Two-storey side and part front extension, garage conversion, new raised roof with rear dormer and internal alterations

Appeal Decision Site visit made on 17 August 2026 by D R Kay BA Dip.Arch RIBA(Retired) an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 25 August 2026 Appeal Ref: 6007939 2 Turners Wood Drive, Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire HP8 4NE • 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 Mr M Vekaria against the decision of Buckinghamshire Council. • The application Ref is PL/25/4767/FA. • The development proposed is a two-storey side and part front extension, garage conversion, new raised roof with rear dormer and internal alterations. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a two-storey side and part front extension, garage conversion, new raised roof with rear dormer and internal alterations, at 2 Turners Wood Drive, Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire HP8 4NE in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref PL/25/4767/FA, subject to the conditions in the attached schedule. Preliminary Matters 2. A revised National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) was published on 17 August 2026. Whilst this made certain revisions to aspects of national planning policy, having examined the revised Framework in respect of the matters relied on by the main parties, I find these are unchanged. I have therefore determined the appeal in accordance with the revised Framework. Main Issue 3. The main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area. Reasons 4. The appeal site occupies a corner position adjacent to the junction of London Road to its west and Turners Wood Drive to its north. The site is large with a dense belt of evergreen trees along a substantial portion of its western boundary. A further dense hedge interspersed with deciduous trees is located further south of the evergreen trees, and which wrap around the southern boundary of the site. As a result, the existing building is screened in views whilst travelling north along London Road. 5. Turners Wood Drive (TWD) rises steeply from its junction with London Road, as it travels east, the properties which line TWD being located with a semi-regular pattern of separation between adjacent properties, each occupying raised ground levels relative to their neighbours to the west. Appeal Decision 6007939 2 6. As well as TWD rising in level as it travels east, it also gently curves. As a result, there is no consistent building line for the properties which line it, which variably sit in slightly differing relationships to the road, both in terms of their distance from the rear of the footpath, and their respective angle to it. 7. The existing properties lining TWD are all of a similar timescale of construction, during the second half of the 20th century. Architecturally, they are two storeys in nature, and originally shared a relatively consistent palette of materials, including brick walls with tile hanging or timber cladding features, and with a mix of pitched roof side gables, pitched and hipped side gables or a mix of both. Some present projecting pitched roof feature gables to the highway. 8. However, it was evident at my visit that several of the properties on TWD had undergone alteration and extension. This encompassed extensions which had changed both the modelling of the original building, introducing secondary gables to the front elevations, or enlarged front gable projections, which was evidenced by the slight difference in brick colouring, and changes to the roof patterns. There was also evidence of change to the form and size of window fenestration, along with the introduction of painted render and unpainted timber cladding into the palette of materials present. 9. The front gardens to many properties are open, laid to lawn and with feature evergreen trees within them, creating a spacious green and verdant appearance. Owing to this and the mix of roof formats, the variation in the siting of the properties, some presenting their gables to the highway, and the stepping in level between properties, the area has the character of an open, mature and affluent residential neighbourhood, which is undergoing change reflecting modern tastes. 10. The proposal would introduce a two-storey extension in the place of the double garage on its western side, with amendment of the line of the accommodation to the eastern side of the entrance gable. The roof, currently hipped, would be replaced with a pitched roof gable to its eastern and western ends, and the front entrance gable would be re-profiled through the increase in its pitch, and the introduction of enlarged glazing features. Accommodation would be provided within part of the roof space, lit by roof windows on the principal elevation roof slope, and by a flat roofed dormer in the eastern end of the rear roof slope. The property’s footprint would change little to the rear, a first-floor balcony being introduced to the rear of the new two-storey extension. The proposal would represent a re-modelling of the existing property. 11. Whilst the proposal would have an increased overall mass from that of the existing property, most of this change would be to the western side of the property, resulting from the two-storey extension in the location of the existing garage. This side of the property faces onto London Road, though is still set back from it by some distance, due to the angled western boundary and footpath at the junction of London Road and TWD in order to provide visibility splays. I find the relationship of the appeal proposal to London Road, therefore, would be broadly similar to that of the property which occupies the opposite side of the junction on TWD. It would also be substantially screened by the evergreen trees. 