For a first floor side and 2 storey side/rear extension

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 7 December 2017 by Andy Harwood CMS MSc MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Decision date: 22 December 2017 Appeal Ref: APP/Z1775/D/17/3183654 54 Aberdare Avenue, Portsmouth PO6 2AU  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 Mr and Mrs Holding against the decision of Portsmouth City Council.  The application Ref 17/00892/HOU, dated 24 May 2017, was refused by notice dated 21 July 2017.  The development proposed is for a first floor side and 2 storey side/rear extension. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Main Issues 2. The effect of the proposal upon the living conditions of the occupiers at No 56 Aberdare Avenue with respect to light and outlook. Secondly the effect of the proposals upon the character and appearance of the area. Reasons Living conditions 3. The appeal site is in a pleasant, suburban residential area. The dwellings progress up the hillside in semi-detached pairs. The dwelling at the appeal site is set downhill from and a little further rearward than the neighbouring dwelling at No 56 and is detached from it. 4. The narrow kitchen at No 56 faces towards the side of No 54 and across the roofs of the single storey outbuildings between the dwellings. There is a substantial gap between the higher parts of the 2 dwellings and this space is apparent when looking out of the kitchen window. The narrow kitchen at No 56 at the time of my visit on a rather dull, wet day was dark. The main source of natural light reaching that room was through this side window. 5. The proposal would involve a 2 storey extension up to the boundary between these dwellings. Although there would be some space retained between the dwellings, the kitchen that already has limited natural daylight would receive even less as a result of the proposal. With the extension being proposed to the south of No 56, it would also have an impact upon sunlight reaching that room. Furthermore, the proposed extension would reduce the sense of openness gained when looking out of the window when standing near the sink, bringing a Appeal Decision APP/Z1775/D/17/3183654 2 noticeable degree of enclosure. By reason of having this high extension in much closer proximity this would have a dominating impact. This would not secure a good standard of living environment for the occupants of No 56. 6. In relation to this main issue, the proposal would have a harmful impact upon the living conditions for occupiers at No 56 Aberdare Avenue with respect to light and outlook. This would not comply with Core Strategy1 (CS) Policy PCS23 or the requirement in paragraph 17 of the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) to secure a good standard of amenity for all existing and future occupants of land and buildings. Character and appearance 7. The dwellings along Aberdare Avenue continue to have some unifying characteristics particularly between pairs of semi-detached dwellings. No 54 and the adjoining dwelling in this pair are unified in appearance and basic form with similar front bays and half-hipped roofs although are not identical in terms of materials and some other details. The original form of some other dwellings nearby has been altered in a number of cases to varying degrees. Those altered dwellings including Nos 50 and 48 have not had a prevailing impact and have not entirely undermined the overall character and appearance of the area. Those examples do not provide a precedent for this proposal. 8. The proposed 2 storey side-extension would be set back a little from the front of the existing dwelling and the use of different materials would help to retain the emphasis upon the original building when seen from the road. However the inclusion of a gable end would contrast with the existing character of this and the adjoining dwelling which would unbalance this pair. This would have a limited but nevertheless noticeably harmful impact upon the street-scene in this part of Aberdare Avenue. 9. The proposal would not have an appropriate appearance and in relation to this main issue, would have a harmful impact upon the character and appearance of the area. This would not comply with CS Policy PCS23 or the advice within paragraph 56 of the Framework to attach great importance to the design of the built environment. Other Matters 10. The proposal would provide for a more comfortable living environment for the occupants of the dwelling. This would optimise the building for their purposes but would cause harm in the ways I have explained above. I do not consider that the benefits outweigh the harm in relation to the main issues. Conclusion 11. For the reasons given above and having considered all other matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed. Andy Harwood INSPECTOR 1 The Portsmouth Plan (Portsmouth’s Core Strategy), adopted 24 January 2012