Appeal 6001761

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted to Raise existing roof to create additional second floor and single storey rear extension at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 25/01329/PFUL3, and the plans submitted with it, subject to the following

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with drawing numbers; site location plan, drawing no’s. A100, A101, A102, A103, A104, A105, A106,

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

The external materials of the extensions hereby permitted shall match those used in the existing dwelling.

The main issues of the proposal are: • The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the street scene; • The impact on the living conditions of the occupants of Number [address] of overlooking and loss of privacy; and • Whether or not there would be an unacceptable level of overshadowing to the communal footway resulting in safety concerns.

The local area comprises a modern and planned housing estate of short terraces of two and three storey houses and single storey bungalows interconnected by pedestrian footpaths with central parking courts and pockets of communal grassed amenity space. As a planned estate, [address] has continuity to its layout and pattern and overall broad appearance. Having said that, there is individuality to the typologies to the terraces with the variations to finished heights. The palette of materials creates consistency to the estate as a whole.

The appeal site in particular forms part of a row of around six houses. The two houses of 34 and [address] are three storey houses and the terrace reduces to two storeys for the remainder of the terrace, including the appeal site.

The proposal would provide another storey to the dwelling to align with the adjacent dwelling of No 32. This would not look out of character in this location as it would closely relate to the adjacent heights of houses within the row and conform to their design and overall appearance.

As there is no consistency to the heights of dwellings within rows seen locally, therefore the additional storey would identify and harmonise with the broad local character.

There are no objections raised by the Council to the erection of the single storey rear extension. I have no reason to come to an alternative view on the matter.

Therefore, all things considered, to conclude on this main issue, the proposal would conform with the design aims of Policy 10 of the [name], and context and character objectives of policies DE1 and DE2 of the Local Plan Part 2.

Number [address] is a bungalow that sits perpendicular to the appeal site. The front garden faces onto the courtyard and the rear garden is enclosed by a perimeter wall. There would be some overshadowing of the front garden as a consequence of the increased height, especially as the sun moves in a southernly direction to the west. The level of overshadowing would not be to such a degree that it would severely compromise the living conditions of the occupants of this dwelling. In any case, their main private garden is to the rear of the dwelling and remains unaffected by the proposal.

Some overlooking and loss of privacy to the front garden would arise by way of the proposed habitable room windows of the extension. This garden is already severely overlooked by other houses and pedestrians due to its location and exposure within the street scene. Furthermore, the occupants’ private amenity space is reserved to the rear of the dwelling and remains unaffected by the proposal. The amount of overlooking that would arise to this front garden area would not result in a detrimental effect on the occupant’s living conditions.

To conclude on this main issue, the proposal would not lead to adverse living conditions to the neighbouring occupants and therefore complies with the safeguarding residential amenity aims of Policy 10 of the [name] and Policy DE1 of the Local Plan Part 2.

There is a public pedestrian path running along the front of the row of houses the appeal site sits amongst that interconnects with other pedestrian paths throughout the wider estate. This is overlooked by the front elevation of the terrace and due to the layout of the estate development, has good line of sight from other public vantages.

There would be some overshadowing of the path due to the increased height of the extension. This would be for a limited period of time however and would not result in an effect that would create a sense of foreboding for users of the footway. The addition of an extra storey to the dwelling and overlooking from habitable rooms would also increase natural surveillance of the path.

To conclude on this main issue, the proposal would accord with Policy 10 of the [name] and Policy DE1 of the Local Plan Part 2 to create safe and inclusive development.

I have considered conditions in light of the Planning Practice Guidance and Paragraph 57 of the National Planning Policy Framework. A condition relating to implementing the approved plans within a specific timeframe is necessary to provide certainty, and time limit to implement the proposal. A materials condition is also included in the interest of an acceptable finish to the extensions.

For the reasons given above the appeal should be allowed.