Appeal 3368938

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for Erection of a two storey side extension at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 25/00801/FUL and the plans submitted with it, 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 plan: AX054-P.02

Notwithstanding what appears on the plan hereby approved, the development shall be completed with external facing materials that match the existing building.

[name] have determined this appeal on the basis of the evidence before me, including a site visit and viewing the site from the adjacent house as the Council suggested, I note that, other than what appears in the Decision Notice, the Council have not provided any explanation or reasoning for their decision.

Although the appellant refers to personal reasons for the extension, this was not material to the decision of the Council and not a factor in the determination to be made.

The main issue is the effect of the proposed development on the host dwelling and the surrounding area.

[site address] is a detached two-storey dwelling dating from the later decades of the twentieth century, which sits in a large plot at the entrance to a small development of nine pairs of semi-detached houses dating from the middle decades of the twentieth century, named ‘[name]. The proposed extension would replace an existing attached single garage and infill the space to the boundary with No.18 [name] (No.18) which, although recently extended at the side, retains a significant width of plot which contains one attached and one detached single garage with some smaller incidental structures behind, along the boundary with the appeal site. The proposal would neither overbear the main garden area of No.18 nor be visually intrusive.

The large gap between the recently extended No.18 and [site address] emphasises the vertical proportions of No.18 in comparison with the horizontal format of the wider semi-detached pairs. Moreover, the mature oak tree which stands at the eastern edge of the [site address] garden where it fronts the main road, tends to prominently associate the appeal site with the main road and the approach into the village, rather than the street view within the [name] cul-de-sac.

It has not been explained why the proposed extension would be ‘incongruous with the rural streetscape’ or ‘disrupt the visual continuity and character of surrounding dwellings’ when [site address] has little in common with the houses adjacent or others nearby, which include examples of post-war industrialised housing. Although the introduction of render would be inappropriate in this location1, and the extension would significantly change the form of the host dwelling, nor would it present as a subordinate side extension, the proposed form would address the visually awkward gap which is currently occupied by garages and sheds or similar buildings that are prominent in the village approach view from the north. I consider the result, subject to the use of suitable materials being used, would be a distinctive building that would make a positive contribution to the northern approach view at the entrance to the village.

The Council’s Decision Notice refers to Policies CS5 and CS6 of the [name] 2011 (SCS). Policy CS5 makes no reference to extensions to existing dwellings and Policy CS6 sets out broad aspirations for high quality design and the enhancement of local distinctiveness. As my reasoning explains I find little conflict with Policy MD02 of the Shropshire Council Site Allocations and Management of Development (SAMDev) Plan 2015 which requires development to contribute to and respect locally distinctive or valued character and existing amenity. Consequently, taking all matters raised into account the appeal succeeds subject to the usual plans and timing conditions with a further condition reflecting my observations as to materials.