Agenda item - BH2018/00865,31 Harrington Road Brighton- Householder Planning Consent

Hip to gable roof extension, creation of rear dormer, installation of rooflights, windows and removal of chimney.

RECOMMENDATION – GRANT

Ward Affected:Withdean

Hip to gable roof extension, creation of rear dormer, installation of rooflights, windows and removal of chimney.

Officer Introduction

(1)       The Principal Planning Officer, Jonathan Puplett, introduced the application and gave a presentation by reference to plans, elevational drawings, photographs and floor plans.

(2)       The application was a resubmission of a previously refused application (BH2017/01021) which had also been dismissed at appeal. The previous scheme had included hip to gable extensions, a rear dormer, rooflights to the front, rear and side elevations and the removal of 1no chimney. The appeal decision had been given significant weight by the Planning Officers. The Planning Inspector had stated that the hip to gable extension did not diminish the appearance of the building and that the loss of a chimney would not be sufficient grounds on which to refuse the application alone. The new application reduced the size and number of windows with a modestly sized rear dormer, two front roofslope rooflights and one rear roofslope rooflight.

            Questions to the Planning Officer

(3)       In response to Councillor Morris, the Planning Officer confirmed that the Planning Inspector had concluded that the loss of one chimney on its own would not cause significant enough harm to refuse planning permission.

            Debate and Decision Making Process

(4)       Mr Gowans stated that the Conservation Advisory Group recommended refusal as the application proposed radical changes to a house in the conservation area. He stated that while the Group’s objections around the rooflights had been partially addressed by the revised plan they still felt the loss of a chimney caused significant harm especially as the remaining rear chimney would be obscured.

(5)       Councillor Theobald stated that she felt the proposed roof changed the character of the building quite dramatically and would not be supporting the officer recommendations.

(6)       Councillor Miller stated that the extension would impact the conservation area and the design was quite different to the existing house and the surrounding area.

(7)       A vote was taken and on a vote of 8 For, 2 Against and 1 Abstention planning permission was granted.

133.5  RESOVLED - That the Committee has taken into consideration and agrees with the reasons for the recommendation set out in the report and resolves to GRANT planning permission subject to the conditions and informatives and for the reasons set out in the report.

Note: Councillor Mac Cafferty was not present for the debate and vote on the application.