Alterations; erection of upwards gable-ended extension on existing garage with installation of front and rear doors; erection of 1 No. front dormer and 2 No. rear dormers and a rear walkway and installation of solar panels without complying with a condition attached to planning permission Ref 23/04232/HSE, dated 28 March 2024
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Extensions
Character & Appearance
Heritage & Conservation
Inspector’s Reasoning
Appeal Decision
Site visit made on 23 April 2025
by D J Barnes MBA BSc(Hons) DipTP MRTPI
an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State
Decision date:12 May 2025
Appeal Ref: APP/L5240/D/25/3358872
63 Croham Manor Road, South Croydon, Croydon CR2 7BH
• The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended)
against a refusal to grant planning permission under section 73 of the Town and Country Planning
Act 1990 for the development of land without complying with conditions subject to which a previous
planning permission was granted.
• The appeal is made by Des Brady against the decision of the Council of the London Borough of
Croydon.
• The application Ref is 24/03528/CONR.
• The application sought planning permission for alterations; erection of upwards gable-ended
extension on existing garage with installation of front and rear doors; erection of 1 No. front dormer
and 2 No. rear dormers and a rear walkway and installation of solar panels without complying with a
condition attached to planning permission Ref 23/04232/HSE, dated 28 March 2024.
• The condition in dispute is No. 2 which states that: The development shall be carried out entirely in
accordance with the approved drawings submitted with the application listed below: 219-0-10;
219-0-09 Rev B and 219-0-07 Rev B.
• The reason given for the condition is: For the avoidance of doubt, and to ensure that the
development is carried out in full accordance with the approved plans in the interests of proper
planning.
Decision
1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for alterations; erection
of upwards gable-ended extension on existing garage with installation of front and
rear doors; erection of 1 No. front dormer and 2 No. rear dormers and a rear
walkway and installation of solar panels at 63 Croham Manor Road, South
Croydon, Croydon CR2 7BH in accordance with the application Ref
24/03528/CONR, without compliance with condition number 2 previously imposed
on planning permission Ref 23/04232/HSE dated 28 March 2024 and subject to the
following conditions:
1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from
28 March 2024.
2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with
the following approved plans: 2019-001-00; 219-0-10 Rev A; 219-0-09 Rev C
and 219-0-07 Rev C
3) Unless otherwise specified in the application, the materials to be used for the
external surfaces of the development hereby permitted along with work of
making good shall be carried out in materials to match those of the existing
building.
Appeal Decision APP/L5240/D/25/3358872
2
4) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with
the provisions of the Fire Statement dated November 2023.
5) Prior to the occupation of the development at least one water butt of 100 litre
volume shall be installed on a downpipe attached to the roof of the property
and be retained and maintained for the lifetime of the development. Reason:
To ensure that the principles of sustainable drainage are incorporated into
the development and to reduce the impact of flooding.
Main Issue
2. It is considered that the main issue is whether condition 2 is necessary to preserve
the character and appearance of the host property and the streetscene.
Reasons
3. The appeal property is a large, detached bungalow with accommodation within the
roofspace. It is situated within a spacious and verdant residential area adjacent to
an area of woodland and the rear gardens of dwellings which front High Beech. The
dwellings within the surrounding area, which includes those on the opposite si de of
the road that are situated within the Cobham Manor Road Conservation Area, are
predominantly large 2-storey dwellings sited within large, landscaped plots.
4. Planning permission has been granted for alterations to the appeal property which
include a first floor side extension above an existing garage (Ref 23/04232/HSE).
The design of the approved extension includes the front elevation being set back at
first floor level from the front wall of the host property by circa 0.5 metres. Together
with the lower ridge height than the host property, the setting back of the front
elevation would, the council claim, ensure that the approved extension would be a
subservient addition to the host property.
5. The appeal scheme includes seeks a variation to condition 2 to substitute an
alternative design for the approved scheme. The condition was imposed for the
avoidance of doubt and to ensure that the development would be carried out in
accordance with the approved drawings. The reason for the variation is to
substitute the approved drawings by amended drawings with the main difference
being the first floor of the proposed side extension not being set back by circa 0.5
metres. Instead, the proposed extension’s front elevation would align with the front
wall of the host property. The ridge height of the proposed extension would still be
lower than the host property albeit the difference would be modest.
6. Although the front elevation would not be set back, the resulting property would still
retain the appearance of a large, detached bungalow situated on a large landscape
plot. By reason of the siting of the property to the rear of a landscaped front
garden, the resulting property’s contribution to the streetscene would not be
materially different when compared to the approved scheme. The appearance of
the streetscene would remain one of large dwellings sited within large, landscaped
plots thereby retaining its spacious and verdant character. There would be no
harm caused to the setting of the Conservation Area. From the road the existence
or absence of a set back at first floor level would not be particularly noticeable.
Instead,.
7. The appeal scheme would result in the current symmetrical appearance of the host
property being lost and the extension of the current gable roof across the garage
Appeal Decision APP/L5240/D/25/3358872
3
would increase the width of the resulting property. However, based on the
available evidence, the lack of a setting back of the proposed extension at first floor
level would not materially change the asymmetrical appearance of the property
when compared to the approved scheme. As with the approved scheme, the
proposed dormer extension would break-up the expanse of the enlarged gable roof.
The use of matching materials would assist in the assimilation of the proposed
extension as part of the host property.
8. For the reasons given, it is concluded that condition 2 is unnecessary to preserve
the character and appearance of the host property and the streetscene and, as
such, its variation to refer to the amended drawings would not conflict with Policies
SP4 and DM11 of the Croydon Local Plan. Amongst other matters, these policies
require development to be informed by its context and to be of a high quality of
design. Policy D3 of the London Plan is not of direct relevance because it concerns
optimising site capacity through a design led approach rather than specifically
addressing householder schemes.
9. The other conditions attached to the planning permission granted by the council
concerning the use of matching materials, securing implementation of the Fire
Statement and the provision of a water butt are still considered necessary.
Accordingly, it is concluded that this appeal should be allowed.
D J Barnes
INSPECTOR
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