8 week date Application Date of Report No. No. meeting

27 th July GR/07/0487 05.09.07 2007

3 Hornbeams, Vigo Village, , .

Conversion of existing integral garage into a study / time out room.

Mr & Mrs Wiltshire.

Recommendation:

Permission

1. Site Description

The site is a mid terrace on the eastern side of Hornbeams. The property has an integral garage and the front garden area is currently surfaced in Type 1 roadstone. The driveway measures approximately 13 metres deep and 8 metres wide.

2. Planning History

There is no history associated with this dwelling.

3. Proposal

The proposal is to convert the garage into a ‘time out’ room for the applicants’ autistic son (she has 3 sons two of whom are autistic). The front area will be used for vehicle parking. The applicant has forwarded a plan showing a landscaped are to be provided under the front of the dwelling and a planted are to the left hand side of the drive.

4. Development Plan

Policy

The relevant policies under the Local Plan are:-

Adopted Local Plan First Review

Policy V1

The settlements listed below are villages and their built confines are shown on the Proposals Map:-

Cobham* Higham Upshire Sole Street LowerHigham

Culverstone Green Three Crutches Hook Green* * Meopham Green* Shorne Ridgeway* Vigo Village Lower Shorne

Policy C4

Policy CC7 of the Approved Kent Structure Plan, which defines Special Landscape Areas, will be applied to the areas delineated in this Plan. The Borough Council will give long term protection to these areas (which incorporate that part of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which falls within the Borough) and will normally give priority to their landscape over other planning considerations.

5. Reason for Report

At the request of Councillor Mrs Collins

6. Consultations and Publicity

Regulatory Services

Works of Construction. Please add code of construction practice.

Kent Highways

No objection.

The application was advertised via neighbour notification letters to surrounding residents. No objections have been received.

Vigo Parish Council

‘The Parish Council would object to this application as they feel it isn’t possible to agree to any loss of vehicle accommodation as it would only aggravate the on street parking problems.

For your information this is the same view expressed regarding the application at 76 Highview GR/06/0689 back in December of last year’.

7. Director (Regeneration and Regulation) Comments

The comments from the Parish Council are noted. However, the situation in Highview is very different to that in Hornbeams. Many Highview residents have limited off street parking (often only a garage and a space). Conversions of these garages would lead to paving of the entire front garden area with a subsequent suburbanisation of the area, and a frontage dominated by vehicles. In some cases the requisite number of off street spaces cannot in any event be provided if the garage is lost.

REPORT NO PAGE 2

Properties in Hornbeams have much larger front garden areas that are capable of being hard surfaced (as in this case) without planning permission being required. There is therefore already sufficient parking on this site, even without the garage. The planning application also offers the opportunity to put back some landscaping via a planning condition.

Furthermore, the applicants’ special requirements are relevant considerations which do not exist in other cases for garage conversions.

In the circumstances there is adequate parking on site to accommodate vehicles. It is unlikely that permitting this proposal will aggravate on street parking and the personal circumstances of the applicant carry weight in favour of permission.

Consultation expiry date 26th June 2007

Recommendation

Permission.

Subject to:-

1. The development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date on which this permission is granted.

2. Within 2 years of the date of this permission the drive shall be resurfaced and the landscaping to the front garden carried out as detailed in applicants letter dated 7th June 2007.

Grounds:-

1. In pursuance of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

2. In order to ensure that the details of the development are satisfactory

REPORT NO PAGE 3