Loft conversion project with front elevation refurbishment and external wall insulation

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 17 August 2021 by N McGurk BSc (Hons) MCD MBA MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 17 September 2021 Appeal Ref: APP/W5780/D/21/3272951 14 Westview Drive, Woodford Green, IG8 8LU • 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 Anna Kulik against the decision of the Council of the London Borough of Redbridge. • The application Ref 0294/21 dated 28 January 2021, was refused by notice dated 11 March 2021. • The development proposed is a loft conversion project with front elevation refurbishment and external wall insulation. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Procedural Matters 2. The description of the development proposed is taken from the application form. The decision notice refers to the development proposed as “Loft conversion with one rear dormer and two front dormers. New canopy/porch to front elevation.” Main Issue 3. The main issue in this case is the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area. Reasons 4. The appeal property is a two storey mid-terrace dwelling. 5. The appeal property is located in a residential area. The area is largely characterised by the presence of terraced and semi-detached two storey dwellings set back from the road behind short gardens and/or parking areas, with longer gardens to the rear. 6. Along with the set-back of the houses, the presence of a wide pavement with occasional hedge planting provides for a sense of spaciousness. Further, the presence of regular bay features and use of similar materials affords Westview Drive a distinctive and attractive sense of uniformity. Appeal Decision APP/W5780/D/21/3272951 2 7. During my site visit, I observed that many dwellings along Westview Drive have been altered and/or extended and that such changes tend to appear in keeping with host properties and the area’s shared characteristics. 8. The proposed development would introduce front dormers uncharacteristic of Westview Drive. As such, I find that the proposal would draw attention to itself as an incongruous and visually intrusive development, to the detriment of the identified attributes of the area. 9. The harmful impact of the above would be exacerbated by the proposed removal of the front hipped roof above the appeal property’s bay window feature. This feature provides for visual symmetry with No 12 Westview Road and its removal would detract from this symmetry and the area’s attractive uniform qualities. 10.Further, the proposed box dormer to the rear would add significant bulk to the overall scale of development proposed and I find that this, together with the proposed fenestration and use of materials, would result in a feature that would add to the incongruity of the proposal as a whole. 11.Taking all of the above into account, I find that the proposed development would harm the character and appearance of the area, contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework; to Local Plan1 policies LP26 and LP30; and to the Council’s Housing Design Supplementary Planning Document (2019), which together amongst other things, seek to protect local character. Conclusion 12.For the reasons given above, the appeal does not succeed. N McGurk INSPECTOR 1 Redbridge Local Plan (2018).