storey extension at [site address] , [address], Brassington, Derbyshire [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 24/00957/FUL subject to the following conditions:

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

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with drawing numbers A 01, A 03 & A 05.

No development above slab level shall take place until details of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

The site visit was undertaken by a representative of the Inspector whose recommendation is set out below and to which the Inspector has had regard before deciding the appeal.

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

The appeal site is in the countryside and comprises two stone buildings used as a dwelling and garage. They are joined by a stone wall that forms the front boundary to the site alongside the road. [address] serves only a handful of other stone buildings that have been converted to dwellings which, in so being, retain a sense of rurality and simplicity.

The single storey nature and contrasting materials of the development would ensure that it would not compete for visual dominance with the simplicity of the existing buildings and would provide a clear differentiation between the two. Although the proposed extension would be longer than the host building, its scale and appearance would be clearly subservient. The removal of the windows and door to allow for the proposed extension would not cause harm to the overall integrity of the building as a converted agricultural one and its agrarian appearance would still be obvious when viewing it as a whole.

The buildings are already joined by the existing front boundary wall and the garage was a later addition. Therefore, some historical significance associated with the building standing alone has already been eroded to the point that this obviously modern intervention would assimilate acceptably. There is ample space on the appeal site so the extension would not result in a detrimental loss thereof.

The extension would be mainly screened from [address], tucked behind the existing stone wall. Furthermore, there would be minimal views of the proposed development from the wider area due to the secluded position of the site. Nevertheless, the scheme would use materials that are characteristic of an agricultural building and given its recessive scale, it would be reflective of the character and appearance of the rural landscape and the former agricultural use of the site. The proposal would therefore comply with Policies S4, PD1 and HC10 of the Derbyshire Dales Local Plan 2017 which is concerned with development preserving the character and appearance of the landscape and existing buildings amongst other things.

Other than the standard time limit condition, it is necessary to ensure that the development is carried out in accordance with the approved plans for certainty and enforcement purposes. In the interests of the character and appearance of the area, a condition is necessary to ensure that the proposed materials are agreed. It would be sufficient for the detail on this matter to be so prior to any development above slab level taking place.

For the reasons given above, the scheme would comply with the development plan. I therefore recommend the appeal be allowed, subject to the conditions mentioned.

I have considered all the submitted evidence and my representative’s report and on that basis the appeal is allowed, subject to the above conditions.