CRAWLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE - 5 January 2015 REPORT NO: PES/150 B ITEM REF NO LOCATION RECOMMEND 001 CR/2014/0644/FUL 3 RICHMOND COURT, SOUTHGATE, PERMIT CRAWLEY 002 CR/2014/0669/FUL UNITS 20/21, GATWICK PERMIT INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTRE, COBHAM WAY, NORTHGATE, CRAWLEY 003 CR/2014/0671/OUT WILTSHIRES FLORIST, BALCOMBE REFUSE ROAD, POUND HILL, CRAWLEY 004 CR/2014/0732/FUL CGG SERVICES (UK) LTD, PERMIT CROMPTON WAY, NORTHGATE, CRAWLEY 005 CR/2014/0744/FUL BROADFIELD BARTON PARADE, PERMIT BROADFIELD, CRAWLEY 006 CR/2014/0751/FUL CRAWLEY YOUTH CENTRE, PERMIT LONGMERE ROAD, WEST GREEN, CRAWLEY 007 CR/2014/0766/P24 LAND AT CORNER OF HYDE DRIVE NO AND DOBBINS PLACE, IFIELD, OBJECTION CRAWLEY 008 CR/2014/0780/CON LAND EAST OF EMMANUEL OBJECTION COTTAGE, RUSPER ROAD, IFIELD, CRAWLEY CRAWLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE - 5 January 2015 REPORT NO: PES/150 ITEM NO: 001 REFERENCE NO: CR/2014/0644/FUL LOCATION: 3 RICHMOND COURT, SOUTHGATE, CRAWLEY PROPOSAL: EXTENSION TO FRONT PORCH AND EXISTING GARAGE, SINGLE STOREY REAR EXTENSION, FIRST FLOOR SIDE EXTENSION ABOVE EXISTING GARAGE AND UTILITY ROOM AND GARAGE CONVERSION INTO A LOUNGE/PLAYROOM (AMENDED DESCRIPTION) TARGET DECISION DATE: 14 November 2014 CASE OFFICER: Ms E. Wachiuri APPLICANTS NAME: Mr Aaron Dorley AGENTS NAME: Blackstone Architects PLANS & DRAWINGS CONSIDERED: 135-002 Existing Ground & First Floor Plans, 135-003 Existing Front, Side & Rear Extensions, 135-011 Proposed Ground & First Floor Plans, 135-012 Proposed Front, Side & Rear Extensions, 135-001 Rev A Site Location Plan, Block Plan NEIGHBOUR NOTIFICATIONS:- 4 to 8 and 10 Clitherow Gardens; 1 to 15 Rosemead Gardens: RESPONSES RECEIVED:- Twelve objections in total were received; one from Rosemead Gardens Management Company and the other eleven from 8 households, raising the following concerns: The house will be used as a house in multiple occupancy due to the proposed 5 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms allowing more to live in the property and separately Increased traffic and parking problems Risk of accident involving young children who play in the private road due to increased traffic The resultant house due to its size will be out of keeping with other houses and apartments in the street Likely to result in disruptions to the occupants of the cul-de-sac Resultant traffic congestion would pose threat to emergency services access to the area Overlooking of private gardens and living spaces in neighbouring flats in Rosemead Gardens Impact on value and saleability of the neighbouring properties Construction work of this scale in such confines will prevent reasonable access to the flats of Rosemead Gardens and the neighbouring properties and poses risk of damage to vehicles and buildings nearby The proposed rear extension will bring the property closer to the Rosemead Gardens flat causing overlooking issues Some neighbours in Clitherow Gardens not notified Overshadowing of neighbouring rear garden Overbearing and dominating impacts REASON FOR REPORTING TO COMMITTEE:- The application received more than four objections THE APPLICATION SITE:- 1.1 The application site comprises a two storey detached dwelling to the south of Richmond Court. The surrounding area is characterised by relatively small detached, semi-detached and terraced properties set within compact plots. 1.2 Further to the south-east of the application site are residential flats, so the streetscene is varied. THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:- 2.1 Planning permission is sought for the erection of extension to front porch and existing garage, single storey rear extension, first floor side extension above existing garage and utility room and garage conversion into a lounge/playroom (amended description). The original description was amended to include the proposed conversion of the garage into a habitable room. 2.2 The extension to front porch would measure 1.5m deep by 2.3m wide by 2.3m high to the eaves and 3.4m high to the ridge. It would be continuous with the garage extension which would be 0.8m deep by 3m wide by 2.3m high to the eaves and 3.4m high to the ridge. 2.3 The single storey rear extension would measure approx. 3m deep on the western end and extend to 4.1m deep on the eastern end. It would have a height of 2.2m to the eaves and 3.5m to the ridge. It would leave a 1m boundary gap on either side. 2.4 The first floor side extension above the existing garage would measure 2.6m wide and flush with the existing rear wall. It would be setback 0.5m from the main façade and inset 0.2m below the main ridgeline. It would retain the existing side boundary gap which tapers front (1.5m wide) to back (1m wide). 2.5 A first floor side window is proposed but would be obscured glazed and this can also be enforced through a planning condition. 