Detached double garage

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 27 June 2017 by Debbie Moore BSc (HONS) MCD MRTPI PGDip an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Decision date: 12 July 2017 Appeal Ref: APP/U2370/D/17/3173953 Winacre Farm, Turkey Street, Out Rawcliffe, Preston PR3 6TA  The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant planning permission.  The appeal is made by Dr Mark Dale against the decision of Wyre Borough Council.  The application Ref 16/01114/FUL, dated 21 December 2016, was refused by notice dated 23 February 2017.  The development proposed is a detached double garage. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a detached double garage at Winacre Farm, Turkey Street, Out Rawcliffe, Preston PR3 6TA in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 16/01114/FUL, dated 21 December 2016, subject to the following conditions: 1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than three years from the date of this decision. 2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Location Plan Ref 2679.001; Existing Site Plan Ref 2679.101; Proposed Site Plan Ref 2679.507; Proposed Garage Plan Ref 2679.504; Proposed Garage Elevations Ref 2679.505 . 3) No development shall commence until details / samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the garage hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details / samples. Preliminary Matter 2. The site has a planning history which is relevant to the appeal. Planning permission has been granted for a two storey side extension, a single storey rear extension, demolition of existing outbuildings and construction of a single storey swimming pool building (Ref 16/00637/FUL). This was a revised scheme following the refusal of a previous proposal for extensions, which included a detached garage. I saw from my site visit that the outbuildings have been demolished. I have taken the planning history into account in my consideration of this appeal. Appeal Decision APP/U2370/D/17/3173953 2 Main Issue 3. The main issue is the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area, with regard to its countryside location. Reasons 4. The appeal property is a detached dwelling located within extensive grounds. The surrounding area is rural in character and is within the countryside for development plan purposes. 5. The proposed development is a detached double garage that would be sited to the rear of the house and the existing garage, adjacent to the northern boundary of the garden. As set out above, the garage would be in addition to relatively large scale extensions to the house that already have planning permission. The Council is concerned that the garage would represent sprawl and would detract from the open and rural character of the locality. 6. Policy H4 of the Local Plan1 states that proposals relating to dwellings located in either the open countryside, green belt or the area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) will only be approved provided that the extension or alteration is: appropriate in character and style to the dwelling and the area; is proportionate in scale to the size of the original building; is developed using materials appropriate to the locality and involves a high standard of design. The policy does not differentiate between the countryside, the green belt or the AONB and, in that respect, it is not entirely consistent with the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework). Although the development would be considered disproportionate in scale to the size of the original building, I give limited weight to this element of the policy as it does not reflect the Framework when assessed against its policies as a whole. 7. Nonetheless, the Framework requires planning to take account of the roles and character of different areas, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside. Policies H4 and SP14 are broadly consistent with this aim. I appreciate that the garage would extend the built form of the development, but it would be located to the rear of the house and would not be prominent in views from Turkey Street or the surrounding countryside. I appreciate that the garage would be visible from a public right of way, which runs to the north of the site, but it would be seen in the context of the residential development within the plot and would not appear out of character or incongruous in this location. The design of the garage is of a high quality and the materials proposed would be compatible with its context. 8. I also note that the garage would be located on the site of outbuildings that have been demolished. The effect of the garage on the character and appearance of countryside, in combination with the approved extensions, is unlikely to be materially greater than the structures that previously existed. 9. The Council refers to an appeal in relation to extensions at the property which was dismissed. The full balance of considerations that informed that decision is not before me, and I am unable to assess whether the site specific circumstances of that case were comparable to the current appeal. Consequently, I give that decision limited weight. 1 Wyre Borough Local Plan 1991-2006, adopted July 1999 Appeal Decision APP/U2370/D/17/3173953 3 10. The Council also states that no justification for a garage has been advanced by the appellant. However, the relevant policies do not require justification and I give little weight to this consideration. 11. To conclude, although the cumulative extensions would be disproportionate in scale to the size of the original building, the garage would not erode the openness and rural character of the area. It would not be prominently located and would be seen in the context of the existing residential development. Consequently, the development would meet the objectives of Policies H4 and SP14 of the Local Plan, which seek to ensure that development in the countryside is carefully controlled to protect and enhance scenic quality or to maintain the openness of the area. 12. In addition to the standard time limit condition, I have imposed a condition to specify the approved plans as this provides certainty. I have also imposed a condition to ensure the materials are complementary to the location. 13. For the reasons given above, the appeal is allowed. Debbie Moore Inspector