Conversion of roof space to provide additional habitable accommodation

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 20 July 2022 by S Brook BA (Hons) MA MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 5 August 2022 Appeal Ref: APP/Z4310/D/22/3300718 66 Manor View, Liverpool L12 0LT • 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 Antony Deans against the decision of Liverpool City Council. • The application Ref 22H/0924, dated 28 March 2022, was refused by notice dated 23 May 2022. • The development proposed is described as ‘Conversion of roof space to provide additional habitable accommodation’. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Main Issue 2. The main issue is the effect of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the area. Reasons 3. The proposed development relates to a detached, two-storey dwelling within a modern housing estate. Whilst there is some variation in the style and arrangement of dwellings within this estate, the majority are two storeys high, with limited variation to the main ridge height. Roof gradients are also largely consistent. An exception is that some other properties have front projections with a gable design. These elements appear to have a somewhat steeper roof pitch resulting from a lower eaves height, whilst the ridge line remains consistent. The consistency in ridge height and gradient, provides a uniformity to the roofscape, characterizing the immediate area. 4. According to the submitted plans, the proposal would raise the ridge height of the main part of the host dwelling by 1.79m. This would be a marked change in the overall ridge height and roof gradient of this dwelling in comparison to other houses in the cul-de-sac. The proposed roof gradient of the main part of the host dwelling would also differ noticeably to the retained roof gradient of its lower height front projections. 5. The appeal property sits forward of its neighbour, which results in part of the side elevation and the apex of the roof being visible within the street. Seen in context, the proposed increase in height and change in roof gradient would fail to take appropriate account of the form, scale and roofscape of dwellings within the immediate locality, resulting in a scheme that is out of scale with other nearby buildings. It would result in a discordant form of development, that Appeal Decision APP/Z4310/D/22/3300718 2 would disrupt the uniformity of the roofscape. The use of matching materials would not be sufficient to address this incongruity. 6. As such, the proposed development would result in unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the area, contrary to Policies H8 and UD1 of the Liverpool Local Plan 2013 – 2033, Adopted January 2022. Amongst other matters, these policies seek to ensure that house extensions complement the style of the dwelling and the surrounding area and take into account aspects such as rooflines and roofscape. Conclusion 7. The development would not cause any significant harm to the living conditions of occupiers of any nearby residence. However, acceptability in this regard does not address the harm identified in respect to the main issue. 8. For the reasons outlined above, having had regard to the development plan as a whole and all other material considerations, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed. S Brook INSPECTOR