Appeal 6005716

The appeal is dismissed.

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 proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.

[address] is a cul-de-sac characterised by pairs of semi-detached houses set back from the highway by short frontages. The topography of the area means that some of the properties have short flights of steps to access their main entrances, which are traditionally recessed within a porch- there are multiple examples of external porches added in the style of the proposed development. The properties on the same side of the road as the appeal site are typically brick with the upper half rendered white and with hipped roofs sharing a central chimney stack. The attached garage protrudes forwards of the main building line, and as is the case at the appeal site, many have extended upwards to create an overall U-plan form. Other alterations within the street scene include hip-to-gable roof extensions and flat roof extensions over the garage.

Where such porches are established on [address], any steps required to access the internal ground level have remained external, minimising the height and massing of the porch. This includes those examples brough to my attention by the appellant at No’s 2 and [address]. The appeal scheme proposes to enclose the steps, which significantly increases the bulk and depth of the proposed development in comparison to those elsewhere along the street.

The submitted drawings also show that the proposed development would extend upwards to nearly reach the eaves of the two-storey garage. Even accounting for the changes in topography and ground level, the finished structure would dominate the principal elevation of the appeal dwelling and result in a visually cluttered appearance.

Furthermore, the materials palette would fail to integrate well into the established street scene, and the extensive glazing would only serve to highlight the incongruous appearance. Overall, the proposed development would lack the required subordinate characteristics to achieve successful assimilation within the street scene.

I understand that the garage at the appeal site has been converted to provide habitable accommodation, and thus the appellants wish to provide internal access to this space. However, I have not been presented with evidence that the appeal scheme is the only way to achieve these aims and thus this does not justify the harm that I have found.

Overall, I conclude that the proposed development would have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the area. It is therefore contrary to Policy DM9 of the Epping Forest District Local Plan 2011-2033 (2023) which requires all development to relate positively to their context and make a positive contribution to a place.

The appellant has referred to existing examples at nos. 25 and [address]. However, I do not have the details of the construction of these porches, including the circumstances under which planning permission may have been granted.

For the reasons given above and having had regard to all other matters raised, I recommend that the appeal should be dismissed.

I have considered all the submitted evidence and my representative’s report and on that basis the appeal is dismissed.