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APPLICATION NO. |
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SITE |
Wellshead Cottage Harwell OX11 0HD |
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PARISH |
HARWELL |
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PROPOSAL |
Single and two storey rear extensions to cottage (amended plans received 30 August, 4 and 23 October, with additional ecological information received 4 October 2023). |
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WARD MEMBER(S) |
Debra Dewhurst Hayleigh Gascoigne |
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APPLICANT |
Rev Dr Jonathan Mobey |
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OFFICER |
Nathalie Power |
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RECOMMENDATION |
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That planning permission is granted subject to the following conditions: |
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STANDARD 1. Time limit - Full Application 2. Approved Plans List 3. Approved Supporting Documents
COMPLIANCE 4. Samples of materials 5. Car Parking & Garage 6. Obscured Glazing (Opening)
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1.0 |
INTRODUCTION AND PROPOSAL |
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1.1 |
This application has been referred to Planning Committee following a call-in from Councillor Dewhurst, due to concerns surrounding the impact of the extensions upon residential neighbouring amenity, the historic significance of the Listed Building, the visual amenity of the area, and local highway safety – through insufficient provision of car parking within the site.
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1.2 |
The application site is located within the village of Harwell, and hosts Grade II Listed Building, Wellshead Cottage. The application site occupies a corner plot at the junction of Wellshead Lane and Broadway, which are situated to the north and west respectively. Vehicular access is obtained via a private drive branching from Broadway. Neighbouring residential dwellings, including Grade II Listed Building Englefield, bound the application site to the east and south. The site is further located within Harwell Conservation Area.
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1.3 |
A site plan is provided below;
Extracts from the applications plans are attached at Appendix 1.
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1.4 |
The application seeks planning permission and Listed Building consent for the erection of a two-storey and single-storey rear extension to the Listed Building, to provide additional habitable accommodation.
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1.5 |
The two-storey element of the proposal will project from the rear eastern elevation of the dwelling by 4.30 metres, at a width of 4.15 metres, with an overall dual pitched height of 5.60 metres. The roof form will host two catslide dormer windows, one on the southern and northern elevations. |
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1.6 |
The single-storey element of the proposed extension will adjoin the proposed two-storey element, projecting a further 4 metres in length, measuring 3.60 metres in width and 4.00 metres in dual-pitched height. The easternmost elevation of this extension will host a metal flue. |
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1.7 |
Amended plans and additional ecological information were received on the 30 September and on the 04 October 2023, demonstrating the parking arrangements on site, proposing hanging tiles on the catslide dormers and showing the drainage run serving Englefield – to address concerns and queries raised by Officers. |
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1.8 |
This application accompanies Listed Building application P23/V1737/LB |
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2.0 |
SUMMARY OF CONSULTATIONS & REPRESENTATIONS |
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Below is a summary of the consultation comments received. Copies of the full consultation comments are currently available to view on the website.
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2.1 |
FIRST CONSULTATION - July 2023
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Harwell Parish Council |
NO OBJECTION However, Parish Council ask that neighbouring comments are taken into account.
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Heritage Officer |
NO OBJECTIONS Subject to the provision of additional information surrounding external wall materials and joinery details.
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Ecology Officer |
NO OBJECTIONS |
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Highways Liaison Officer (OCC) |
NO OBJECTIONS |
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County Archaeologist |
NO OBJECTIONS |
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Neighbouring Representations (5) |
OBJECTION
§ The scope of the works harms the appearance of this Listed Building and the character of the conservation area. The development is disproportionate in relation to the size of the dwelling and plot.
§ Insufficient parking provision within the site will result on parking off site which will harm the character of the area, and local highway safety particularly with intensification of use and unneighbourly parking.
§ Loss of privacy, both for the occupants of Osterley House due to overlooking from the ground floor garden room and first floor bedroom proposed, but also to any future occupants of new garden room who will be overlooked by occupants of Osterley.
§ Digging of the new extension will disturb the foundations of the neighbouring Englefield.
§ The drainage gulley serving Englified, situated on the shared boundary, will be disturbed, causing potential flooding and damage to Englefield.
§ The side projections of the extensions means that the clearance between the side elevation of the host dwelling and Englefield is severely reduced, resulting in difficulty in maintaining the thatch of Englefield. |
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2.2 |
SECOND CONSULTATION – November 2023 |
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Heritage Officer |
NO OBJECTIONS Subject to the provision of additional information surrounding external wall materials and joinery details, and addition of condition surrounding groundworks methodology.
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3.0 |
RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY |
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3.1 |
P15/V0751/LB - Approved (17/07/2015) Replace two rear of building access doors, with similar looking double glazed doors; in a Grade 2 listed building. The rear of the property cannot be seen from vehicle roads, or close neighbours.
P97/V0440/LB - Approved (20/05/1997) Existing flat roof to be covered with pitched roof. Complete revision of fenestration to all elevations to include new bathroom window.
