We are pleased to have won an appeal against refusal for extensions and a new storey for a bungalow.
LB Richmond had refused the householder application for side, front and rear extensions and a new storey at first floor to a bungalow citing that the proposal created a new house and should be subordinate. Furthermore, the proposal was considered to harm to the setting of a neighbouring Building of Townscape Merit (BTM), a locally listed building, and the wider streetscape. The main issues were considered the impact of the design and character on the original property and the surrounding area.
The reasonings in the officer’s report hinted that the council would have approved the same design had it been a demolition and re-build, rather than extension. Officers relied on the guidance in SPDs, which provide planning guidance for extensions, namely that extensions should be subordinate to the main dwelling.
Having found other successful appeals where the inspector considered that planning guidance was being overly rigidly applied, we started to build up the case for appeal. The inspector agreed with our argument and found that guidance should not be adhered to rigidly, further explaining that the examples given in SPD guidance are “not intended to stifle sensitive and imaginative design”.
The wider street is home to a diverse array of buildings, mostly detached properties and very few bungalows, many having been extended and altered extensively. The proposed extensions reflected the size and design of the neighbouring BTM, complementing rather than detracting from the neighbouring property.
Additional photographs of the surrounding properties and street scene further demonstrated that the proposal would complement the surrounding area, contrary to the opinion of the officers, and would be an improvement on the current dwelling. The inspector agreed with this argument, confirming that “the proposed design would result in a visual enhancement of the existing building to the benefit of the street scene.”
This appeal allowed us to test out the Beta version of the householder appeal system, which had only recently been implemented in Richmond alongside several other London boroughs. The process uses a cleaner UX design with fewer documents needed to support an appeal, streamlining the process, and creating a more user-friendly interface and experience. The process proved highly efficient, taking three months from submission to decision. The decision notice is uploaded below.
We are delighted by the success of this appeal and are happy to have enabled our clients to get the permission needed to make their dream home.
WEA Planning are currently advising more homeowners on the appeals process and would be happy to respond to your query today.