2.6 The materials would match the existing. PLANNING HISTORY:- 3.1 CR/2002/0536/FUL- Planning permission was granted for the conversion and extension of existing garage to form bedroom and erection of single storey rear extension (amended description) 3.2 The house was built under original permission reference CR/96/0342/FUL- (Retention of existing house with erection of 3 garages and erection of 8 new houses with garaging, parking and shared driveway access). Condition 3 of this permission restricted garage conversion without planning permission. PLANNING POLICY:- 4.1 NPPF (2012) Section 7: Requiring Good Design 4.2 Crawley Borough Core Strategy (2008) EN5: All new development should be based on a thorough understanding of the context, significance and distinctiveness of its site and surroundings and be of a high quality in terms of its urban landscape and architectural design and materials 4.3 Crawley Borough Local Plan (2000) GD1: Development should be appropriate to its location, site and premises in terms of scale, form, density, massing, character, appearance and materials. Proposals should not cause unreasonable harm to the amenities and environment of its surroundings by reason of overlooking, dominance or overshadowing. Proposals should safeguard any attractive and important natural or built features of the site which make a positive contribution to the character of the locality and provide a satisfactory environment for those who will occupy, use or visit the development. GD2: Development should relate sympathetically to its surroundings and respect the character, quality and special features of its setting. H19: Proposals for residential extensions will only be permitted if the type, size, and design of extension do not have an adverse impact on the amenity and privacy of neighbouring property and upon the character and appearance of the surrounding area. The character and style of the existing property is retained and with no unacceptable loss of garden space. Sufficient car parking should be retained within the curtilage of the dwelling. 4.4 SPG’s SPG Note 5: Residential Extensions SPG 5 states that two storey side extensions can result in the creation of terracing and require careful design. Also, the guidance advises that it is important for the extension to fit in with its surroundings and to avoid windows that directly overlook the neighbour’s garden. High level windows or obscure glass windows, with their lower portions fixed shut, may be acceptable. SPG 5 states that, front extensions cause one of the most significant alterations to the appearance of the house and street scene. It advises that only in exceptional circumstances will extensions which project more than 1.5m beyond the main house frontage be permitted. SPD 1 ‘Planning Obligations and S106 Agreements’ seek to ensure the parking requirements for any development is met. It states that for a 3 bedroom plus dwelling parking provision should be at a maximum standard of 2-3 parking spaces. In the case of an application to extend or convert a 3 bed dwelling to a 4 bed dwelling, an additional car parking space will not be sought. 4.5 Emerging Policy The emerging Local Plan was formerly Submitted to the Planning Inspectorate on the 26th November 2014, the policies within it now have some weight as they have now been subject to public consultation and endorsed by Full Council and set out the intended policy stance for the LPA. Policy CH3 covers the normal requirements of all new development and suggests that proposals should be based on a thorough understanding of the significance and distinctiveness of the site and its immediate and wider context. Development should relate sympathetically to their surroundings in terms of scale, density, layout, details and materials. Proposals should provide a good standard of amenity for all existing and future occupants of land and buildings. PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS:- 5.1 The main considerations in the determination of the application are: • Impact on the existing dwelling, street scene and wider area • Impact on neighbour amenity • Parking Impact on the existing dwelling, street scene and wider area; 5.2 In terms of the impact on the character and appearance of the existing building and its resulting impact on the street scene, the first floor side extension has been designed to accord with the appearance of the existing dwelling. This element of the proposal would have matching eaves and similar fenestration. It would have a width of approx. 2.6m which is less than half the width of the dwelling house. It would be set back by 0.5m from the front elevation and set down from the ridge, which would create an extension subordinate to the main dwelling and a visual break. 5.3 The first floor side extension would retain the existing boundary gap to the common boundary with no.5 Clitherow gardens. In addition, there would be no alterations at ground floor level and the neighbouring property backs onto the application site and as such would be over 5m distant from the proposed development.