Issue - meetings

Demolition of existing two storey side extension, single storey rear extension and front porch; construction of two storey side extension and single storey rear extension, loft conversion including alterations to roof form, with front/rear dormers, rear Juliet dormer and front/side rooflights; internal alterations and alterations to fenestration at 75 Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth.

Recommendation: that planning permission is approved.

The application was for demolition of existing two storey side extension, single storey rear extension and front porch; construction of two storey side extension and single storey rear extension, loft conversion including alterations to roof form, with front/rear dormers, rear Juliet dormer and front/side rooflights; internal alterations and alterations to fenestration at 75 Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth.

The Planning Officer reported that, as noted earlier in the meeting, a new National Planning Policy Framework has been issued following the publication of the report for the committee meeting.  Officers had considered the application with regard to the new NPPF and were satisfied that the assessment and recommendation remained as set out in the committee report.

A local resident spoke against the application.

Parish Councillor Diana Barber of Batchworth Community Council spoke on the application.

The applicant spoke in favour of the application.

Points raised by speakers against the application included: the impact on neighbouring amenity arising from the proximity of the side extension to the neighbouring boundary, facing the main means of entry into the rear garden; the officer report did not take account of the fact that the existing two storey side extension was in two parts, only one of which was on the boundary.  The new proposal would involve a continuous two storey extension which was only one metre from the boundary, reducing the separation in part from 3m to 1m; the proposal did not meet the Council's guidance requiring a minimum 1.2 metre separation in low density areas; the proposal changed a stairwell window, where overlooking was incidental, to a new first floor kitchen window overlooking the neighbouring patio and garden; the new Juliet balcony also created additional overlooking; the proposal did not meet the objectives of the Batchworth Community Council Neighbourhood Plan and would be detrimental to the character of the street scene; the Conservation Officer had expressed concerns and these were supported; there was harm arising from the excessive scale of the dormers and the number of rooflights; and whilst there was now an internal access point to the extension, the side access door was being retained. Changes to the internal access in the future could therefore result in a self-contained flat within a family dwelling rather than an extension.

Points raised by the speaker in favour of the application included: the proposal involved the removal of an existing inappropriate extension; the total floor space was negligibly more than the existing and the footprint would be smaller; materials and building styles would be more in keeping with the Conservation Area; the roof would be somewhat higher, but remained set down 1.45m from the height of the existing house; and other extensions had been approved within the Conservation Area which were of a greater height.

In responding to a point made by a speaker about the impact of the extension on neighbouring amenity, the Planning Officer reported that the spacing had been considered and was addressed fully in the officer report.  It was acknowledged that the spacing fell  ...  view the full minutes text for item 171