For the installation of front gates and railings

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 2 December 2025 by R Higgins Decision by Tamsin Law BSc MSc MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 16th March 2026 Appeal Ref: 6000789 19A Uphill Road, Mill Hill, Barnet, London NW7 4RA • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Okezie Akwiwu against the decision of the Council of the London Borough of Barnet. • The application Ref is 25/2112/HSE. • The development proposed is for the installation of front gates and railings. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Appeal Procedure 2. The site visit was undertaken by a representative of the Inspector whose recommendation is set out below and to which the Inspector has had regard before deciding the appeal. Main Issue 3. The main issue is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of host dwelling and the surrounding area. Reasons for the Recommendation 4. The appeal site lies within a street predominantly characterised by large, detached dwellings fronting onto the highway. These properties are generally set back from the road behind front gardens, which are predominantly used for parking. The combination of these generous setbacks with landscaped elements, including hedges and other greenery within front gardens, contributes to a spacious and open quality that defines the overall character of the area. 5. Within the locality, a variety of boundary treatments are evident. The prevailing characteristic of the street scene is the presence of low brick walls, often complemented by taller hedges or other forms of greenery. This is consistent with the boundary treatment currently in place at the host dwelling. While a small number of properties incorporate alternative features such as brick walls combined with railings and/or gates, these are less typical and do not represent the dominant character of the area. 6. The proposed gate and railings, by virtue of their excessive height, would appear unduly prominent and incongruous within the street scene. This would erode the established open character of the area, introducing a visually dominant feature at odds with the prevailing character. While some similar developments exist locally, Appeal Planning Officer 6000789 2 these differ from the appeal proposal in that they are more modest in height and scale. 7. Therefore, the proposed development would cause harm to the character and appearance of both the host dwelling and surrounding street scene. The proposal would be in conflict with Policy CDH01 of the Barnet Local Plan 2021 - 2036 (adopted 2025) (BLP), Policy D3 of the London Plan (March 2021) (LP) and the guidance contained within the Residential Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (2016).. These policies, amongst other things, seek to ensure new development is well-integrated with its surroundings and does not result in unacceptable harm to the character or visual amenity of the built environment by respecting the appearance, scale, and pattern of surroundings. Conclusion and Recommendation 8. For the reasons given above and having had regard to all other matters raised, I recommend that the appeal should be dismissed. Rachel Higgins APPEAL PLANNING OFFICER Inspector’s Decision 9. I have considered all the submitted evidence and my representative’s report and on that basis the appeal is dismissed. Tamsin Law INSPECTOR