P69/V5073 - Approved (03/06/1969) Extension to provide bathroom, bedroom and lounge.
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3.2 |
PRE-APPLICATION HISTORY
P23/V0776/PEO - Advice provided (26/05/2023) Extensions to grade 2 listed cottage.
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4.0 |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) |
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4.1 |
An EIA is not considered necessary for this householder application. |
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5.0 |
MAIN ISSUES |
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5.1 |
The relevant planning considerations in determining this application are;
§ Heritage, Design and Character § Residential Amenity § Access and Parking § Protected Species § Flood Risk and Site Drainage
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5.2 |
Heritage, Design and Character The application site hosts Grade II Listed Building, Wellshead Cottage. Neighbouring Grade II Listed Building, Englefied, is situated directly to the south of the site. The proposal sees the addition of two-storey and single-storey extensions to the rear of the Listed Building.
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5.3 |
Local Plan Policies CP37, CP39, DP36 and DP38 all emphasise that new development should be visually attractive and of a scale, height, massing and materials which are appropriate for the site, surrounding area, and which preserves and enhances the historic significance of designated heritage assets.
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5.4 |
Further, the Joint Design Guide highlights that extensions should see the original building remain the visually dominant element of the property, being set down from the original roof ridge of the dwelling, and with a roof form that appropriately responds to that of the original dwelling.
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5.5 |
As amended, it is Officer’s opinion that the proposed extensions are of appropriate size, scale and positioning which see the original Grade II Listed Building remain the visibly dominant built element of the property, with a minimum of 100+ sqm of rear amenity space maintained.
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5.6 |
The extensions host a simple geometric plan form to complement that of the original dwelling, will be set down from the original roof ridge of the dwelling and will be positioned along the southern boundary of the site – approximately 16+ metres back from the public highway of Wellshead. The chosen design and materials, including that of the catslide dormers, seek to respond positively to that of the original building. |
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5.7 |
The Council’s Heritage Officer has assessed the initial and amended information submitted and has raised no objections to the works proposed, subject to the submission of further details surrounding external materials, joinery details and the groundworks involved in the digging of the new extension in the interests of preserving the historic significance of this Grade II Listed Building and safeguarding the adjacent Listed Building.
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5.8 |
Officers therefore consider that the proposed development preserves the historic character, significance and setting of this Grade II Listed Building, and would not have an adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The scheme is therefore considered acceptable on heritage and design grounds.
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5.9 |
Residential Amenity The proposal involves the development of two-storey and single-storey rear extensions. Upper floor windows are proposed on the southern and northern windows of the two-storey element. Neighbouring representations have raised concern that overlooking will be caused through the side facing upper floor windows serving the newly proposed bedroom. Officers do not consider that there will be direct overlooking opportunities into the curtilage of Osterley from the first-floor extensions.
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5.10 |
The neighbouring property Osterley is located to the north-east of the site and proposed development and has upper floor bedroom windows with an outlook over their rear garden to the south. A new first-floor bedroom window would be inserted into the northern elevation of the proposed extension, which would host a direct outlook over the rear garden of the site and the road beyond, Wellshead Lane. |
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5.11 |
The respective windows are positioned at oblique angles, preventing any direct overlooking. Officers consider that this mitigates potential adverse harm to existing levels of privacy experienced by adjacent occupants posed by direct overlooking. It is additionally noted that there exists mature vegetation along the site boundary which further inhibits views. |
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5.12 |
Concerns have also raised that any new bedrooms of Wellshead Cottage will be overlooked by the occupants of Osterley, affecting the amenity of future occupiers of the proposed development. As mentioned above, Officers consider that the first-floor bedrooms between the respective dwellings will be positioned at sufficiently acute angles to prevent direct lines of overlooking.
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5.13 |
A small bathroom upper floor window is proposed on the southern elevation of the two-storey extension. Officers consider that the harm posed by this window through direct overlooking to be limited. In the interests of protecting adjacent private amenity, a condition has been applied to the decision notice, requiring the window to be obscure glazed, with an openable top hung casement (with a sill height measuring a minimum of 1.7 metres from finished floor level).
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5.14 |
Due to the scale of this householder development, in combination with the positioning of the extensions within the plot, and the orientation of the plot itself - Officers do not consider that adverse harm will be caused to existing levels of amenity experienced by adjacent neighbouring residences through overshadowing or overbearing impact.
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5.15 |
Neighbouring representations have additionally raised concern surrounding the proximity of the extensions to the southern boundary, stressing that this limits the ability to undertake maintenance for neighbouring Listed Building, Englefield. The Heritage Officer has considered these concerns - acknowledging the compact nature of the sites but commenting that with “1m at the narrowest point [between] the eaves of the [neighbouring] thatch [and the] extension [the] measurements [the applicants have] provided should be sufficient”. Officers therefore consider that the proximity of the extensions to the overhanging thatch is not a constraint to this proposed development and should be a matter addressed with the applicants outside of this application process.
