Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
Application Number 09/00114/AS
Location Manclark Cottage, Woodchurch Road, Appledore, Ashford, Kent, TN26 2BB
Grid Reference 95217/31057
Parish Council Appledore
Ward Isle of Oxney
Application Proposed two storey extension Description
Applicant Mr S Hurran, Manclark Cottage, Woodchurch Road, Appledore, Ashford, Kent, TN26 2BB
Agent Mr J Harmer, JPD Architecture Ltd, The Studio, Tower Farm House, Faversham Road, Boughton Aluph, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4HT
Site Area 0.02 Hectares
(a) 8/- (b) S (c) KHS - X
Introduction
1. The application is being reported to the Planning Committee at the request of the Ward Member.
Site and Surroundings
2. The application site comprises a large detached grade II listed farmhouse located outside of the built confines of the village of Appledore for the purposes of development control, within the rural landscape designated as a Special Landscape Area.
3. The two storey dwelling is grade II listed and is described in the listing details as a probable timber-framed C17 (or earlier) building that was refaced in the C19 with red brick on the ground floor and tile hanging above. To the rear is a catslide roof along the entire elevation. The historic plan form of the building remains largely unaltered.
4. The property is set back from the highway by approximately 210 metres and accessed via a long drive running along the eastern site boundary. A 2 metre
6.1 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
high native hedge runs along all boundaries of the site which is surrounded to the north, east and west by open agricultural land.
5. The existing dwelling provides approximately 224m² of floor space laid out over 3 floors. The house had in the past been used as two separate dwellings but now includes a sitting room, dining room, day room, kitchen, utility, bathroom and a small lobby and WC at ground floor, 3 bedrooms and 1 en- suite at first floor and a study and games room at second floor level.
6. A plan of the site is attached to this report as annex 1.
Proposal
7. Full planning permission is sought for the erection of a two storey side extension (listed building consent is also required for this, see 09/00115/AS on this agenda).
8. External changes are also proposed to the existing dwelling with the insertion of 3 new roof lights into the rear catslide. The extension would provide a new dining room, kitchen and lobby/utility at ground floor, with two bedrooms and an en-suite at first floor. The existing dwelling would be rearranged internally to provide a games room, sitting room and day room, wet room, study, hall and small WC at ground floor, 2 additional bedrooms, an en-suite and a bathroom at first floor and a fifth bedroom with en-suite at second floor level. The additional floor area proposed would represent a 37% increase in floor area totalling 307m².
9. The existing and proposed plans are attached as annex 2 to this report.
10. The applicant has submitted information in support of the scheme which can be summarised as follows:
• The property has been poorly maintained by previous owners and is in need of renovation and improving to maintain the integrity of the listed building.
• In its current state the dwelling is not really habitable.
• The internal areas of the house are antiquated with a very small kitchen area that restricts the living accommodation in a dwelling required for modern day occupancy. There is also limited garden access and difficult disabled access.
• The structure has many of its original features intact and it is intended to maintain these features as part of the proposed refurbishment project. 6.2 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
• The design and the proposed alterations have been carefully considered and viewed in conjunction with Ashford Borough Councils Structure Plan and Kent Design Guidelines.
Planning History
11. There is no relevant planning history.
Consultations
Ward Member: The Ward Member, Councillor Burgess, requests that the application is considered by the Planning Committee.
Appledore Parish Council: Support the application
Neighbours: 8 neighbours directly consulted. No representations received.
Kent Highways Services: No objection.
Planning Policy
12. The Development Plan comprises the Regional Spatial Strategy (The South East Plan, May 2009), the adopted Kent and Medway Structure Plan (July 2006), the saved policies in the adopted Ashford Borough Local Plan 2000, and the adopted LDF Core Strategy 2008.
13. The relevant policies from the Development Plan relating to this application are as follows:-
South East Plan 2009
CC1 – Sustainable development.
C4 – Landscape and countryside management.
BE6 – Management of the historic environment.
Kent and Medway Structure Plan 2006
SP1 – Conserving and enhancing Kent’s environment and ensuring a sustainable pattern of development.
SS8 – Development in the Countryside.
EN1 – Protecting Kent's countryside. 6.3 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
EN5 – Special Landscape Areas.
QL1 – Quality of development and design.
QL8 – Buildings of architectural or historic importance.
HP5 – Housing development in the countryside.
TP19 – Vehicle parking Standards.
Ashford Borough Local Plan 2000
GP12 – Protecting the countryside and managing change.
EN27 - Landscape conservation.
HG9 – Extensions to dwellings in the countryside.
Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2008
CS1 – Guiding principles.
CS9 – Design quality.
14. The following are also material to the determination of this application:-
Government Advice
Planning Policy Statement 1 – ‘Delivering Sustainable Development’
Planning Policy Statement 7 – ‘Sustainable Development in Rural Area’s’
Planning Policy Guidance 15 – ‘Planning and the Historic Environment’
Supplementary Planning Guidance
Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 10 – ‘Domestic Extensions in Urban and Rural Areas’ adopted June 2004 following public consultation.
Assessment
15. The main issues for consideration are:
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• The impact of the development upon the character, appearance and setting of the listed building and the visual amenity of the wider rural landscape designated as a Special Landscape Area.
• Justification for the development.
• Residential amenity.
• Highway safety.
Policy Context
16. Section 66 (1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires Local Authorities when considering applications for planning permission for development that affects a listed building to have a special regard to the desirability of preserving the building and any features of architectural or historic interest which it may possess.
17. This is further endorsed by PPG15 which states that whilst many listed buildings can sustain some degree of sensitive alteration or extensions (my underlining) to accommodate continuing or new uses the extent to which changes can be accommodated will vary from case to case to ensure that the buildings special interest is not lost. The guidance states that all applications which affect listed buildings must be able to justify the proposal demonstrating why works that would affect the character are desirable or necessary.
18. Annexe C, C.58 of PPG15 also advises that the plan of the building is one of the most important characteristics of a listed building and should be respected and left unaltered as far as possible.
19. In addition to the above national guidance the Councils adopted supplementary planning guidance (SPG10) makes provision for modest extensions to residential dwellings in the countryside provided that the proposed extension is justified, sympathetic to the design and scale of the existing dwelling and would not result in a poorly proportioned or visually intrusive form of development within the landscape. The document also provides advice on appropriate design themes for extensions stating that they must be subordinate in size and scale to the existing dwelling.
The impact of the development upon the character, appearance and setting of the listed building and the visual amenity of the wider rural landscape designated as a Special Landscape Area
20. The original plan form of the building is clear and distinguishable. It is a long narrow rectangle dominated by massive chimneys at either end and with a large catslide roof to the rear. This plan form is very important to an 6.5 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
understanding of the historic development of the house and PPG15 places great importance on the retention of this plan form and the prevention of development that detracts from it.
21. The application proposes a two storey extension at right angles to the dominant form of the house. It is connected to the old house at one corner. In design terms the extension has the appearance of an additional house with a strong entrance feature on the east elevation. Consequently the obvious plan form of the house is lost. This neither enhances nor protects the existing historic character and appearance of this important listed building. This would not be in accordance with PPG15 which requires that a buildings historic plan form is respected and left unaltered as far as possible.
22. The proposed two storey extension would not be subordinate to the main house. It has the new entrance façade on the east elevation which competes with the simple entrance on the south.
23. The ridge of the extension is at the same height as the existing. The bulk and scale of the extension competes with the simple shape and scale of the main house. The extension is 8.6 metres long compared to the existing dwelling which is 16.3 metres long. When viewed from the west and east this bulk will detract markedly from the large catslide roof that descends to single storey level. Similarly the juxtaposition of a new two storey building so close to these well. Consequently, the extension will appear as an incongruous addition that would not sit comfortably with the listed building. This would be further exacerbated by the introduction of the single storey element on the east elevation.
24. The new window openings on the extension are large and out of scale with the smaller historic openings on the listed building. The large window and french doors on the south elevation in particular would sit uncomfortably in juxtaposition to the principal (front) elevation of the building.
25. The proposed 3 new rooflights proposed to serve the attic space would represent intrusive additions into the largely uncluttered catslide to the rear of the dwelling.
26. The proposed development would neither preserve nor enhance the character appearance and setting of the listed building and as a result of this harm the development would in turn harm the visual amenity of the surrounding area and the designated Special Landscape Area.
Justification for the development
27. PPG 15 is quite clear that if any changes to listed buildings are to be approved they must be justified as being necessary or desirable. 6.6 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
28. The building is currently a large dwelling with a floor area of 224 m² albeit the layout is organised in a less conventional manner. Presently the building provides 3 bedrooms on the first floor with an additional two rooms in the attic space. These are accessed independently of the rooms at first floor and could be used as additional bedrooms. Whilst I understand the desirability for a bathroom at first floor I do not consider this to be an overriding necessity as there is an en-suite that serves two of the bedrooms here and the third could access the bathroom at ground floor level. There could also be the possibility to add an en-suite/shower room in the attic space as the partitions here appear to be a modern addition to the dwelling.
