Appeal 3363967

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for the erection of a garage at [site address] , Poole [postcode] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref. APP/25/00035/F, subject to the following conditions:

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: PL01, PL02, PL03.

The development hereby permitted shall only be constructed in materials, the details of which as set out on the application form and on [name] PL03.

All works relating to the ground clearance, tree works, demolition and development with implications for trees shall be carried out as specified in the approved [name] and Tree Protection Plan, and shall be supervised by an Arboricultural consultant holding a nationally recognised Arboricultural qualification.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) or the Town and Country Planning ([name]) Order 1987 (as amended) or any order(s) revoking and re-enacting either order with our without modification, the garage hereby permitted shall be used solely for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the existing dwelling known as [site address] and for no other purpose whatsoever.

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

The appeal site is situated within a residential street predominantly comprising detached houses set within generous grounds with a variety of front boundary treatments, some front gardens are relatively exposed whilst others are more visually self contained. I also noted on my site visit that some front gardens are almost fully hardsurfaced, and further that contemporary building forms are apparent in the locality whereby houses have been renovated/plots redeveloped.

The appeal site has close boarded fencing to its front and northern side boundary behind which is a variety of high evergreen hedging and shrubbery which largely conceals the principal elevation of the host dwelling and its frontage. No 62 has a driveway entrance to the southern end of its frontage leading up to an existing garage to the rear of the house, with the doorway to an existing shed/store behind the front boundary being slightly visible, and which would be demolished to make way for the proposal.

The front garden would be regraded to a degree so as to create a platform for the garage and a turning area to provide access to it; however, I find that by virtue of the natural change in levels, notwithstanding the footprint of the proposed garage, it would not dominate the host dwelling and views of it from the street would be limited and oblique. Further, any views of the garage would also be mitigated to some degree by the proposed green sedum living roof.

I note the Council’s concerns with regard to the existing boundary vegetation potentially dying, however I have been provided with no evidence to demonstrate that it is in poor health; and the Council’s Tree Team has stated that the proposal could be achieved without unduly impacting the trees on the site subject to adherence with the [name] and Tree Protection Plan.

Bearing in mind that there is no clear distinct pattern of development within the locality, I find, on balance, that the proposed garage would not appear as an incongruous feature within the street scene, particularly bearing in mind that there would only be limited casual glimpses of it when passing the site. Consequently, I find no conflict with Policy PP27 of the Poole Local Plan which requires a good standard of design in all new developments and states that development will be permitted provided that, where relevant, it reflects or enhances local patterns of development and neighbouring buildings in terms of a number of criteria, as well as responding to natural features on the site.

For the reasons set out above and having regard to all other matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should succeed.

The Council has suggested a number of conditions be imposed. In addition to the standard time limit, it has recommended that conditions be imposed that require the development to be constructed in accordance with the details that were submitted with the planning application, and as specified in the [name] and Tree Protection Plan. I consider that in the interests of the character and appearance of the area these are necessary conditions. Furthermore, I consider that it is reasonable to impose a final condition specifying that the garage shall only be used for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the existing dwelling.