Agenda item

PROPOSAL: Alterations to the front of the property to provide a porch; erection of a veranda to rear elevation and garden room in rear garden.

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION: Permit.

7.39          This application was for alterations to the front of the property to provide a porch; erection of a veranda to the rear elevation and garden room in rear garden.  The Planning Committee had visited the application site on Wednesday 24 May 2023.

7.40          The Planning Officer advised that the application site fell within the Snowshill Conservation Area and Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  A Committee decision was required as the Parish Council continued to object to the proposed garden room as they considered it would be oversized and, even with the reduction to the eaves height and ridge height, considered that the roof would be highly visible from many locations such as the village green and the Church.  In order to address the concerns raised by the Parish Council and local residents, the ridge height of the garden room had been reduced to 3.4 metres with the eaves height being reduced to two metres.  A timber mock-up had been erected on the site to fully assess the impact on the immediate neighbours and the character of the Conservation Area.  The site had been throughly assessed and a site visit carried out by the Planning Officer and the Conservation Officer who raised no objections to the revised plans. It was considered there would be no adverse loss of light or loss of privacy to the immediate neighbours and the impact on the character and appearance of the area would be acceptable, therefore, the Officer recommendation was to permit the application.

7.41          The Chair invited the applicant to address the Committee.  The applicant advised that the property had been empty for over 40 years and in a state of severe disrepair before he and his wife had bought it in 2019.  They had sympathetically renovated using their own funds and a local family builder during 2020/21. He made reference to their involvement in the community which they were committed to contributing to and being part of.  The purpose of the application was to create some much-needed space for their own daily use that was in keeping with village architecture.  There was previously a dilapidated stone building in the back garden which had collapsed and that was in the location where they now hoped to have the garden room – he pointed out that old photographs had been displayed at the meeting.  A shower room had been included as they were not able to have one in the cottage itself due to the low height and angle of the ceiling and a stove was included as there was no gas or oil at the property.  With regard to the concerns about it being used as an Airbnb or separate dwelling, the applicant gave assurance that they were a private family and would not want strangers in the garden; they would prefer to see fewer tourists rather than more and had proactively suggested a clause to state that use of the garden room was ancillary to the cottage.  He advised there was no direct or free access to the rear of the property but they did have right of way via their neighbour’s land.  The applicant appreciated the process had been stressful for their immediate neighbours and they had involved them and members of Snowshill Parish Meeting at the pre-application stage.  He recognised change could be unsettling and hoped that, if the application was permitted, everyone would see they had added something of beauty to the village.  They had listened to the Conservation Officer, amended the plans accordingly and no objections were raised.  The building was wholly in keeping with others in the village and mirrored the gable of the neighbouring property, albeit with fewer windows and half the size.  He indicated that the Conservation Officer had also stated that the plot could accommodate a building of this size.  They appreciated that Snowshill was special and they loved historical buildings, beautiful gardens and nature.  Members would see from the Committee report that the proposal complied with all planning-related policy and the Officer recommendation was to permit the application – he hoped that Members would agree.

7.42          The Chair indicated that the Officer recommendation was to permit the application and he sought a motion from the floor.  A Member noted that the Conservation Officer raised no objection but recognised there had been several iterations of the original design and the Planning Officer had suggested on the Planning Committee Site Visit that it was a hipped roof which she understood the Conservation Officer felt was inappropriate so she asked for some clarification on this.  In response, the Planning Officer explained that the Parish Council had asked for a flat roof but the Conservation Officer considered that would be totally out of keeping in this prominent location and would be far worse than a hipped roof.  The Member asked if it was within Members’ gift to restrict the height of the chimney or change its colour and the Development Management Team Manager (South) confirmed it was possible to change the colour but the height was controlled by building regulations to allow for dispersal of smoke.  Another Member queried whether any energy efficiency measures had been considered as part of the application and the Development Management Team Leader (East) confirmed that nothing had been considered over and above what was required by building regulations.  It was proposed that the application be permitted in accordance with the Officer recommendation and a Member indicated that she would be willing to second the proposal subject to changing the colour of the chimney to something in keeping with the surroundings.  The proposer of the motion confirmed he was happy with that change.  The Development Management Team Manager (East) advised that condition 4 required the finished flue colour proposed to be used be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority; it was noted that the seconder of the motion was unhappy with the matte black which was currently proposed.  Another Member noted the concerns regarding the garden room being used as an Airbnb and sought assurance that a change of use application would be required in those circumstances.  The Planning Officer confirmed that if the development was to be used as a holiday let in future, that would require planning permission for change of use.  She confirmed that an ancillary use condition was proposed which the applicant was aware of and happy with. 

7.43          Upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED           That the application be PERMITTED in accordance with the Officer recommendation.