29. Whilst I acknowledge that the applicant has put forward supporting information in favour of the development this does not in my view fully justify the proposal as required to by PPG15. The justification put forward does not demonstrate why an extension of this size, which would clearly affect the inherent character and appearance of the listed building, is necessary and how it would protect the essential character and historic interest of the building. Given that the development involves a change in the reading of the building, I would expect at the very least a historic assessment of the building to have been carried out. In addition the reorganisation of the current layout which could be of potential benefit in bringing the house up to modern living standards does not appear to me to have been explored fully by the applicant.
30. I do not consider therefore that sufficient justification has been demonstrated by the applicant in order to overcome the harm to the character, appearance and setting of the listed building that I have identified. The development would consequently not be in accordance with central and local planning policy guidance and should be refused.
Residential amenity
31. The nearest neighbouring residential dwelling (Heath Bungalow) is located approximately 58 metres south east of the application site. The development would not be harmful to the residential amenity of the occupiers of this dwelling.
Highway safety
32. There is ample parking on site and no highway impacts are envisaged.
Human Rights Issues
33. I have also taken into account the human rights issues relevant to this application. In my view the “Assessment” section above and the Recommendations below represent an appropriate balance between the 6.7 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
interests and rights of the applicant (to enjoy his land subject only to reasonable and proportionate controls by a public authority) and the interests and rights of those potentially affected by the proposal (to respect for private life and the home and peaceful enjoyment of their properties).
Summary
34. The proposed bulk, scale, massing and design of the extension would result in a large, poorly proportioned form of development that would dominate the listed building to its detriment, unacceptably altering the historic plan form and reading of the building and would therefore neither preserve or enhance its important character, appearance and setting. The scale of change proposed has not been shown to be needed or desirable to secure the long term future of the building. (PPG15, policy QL8 of the Kent and Medway Structure Plan (2006).
35. The detailed design of the extension and the insertion of new roof lights into the catslide roof would also adversely affect the character of the building (PPG15, policy QL8 of the Kent and Medway Structure Plan (2006).
36. The development would result in a poorly proportioned and visually intrusive building in the landscape. The development would therefore fail to comply with criterion (c) of policy HG9 of the Ashford Borough Local Plan (2000) and policy HP5 of the Kent and Medway Structure Plan (2006).
37. The development would neither preserve nor enhance the character and appearance of the designated Special Landscape Area, and would be harmful to the visual amenity of the rural area (policies SP1, SS8, EN1, EN5 and QL1 of the Kent and Medway Structure Plan (2006), Policy EN27 of the Ashford Borough Local Plan (2000) and policy CS1 and CS9 of the adopted Local Development Core Strategy (2008).
38. The development would not be harmful to the residential amenity of the occupiers of the nearest residential (policy QL1 of the Kent and Medway Structure Plan (2006).
39. The development would not be harmful to highway safety (TP19, QL1)
Recommendation
Refuse
On the following grounds:
1. The proposed development would be contrary to policies CC1, C4 and BE6 of the South East Plan (May 2009), policies SP1, SS8, QL1, QL8, EN1, EN5 and 6.8 Ashford Borough Council - Report of Development Control Managers Planning Committee 17 June 2009 ______
HP5 of the Kent & Medway Structure Plan (2006), policies EN27 and HG9 of the adopted Ashford Borough Local Plan (2000), policies CS1 and CS9 of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy 2008, adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 10 entitled ‘ Domestic Extensions in Urban and Rural Area’s’ and to Government advice contained in PPS1, PPS7 and PPG15 and therefore constitutes development contrary to the interests of acknowledged planning importance for the following reasons:
1. The proposal by virtue of its design, bulk, scale and poor proportions would not represent a sympathetic addition to this property and would therefore result in an incongruous and inappropriate addition. This in turn would unacceptably harm the essential architectural and historic interest together with the reading of this important grade II listed building.
2. Sufficient justification has been put forward to override the harm identified.
3. As a result of (1) above, the character of the surrounding landscape acknowledged as being of special importance through its designation as a Special Landscape Area would neither be preserved or enhanced.
4. The introduction of three new large roof lights into the existing catslide roof would result in a cluttered appearance that would detract from the simplicity of this feature and detract from the character and appearance of the listed building.
Note to Applicant
1. None
Background Papers
Comments from Appledore Parish Council dated 17 February and 17 March 2009
Comments from Kent Highway Services dated 29 May 2009
Contact Officer: Alex Stafford – Telephone: (01233) 330248
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