Demolition of existing concrete garage and attached greenhouse and erection of detached garage and workshop with family annex and home office above

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 27 June 2018 by Megan Thomas Barrister-at-Law an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Decision date: 13 July 2018 Appeal Ref: APP/Y9507/D/18/3199383 Walnut Cottage, Standfast Lane, Hawley, Liss GU33 6NR  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 N Chrimes against the decision of the South Downs National Park Authority.  The application Ref. SDNP/17/05857/HOUS, dated 16 November 2017, was refused by notice dated 11 January 2018.  The development proposed is the demolition of existing concrete garage and attached greenhouse and erection of detached garage and workshop with family annex and home office above. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for the demolition of existing concrete garage and attached greenhouse and erection of detached garage and workshop with family annex and home office above at Walnut Cottage, Standfast Lane, Hawkley, Liss GU33 6NR in accordance with the terms of the application Ref.SDNP/17/05857/HOUS, dated 16 November 2017, 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 approved plans numbered T727/05, T727/06, T727/04 & T727/02. (3) The materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the building hereby permitted shall match those used in the existing dwelling. (4) The development hereby permitted shall not be occupied at any time other than for purposes ancillary to the residential use of the dwelling known as Walnut Cottage. It shall not be used in part or whole as self-contained living accommodation. (5) The area annotated ‘garage’ on drawing no.T727/05 shall be kept available at all times for the parking of motor vehicles by the occupants of the dwelling known as Walnut Cottage and their visitors and for no other purpose. It shall not be used for the parking or storage of caravans, trailers or boats. (6) Notwithstanding the approved plans, development above slab level shall not be commenced until detailed drawings or details of the windows, rooflights and guttering have been submitted to, and approved in writing by the local Appeal Decision APP/Y9507/D/18/3199383 2 planning authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with those details and shall thereafter be retained. Main Issue 2. The appeal site is within the South Downs National Park and Walnut Cottage is a listed (grade II) building. The main issue in the appeal is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area and on the setting of the listed building. Reasons 3. The appeal site comprises the listed house and spacious terraced garden at Walnut Cottage. There is an existing concrete garage which is situated about 22 metres to the north east of the main house close to the Lane. There is a dwelling known as Hurst Barn to the north east of the garage and in between there is a small parking area for Hurst Barn. 4. Hawkley is a reasonably isolated settlement in the National Park. Standfast Lane is a no-through road and Walnut Cottage is on the edge of the settlement. It has a very rural setting. The garden is mature with hedgerows and trees around and within the site. 5. The house of two storeys is a traditional Hampshire dwelling of exposed timber frame with stone infill in the older part and clunch walls with brick dressings in the southern section, with tile hanging at first floor and a plain clay tiled roof. 6. The proposed development would involve the demolition of the existing garage and the remains of a greenhouse attached to it, and a residential annex would be erected on a similar footprint. The ground floor would be used as a garage, workshop/store and shed and the first floor would provide some home office and bed/sitting and bathroom accommodation. The new building would be of traditional design with low eaves, half hips and two hipped dormer windows. I agree with the Conservation Officer when he says that it would not harm the setting of the listed building. There is no strong visual link between the two. The Cottage is at a lower level and the predominant sight lines are towards the south-west over the garden, and to the north-west overlooking the valley, not north-eastwards towards the existing garage. There are shrubs and a greenhouse in between the Cottage and the existing garage and the separation distance is generous. The new building would not dominate the listed Cottage. It would also reflect some of its features and so, even when viewed together, the architectural and historic interest of the building would not be harmed and neither would its setting. 7. Views of the building from the public realm from Standfast Lane and Mill Lane, would be partially screened in winter and well screened in summer. The visible elevations/roofscapes would be simple in form and, in particular, the south east elevation of the building (which would face Standfast Lane) would be plain tiled roof with two conservation style rooflights. Whilst the new building would be higher, it would not be excessively large or bulky and its traditional design would be in keeping with the rural area. It is likely also that its timber boarding would weather over time and assimilate sympathetically into its surroundings. As the appeal site is situated in a hollow in the context of the wider landscape, views from longer distances are unlikely, but even if glimpses were possible, for example in winter, the design of the building is sympathetic Appeal Decision APP/Y9507/D/18/3199383 3 to the scenic appearance of the National Park. To my mind the natural beauty of the National Park would be conserved and enhanced by the proposal. 8. I conclude that the proposal would not harm the setting of the listed building and it would not harm the character or appearance of the area including the National Park. It would not conflict with policies CP20, CP29 or CP30 of the East Hampshire District Local Plan: Joint Core Strategy (adopted 2014) or with saved policies of the East Hampshire District Local Plan Second Review(2006). Other Matters 9. I am satisfied that the replacement building would not be so bulky or so close to the boundary of Hurst Barn that it would cause a loss of outlook for the occupants or otherwise harm their residential amenity. Conditions 10. The Authority suggested some conditions in the event that the appeal succeeded. I have had regard to advice on conditions in NPPG. For the avoidance of doubt I have attached a condition which ties the construction of the new building to the approved plans. In order to preserve heritage interests and character and appearance of the area, I have attached a condition which requires materials to be used in external surfaces to match the existing house, and I have attached a condition which requires window/rooflight details and guttering details to be approved by the local planning authority before the replacement building is much above ground level. In order to ensure the residential amenities of Hurst Barn are protected and to avoid a new self- contained dwelling in the countryside there is a condition requiring the new accommodation to be used only for ancillary residential purposes to Walnut Cottage. A condition is also necessary to ensure that the garage is available for interior and off-road parking of two vehicles in order to avoid parking which might obstruct the free flow of vehicles on the public highway and to protect the setting of the listed building. Conclusion 11. Having taken into account all representations made, for the reasons given above, I allow the appeal. Megan Thomas INSPECTOR