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5.16 |
On balance, the proposed development is not considered to have an unacceptable impact upon neighbouring residential properties through direct overlooking, overshadowing or overbearing. |
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5.17 |
Access and Parking The proposal would result in the creation of an additional bedroom on site, equalling 4 bedrooms in total, as shown on plan ‘WLSH.P01H’. The proposal demonstrates the retention of the existing single garage and a single standard car parking space to the front (west) of this garage. |
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5.18 |
Neighbouring concerns have been raised surrounding an insufficient level of parking on the site, and that due to the intensification of use on the site and lack of use of the garage, this will cause a further overflow of car parking on to the street or blocking the public footpath.
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5.19 |
The concerns raised are noted by Officers, however the provision of two car parking spaces within the curtilage of a proposed four bedroom dwelling - within a rural village location such as this is considered acceptable in line with current OCC car parking standards. The OCC Highways Officer has assessed the initial and amended information and has raised no objections to the works. |
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5.20 |
Subject to the attached conditions requiring the car parking/garage space to remain unobstructed to such use, Officers consider that the proposed development would not have an unacceptable impact upon local highway safety in this instance. |
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5.21 |
Protected Species Having considered the external condition of the outbuilding, the suitability of surrounding habitat and the nature of the proposed works which involves works to the roof; Officers requested a preliminary assessment from the applicant, to establish that roosting bats would not be impacted by the proposed development.
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5.22 |
The applicants submitted an “Initial Bat Survey and Preliminary Roost Assessment” (by Windrush Ecology) on the 04 October which concluded that the proposed works did not pose any significant impacts upon bats. The Council’s Ecology Officer has assessed the submitted ecological information and has raised no objections to the proposal. Officers therefore consider that the proposed works would not have an adverse impact upon protected species. An informative has been added to the decision notice for the benefit of the applicants.
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5.23 |
Flood Risk and Site Drainage Neighbouring representations have raised concerns surrounding the impact of the works upon site drainage. From available Council records, the application site is not located within an identified fluvial flood zone and is not at an increased risk of surface water flooding.
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5.24 |
In response to the consultation comments received, amended plans were received on the 23 October demonstrating the surface water drainage run serving Englefield that sits within the curtilage of Wellshead Cottage – showing that the drainage run remains unaffected by the proposal. Officers do not consider this aspect to be a constraint to the proposed development and is a matter that should be addressed directly with the applicants outside of this application process. The proposal is not considered to exacerbate local flood risk.
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5.25 |
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) CIL is a planning charge primarily calculated on the increase in footprint created as a result of the development or net gain of residential use on site. This householder development would not be liable to pay CIL as the proposed additional floor space would not exceed 100 square metres.
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5.26 |
Pre-Commencement Conditions
Following the Heritage Officer’s response, a pre-commencement condition has been placed upon the recommendation for this application, requiring samples of the external materials proposed to be used to be submitted to, and approved by, the technical specialist. |
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5.27 |
In line with The Town and Country Planning (Pre-Commencement Conditions) Regulations 2018, written agreement will be obtained from the applicant regarding this pre-commencement condition prior to the Planning Committee Meeting due to take place on the 29 November 2023.
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6.0 |
CONCLUSION |
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6.1 |
The scale of proposed development would preserve the historic significance and setting of this Grade II Listed Building and neighbouring Grade II Listed Building, Englefield, would not detract from the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. Further, the proposal would not materially harm the amenity of neighbouring properties, local highway safety, protected species, nor local flood risk. |
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6.2 |
Having regard to the above, the weighing of material considerations is in favour of granting planning permission for the development. This development is considered to accord with the relevant policies of the Development Plan 2031 and the provisions of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the National Planning Policy Framework.
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The following planning policies have been taken into account: |
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VOWH Local Plan 2031 Part 1: Strategic Sites & Core Policies; CP35 – Promoting Public Transport, Cycling and Walking CP37 –
Design and Local Distinctiveness CP46 – Conservation and Improvement of Biodiversity |
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VOWH Local Plan 2031 Part 2: Detailed Policies and Additional Sites; DP16 – Access DP23 – Impact of Development upon Amenity DP36 – Heritage Assets DP37 – Conservation Areas DP38 – Listed Buildings |
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There is currently no Neighbourhood Development Plan for this area. |
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Supplementary Planning Guidance South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Joint Design Guide SPD (2022) |
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Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 s66 – Duty as respects Listed Buildings in exercise of planning functions s72 - Duty as respects Conservation Areas in exercise of planning functions
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National Planning Policy Framework |
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Planning Practice Guidance |
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Human Rights Act 1998 The provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 have been taken into account in the processing of the application and the preparation of this report. The impact on individuals has been balanced against the public interest and the Officer recommendation is considered to be proportionate.
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Equality Act 2010 In assessing this planning application the Council has regard to its equalities obligations including its obligations under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. It is considered that no recognised group will suffer discrimination as a result of the proposal.
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