Appeal 6005964

The appeal is dismissed.

The description of development above is taken from the planning application form. However, I have removed any wording which does not relate to acts of development.

The main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the host building and area, having regard to the location of the site within the High Weald National Landscape (HWNL).

Section 85 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 requires that regard be had to the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of National Landscapes. I am also conscious of my duty under Section 245 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 to seek to further the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area.

[site address] is a well-presented converted oast house. Despite previous extensions and alterations, the agricultural design and form of the building remain perceptible, which along with features such as the brickwork and single roundel, contribute to its aesthetic quality. As such, regardless of the construction of more recent buildings within the site, the former agricultural function of the building remains legible in its character and appearance.

The appeal is set within the HWNL, and its special qualities include historic farmsteads, routeways and field boundaries set in a mosaic of fields interspersed by woodlands and hedges. The HWNL includes locally distinctive historic buildings such as oast houses. The appeal building, due to largely retaining its appearance and form as a former agricultural building that utilises traditional materials, positively contributes to the landscape and scenic beauty of the HWNL.

The proposed rear extension would include a hipped roof as well as a section of flat roof which would be utilised as a balcony. A set of first-floor double doors would be inserted to provide access into the balcony. The design of the rear extension is therefore of distinctly domestic appearance, which would be at odds with the largely retained agricultural character and appearance of the host building. This would be exacerbated by the proposed glazed link structure which would connect to the existing single storey rear projection.

The extension’s hipped roof would protrude through the eaves because of its excessive height, therefore failing to relate well with the existing single storey projection which is not so tall. In addition, taken together with the existing single storey rear projection, the scale of the proposal would dominate the rear elevation of its host and would detrimentally alter its form. As such, the proposal would appear as an incongruous addition to its host that would erode its legibility as an oast and harm its character and appearance. The use of appropriate materials would not overcome this harm.

The quality of the HWNL includes the locally distinctive oast houses. As the design of the proposal would dilute the agrarian appearance of the building, the HWNL would be harmed in this case.

Thus, the proposal would have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the host building and area, including HWNL, contrary to Policies OSS4, RA3, RA4, EN1 and EN3 of the Rother Local Plan Core Strategy 2014, and Policies DHG9, DEN1 and DEN2 of the Development and Site Allocations Local Plan 2019. Amongst other things, these policies seek to ensure the retention of the legibility of historic farm buildings, conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the HWNL, and support extensions that respect and respond positively to the scale, details, overall design, and character and appearance of their host, take account of the original form and function of their host and the cumulative impact of extensions.

Ewhurst Parish Council supports the proposal. However, this does not alter my findings above regarding the identified harm.

The proposal conflicts with the development plan and the material considerations do not indicate that the appeal should be decided other than in accordance with it. For the reasons given above the appeal is dismissed.