Erection of extensions and alterations to fenestrations

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 28 January 2021 by Sian Griffiths BSc(Hons) DipTP MScRealEst MRTPI MRICS an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 12 February 2021 Appeal Ref: APP/R3650/D/20/3262034 27 Tor Road, Farnham GU9 7BY • 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 Ms Emily Hislop against the decision of Waverley Borough Council. • The application Ref WA/2020/0497, dated 16 March 2020, was refused by notice dated 10 August 2020. • The development proposed is erection of extensions and alterations to fenestrations. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for erection of extensions and alterations to fenestrations at 27 Tor Road, Farnham GU9 7BY in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref WA/2020/0497, dated 16 March 2020 and the plans submitted with it, subject to the following conditions: 1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision. 2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Block Plan (PA2); Existing Floor and Roof Plans (PA-4); Existing Elevations (PA-3); Location Plan; Proposed Elevations (PA-5); Proposed Floor and Roof Plans (PA-6). Preliminary Matters 2. During the determination of the application, the council changed the description of development to include only those elements requiring planning permission. I have therefore used the description of development on the decision notice. 3. I also note that the appellant’s name on the appeal form and application form do not match. However, this has since been clarified by the appellant’s agent, and I have used the correct name above. 4. At the site visit, I also conducted a further site visit in order to view the appeal site from the rear garden of the neighbouring property at No 29 Tor Road. Reasons 5. The main issue is the effect of the appeal proposals on the living conditions of the occupiers of neighbouring 27 Tor Road. Appeal Decision APP/R3650/D/20/3262034 2 6. Tor Road is a pleasant cul-de-sac, with a suburban character, located to the west of Farnham. The street has a mix of semi-detached and detached two storey houses and bungalows with front gardens and generous rear gardens, some with off street parking. The rear gardens serving each dwelling flanking Tor Road are bounded by substantial timber fences. At the site visit, I noticed a number of dwellings within Tor Road had been subject to extensions and other improvements. 7. No 27 is a detached two storey house with a side gate access to the rear garden. It is flanked by similar dwellings. The appeal proposals would result in a substantial ground floor extension of the full width of the host dwelling to create a large kitchen dining room to the rear, together with a first floor extension above part of the ground floor extension to create larger second and third bedrooms and further bathroom. 8. Policy TD1 (Townscape and Design) of the Waverley Borough Local Plan (Part 1) (2018) (LP1) seeks development that protects the character and amenity of the town. Similarly Policy FNP1 (Design of New Development and Conservation) of the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan (2017 and subsequent 2019 review) (NP) also seeks development that responds positively to local character and does not result in harm to living conditions under paragraph (g). Policy FNP16 (Building Extensions within and outside of the Built Up Area Boundary) of the NP seeks to ensure privacy, daylight, sunlight and outlook of adjoining residents are safeguarded. Finally, saved policies D1 (Environmental Implications of Development) and D4 (Design and Layout) of the Waverley Borough Local Plan (2002) (LP) both seek to protect the amenity of neighbouring occupiers and the Residential Extensions Supplementary Planning Document (2010) (SPD) augments the development plan and provides further detail on how residential extensions will be assessed. 9. At the site visit, I noticed that the dwellings flanking No27 are ‘graduated’, where the rear elevation of No 25 projects further into the rear garden than No27, and No27 projects further into the garden than No29 and so on. 10. I also viewed the appeal site from the rear garden of No29 Tor Road, which appeared to have been recently extended and improved significantly. Having considered the relationship between the two dwellings, it was clear to me that the proposed extension would not be particularly overbearing to No27, given the separation between the two dwellings and graduation of the rear elevations of the two properties. 11. Whilst it is therefore clear that the appeal proposals are substantial, in light of the extensions and improvements already in existence for a number of properties along the street, together with the relationships between each dwelling, the proposed extension would not, in my view harm the living conditions of those occupying No29 Tor Road. I therefore do not find harm in relation to policies TD1 of the LP1; FNP1 and FNP16 of the NP; Saved policies D1 and D4 of the LP, nor the relevant parts of the SPD. Conditions 12. I have applied a standard timescale condition (1) and a condition in relation to the approved plans (2), in the interests of certainty and precision. Appeal Decision APP/R3650/D/20/3262034 3 Conclusions 13. For the reasons given, and having regard to all other matters raised, the appeal is allowed, subject to the conditions set out above. Sian Griffiths INSPECTOR