12. With regards to the extension to the eastern side of the entrance gable, this would bring the two-storey development forward by around 1.5 metres, presenting a common principal elevation line with the two-storey extension to the west of the Appeal Decision 6007939 3 central feature entrance gable. I find this would create a consistent and harmonious principal elevation, which would reflect the variety of forms, and the palette of materials present within other properties on TWD. 13. Whilst the proposal would have a larger overall mass than the existing building, owing to the combination of the separation distance between its eastern gable and that of the neighbouring property at number 4 Turners Wood Drive (No 4), the substantial difference in respective ground floor levels between properties, and the fact that the principal elevation of No 4 sits much further forward than that of the appeal property, I find that the relationship of the two properties would not appreciably change from that which currently exists. 14. The Council find the proposal’s increase in mass and ridge height to be harmful, citing its height exceeding that of No 4, which is at a higher ground level. However, this is on an assessment from a flat comparative elevation. The way in which buildings are experienced is never from a flat comparative elevation basis. They are almost always experienced in 3 dimensions, from an eye level perspective. 15. The eaves level of the proposal would follow the eaves level of that of the existing property, including the central feature gable, whose overall height would only increase due to the increase in its roof pitch. The eaves level of the proposal would remain just above the level of the first floor of No 4, as is currently the case. From an eye level viewpoint, I find the proposal would change little in visual height relative to No 4, its increased ridge level having only a marginal increase in its effective height. 16. The Council have referred to the proposal as having a three-storey appearance. However, I find this not to be the case. The proposal’s eaves level would remain consistent with that of the existing building, the increase in the angle of roof pitch on feature gables, being the primary visual difference in height, which I find would not represent a three-storey appearance, even allowing for increased glazing features within the projecting gables. 17. Views of the appeal proposal from the public realm, even from 50 m east on TWD, would be from an eye level vantage point that would result in the viewer looking down on the roof of the proposal, and with the existing properties at No 4, number 6 and number 8 TWD, stepping up the road, and with significant evergreen trees to their frontages in that view. 18. Accordingly, I find that the overall form of the proposal and the materials to be employed would both be consistent with that of other properties on TWD. Further, whilst the extent of glazing proposed in the feature gables differs from the size of windows in the existing building, there are other examples of properties on TWD, which have been subject to more recent alteration and extension, which have employed larger areas of glazing in similar more contemporary manners. 19. For the above reasons, I therefore conclude that the proposal would not be incongruous in the street scene and would not have a harmful effect on the spacious, open character and appearance of the surrounding area. It follows that I therefore find it would not be contrary to policies GC1, H15 and H18 of the Chiltern District Local Plan, Design Policy 1 of the Neighbourhood Plan for Chalfont St Giles Parish 2014-2036, Policy C1 of the National Design Guide, Policy DP3 of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) and the Chiltern and South Bucks Townscape Character Study 2017. Appeal Decision 6007939 4 Other Matters 20. I have had regard to all matters before me. Whilst I acknowledge the concerns raised by neighbours at the consultation stage, I find that the location of the new first-floor balcony to the rear of the two-storey extension would be located to the west of the property, substantially screened by the adjacent existing rear gable offshoot, such that the new balcony would not raise issues of privacy to occupiers of the neighbouring property at No 4. 21. In relation to the new dormer window, whilst it would introduce an element of accommodation at roof level, its plan location would be further south than the rear elevation of No 4 and as such would not allow overlooking into the windows of the property. Whilst there would be the potential for some overlooking of the rear garden of No 4, this would be little different to that which would normally be experienced by neighbouring properties, as indeed the first-floor rear windows of No 4 overlook the rear garden of the appeal property. I find it would therefore not justify dismissal on these grounds. Conditions 22. In addition to the standard time limit for implementation, in the interests of certainty, I have attached a condition specifying the approved plans. 23. A condition is also necessary for the submission and approval of materials to be used in the external envelope in the interest of visual amenity. Conclusion 24. For the reasons set out above, I conclude that the appeal proposal would accord with the development plan, read as a whole, and that there are no material considerations that would justify determining other than in accordance with it. Therefore, the appeal should be allowed. David Kay INSPECTOR Appeal Decision 6007939 5 Schedule of Conditions 1 The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than three years from the date of this decision. 2 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following drawings: Plan Reference Description Dated TURWD2/PL-02 Proposed Floor Plans & Elevations 27.09.25 3 Notwithstanding the details shown on the plans hereby approved, no development, other than site investigation, remedial measures, demolition or construction of foundations shall take place, until full details of all materials to be used in the external envelope of the building have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details. *** End of Schedule***