Outside building shed

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 11 March 2019 by N McGurk BSc (Hons) MCD MBA MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 27th March 2019 Appeal Ref: APP/K3415/D/18/3218456 The Forge, Wigginton Fields, Main Road, Wigginton, Tamworth, B79 9LH • 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 Mervyn Williams against the decision of Lichfield District Council. • The application Ref 18/01371/FUL, dated 13 September 2018, was refused by notice dated 26 November 2018. • The development proposed is an outside building shed. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for an outside building shed at The Forge, Wigginton Fields, Main Road, Wigginton, Tamworth, B79 9LH in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 18/01371/FUL, dated 13 September 2018, subject to the conditions set out in the attached schedule. Procedural Matters 2. The development the subject of this appeal has already taken place. 3. The Council has provided evidence, not disputed by the appellant, to demonstrate that the development the subject of this appeal is a curtilage listed building by association with the Grade II Listed Building, Wigginton Fields farmhouse. Main Issue 4. The main issue in this case is the effect of the development on the character and appearance of a curtilage Listed Barn and the setting of a Grade II Listed Building. Reasons 5. The appeal property is a semi-detached curtilage listed barn which was formerly part of Wigginton Fields Farm, a Grade II Listed Building. The barn comprises a residential conversion and by virtue of the relevant planning consent, does not benefit from Permitted Development rights1. 6. Wigginton Fields Farm is notable as a three storey, rendered, early Nineteenth Century farmhouse with brick integral end stacks. It retains attractive features 1 Ref: 01/01007/COU and 01/01008/LBC. Appeal Decision APP/K3415/D/18/3218456 2 including glazing bar sashes, a rear three storey wing, two bays and casements with segmental heads. The farmhouse has a large number of Nineteenth Century barns, one of which comprises the property the subject of this appeal. 7. The appeal property forms one of a number of barns converted to dwellings. The property is very similar to its adjoining neighbour, being single storey and brick-built with a pitched roof. The appeal property and its neighbour face in towards a courtyard, across which are other converted barns. From the courtyard, the converted barns generally appear to have retained much of their appearance as traditional farm buildings originally ancillary to the farmhouse, which is some distance away. This courtyard makes a positive contribution to the setting of the appeal property and the Listed Building. 8. Other parts of the farm complex have seen other forms of development and the whole of it is surrounded by open countryside. 9. During my site visit, I observed that, to the opposite side of the appeal property to the courtyard, there was much less an apparent sense of the original appearance of farm buildings. Rather, the proliferation of a variety of outbuildings within a distinctively domestic garden setting draws the eye away from the rear of the appeal property and that of its neighbour. 10.Indeed, whilst not referred to at all in the Council’s officer’s report, it is a large outbuilding with a tall, distinctive roof, immediately to the rear of the adjacent property, that appears most prominently and combines with the presence of other outbuildings, fences and garden paraphernalia, to dominate the character of the area. 11.The development the subject of this proposal, with its low flat roof and timber painted panels, simply appears as an ancillary garden structure, separate from the appeal property and entirely in keeping with the character of the area to the rear of the appeal property and its adjoining neighbour. Furthermore, much of the outbuilding is open sided to the garden, adding to its simple, ancillary and appropriate appearance within a garden setting where outbuildings appear commonplace. 12.Taking the above into account, I find that the outbuilding contributes to the bucolic nature of its surroundings. Its semi-rustic appearance fits into its pleasant, agrarian outdoor setting and appears in keeping with its agricultural and countryside surroundings. In this way, it blends well with the converted barns and to some considerable degree, its lesser scale and distinctly “garden structure” nature, serves to soften the impact of the more imposing and intense form of development on neighbouring land. In this respect, the outbuilding makes a small positive contribution to the setting of heritage assets. 13.Consequently, I find that the outbuilding appears neither incongruous nor awkward, but in keeping with its surroundings. 14.Further to all of the above, I am also mindful of the outbuilding’s functional utility. The outbuilding makes a significant contribution to the health and well- being of the occupiers. Health and wellbeing is not a minor planning consideration. The National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) devotes an entire chapter to promoting healthy and safe communities. Appeal Decision APP/K3415/D/18/3218456 3 15.On consideration of the evidence before me, there is no doubt that the outbuilding makes a significant and substantial contribution to health and well- being and in the absence of any substantive evidence to the contrary, I find that this has the potential to lessen the burden on the public purse by reducing pressures on public health resources. 16.Taking all of the above into account, the development does not harm the character and appearance of a curtilage Listed Barn or the setting of a Grade II Listed Building. It is not contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework, to Local Plan policies BE1, Core Policy 3 and Core Policy 14, and to Wigginton, Hopwas and Comberford Neighbourhood Plan policy WHC3, which together amongst other things, protect local character. 17.I also note that the outbuilding provides benefits in respect of lessening the impacts of poor health on the public purse. Conditions 18.I have considered the conditions suggested by the Council against the six tests set out in paragraph 55 of the Framework. A condition relating to the relevant plan is necessary for the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of proper planning. Conclusion 19.For the reasons given above, the appeal succeeds. N McGurk INSPECTOR Schedule of Conditions attached to Appeal Decision APP/K3415/D/18/3218456 The Forge, Wigginton Fields, Main Road, Wigginton, Tamworth, B79 9LH 1) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: Figure 2; Figure 5; Figure 6; Figure 7; Figure 8; Figure 9. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------