Appeal against the refusal of planning permission by the London Borough of Islington in relation to Planning Application P2016/3477/FUL Removal of existing closet wing pitched roof and creation of new opening in rear wall of closet wing; the erection of a single storey garden room to the rear of the existing closet wing and a flat roof unifying the closet wing and extension. Conversion of interior of existing closet wing interior from shower room to WC and corridor. On behalf of Francesco Muntoni Prepared by Mr Ben Redsell LLB (Hons) LPA Reference: P2016/3477/FUL Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Description of development site and proposals .......................................................................................... 3 Planning History ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Planning Applications ............................................................................................................................... 4 Policy Justification ........................................................................................................................................ 5 National Planning Policy Guidance ........................................................................................................... 5 National Planning Policy Framework ........................................................................................................ 6 London Borough of Islington Core Strategy ............................................................................................. 7 London Borough of Islington Development Management Policies .......................................................... 7 Canonbury Conservation Area Design Guidelines SPD ............................................................................. 8 Urban Design Guide SPG .......................................................................................................................... 9 Heritage Impact Assessment ........................................................................................................................ 9 Commentary ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 11 Appendix One ............................................................................................................................................. 12 0091-BR-Muntoni Introduction This appeal is submitted on behalf of Mr Francesco Muntoni, the appellant, against the refusal by London Borough of Islington against the awarding of planning consent and listed building consent (P2016/3716/LBC) allowing the removal of existing closet wing pitched roof and creation of new opening in rear wall of closet wing; the erection of a single storey garden room to the rear of the existing closet wing and a flat roof unifying the closet wing and extension. Conversion of interior of existing closet wing interior from shower room to WC and corridor. The application was refused by the London Borough of Islington under application reference P2016/3477/FUL, and by decision notice dated 23rd November 2016. The decision notice contains the following grounds for refusal: The proposed rear extension would fail to be adequately subordinate to the original building. Consequently, the proposed extension would harm the significance of the heritage asset. The proposed works are, therefore, contrary to Policy 12 (Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment) of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012, policy 7.8 (Sustaining and Enhancing the Significance of Heritage Assets) of the London Plan 2015 and Policy CS9 (Protecting and Enhancing Islington's Built and Historic Environment) of Islington's Core Strategy 2011 and Policy DM2.3 of the Development Management Policies (2013). Description of development site and proposals 32 St Paul’s Road is a Grade II listed building in the Canonbury Conservation Area. It is one of a row of early Victorian properties completed in around 1845, a three-storey house with raised ground floors above a basement; the front ground floor elevations are rendered with rustications; the rear elevations are in plain London stock brickwork. The importance of these properties is reflected by the care with which the architect has taken to put together the application and the Design & Access Statement. Most of the rear facades of the properties have been modified over the years - with varying degrees of success: single storey closet wings were added when siphoning lavatories became popular; in some properties a second storey was added to the closet wing; in others contemporary structures have replaced, or built out from, the closet wing. 32 St Paul’s Road is one of the few properties which still has the original tall, slim first floor stair half- landing window over a single storey closet wing. The design highlighted this feature by replacing the existing pitched roof of the single storey closet wing with a flat roof, increasing the proportion of the main volume visible from the rear. Permission for a single storey extension to the closet wing was sought in order to create a garden room and so provide a greater connection between the living space of the property and the garden. The proposed access to this garden room was via a short corridor next to a replacement WC. Given the listed building status of the property, it was felt important to keep a WC in the closet wing, so as to retain the original purpose for which that wing was added. Moving the WC elsewhere would have compromised the original layout of this Grade II listed building, and was not considered an option by the architects. 0091-BR-Muntoni In order to accommodate the WC as well as the new garden room, the extension had to be appropriately sized. If the total depth of the extended closet wing were limited, for instance, to 3.5m, then the garden room could only be 1.6m in depth. This was clearly unacceptable from an amenity point of view, and so a closet wing with total depth of 5m, which would allow a living room of similar size to the rear drawing room, was proposed. It was proposed that the extension and the closet wing be unified under a single flat sedum roof, so as to minimise the visual impact when viewed from the garden, or from above. Windows, cladding and rainwater goods were to have a natural finish, such as timber and zinc, to be agreed with the Conservation Officer. It was felt this approach would result in an extension which would have significantly less impact on the setting of the Grade II listed building than other nearby extensions allowed in recent applications. Planning History Planning Applications (Local Planning Authority References) P2016/0308/FUL Removal of existing closet wing pitched roof and creation of new opening in rear wall of closet wing; the erection of a single storey garden room to the rear of the existing closet wing and a flat roof unifying the closet wing and extension. Conversion of interior of existing closet wing interior from shower room to WC and corridor (Withdrawn). P2016/0382/LBC Listed Building Consent for P2016/0308/FUL above. (Withdrawn). P2016/1486/FUL Removal of existing closet wing pitched roof and creation of new opening in rear wall of closet wing; the erection of a single storey garden room to the rear of the existing closet wing and a flat roof unifying the closet wing and extension. Conversion of interior of existing closet wing from shower room to garden room. (Approved 10/06/2016). P2016/1654/LBC Listed Building Consent for P2016/1486/FUL above. (Approved). P2016/1497/FUL Installation of a shower room in the former coal store under the entrance approach, and a new glazed door to the void under the entrance stairs including lowering over existing floor levels. (Refused 07/07/2016) REFUSED: By virtue of the lowering and underpinning of the coal vault would harm the significance of the heritage assets of the Listed Building and Canonbury Conservation Area. P2016/1790/LBC Listed Building Consent for P2016/1497/FUL above. (Refused). 0091-BR-Muntoni Policy Justification National Planning Policy Guidance The Government issued National Planning Practice Guidance in 2014, replacing 7,000 pages of planning guidance that was previously published in separate documents. Together with the National Planning Policy Framework, the NPPG sets out what the Government expects of local authorities. The overall aim is to ensure the planning system allows land to be used for new homes and jobs, while protecting valuable natural and historic environments. Among the 42 different topics is a substantial amount of work regarding conserving and enhancing the historic environment. The conservation of heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance is a core planning principle. Heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource and effective conservation delivers wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits. Conservation is an active process of maintenance and managing change. It requires a flexible and thoughtful approach to get the best out of assets as diverse as listed buildings in every day use to