Agenda item

RESOLVED that planning permission be GRANTED forthe construction of a hip to gable extension and roof extension in the rear roof slope incorporating a Juliet balcony at 153 Sydenham Park Road SE26, together with the installation of 3 roof lights in the front roof slope subject to the conditions and informatives in the report.

7.1      The Planning Officer, gave an illustrative presentation recommending the grant planning permission for the construction of a hip to gable extension and roof extension in the rear roof slope incorporating a Juliet balcony at 153 Sydenham Park Road SE26, together with the installation of 3 roof lights in the front roof slope subject of the conditions and informatives in the report.

7.2       The Committee noted the report and that the main issues were:

·Principle of Development

· Urban Design

· Impact on Adjoining Properties

7.3       Officers were satisfied that there was no material impact on these issues. There were no questions for the officer.

7.4       The applicant then gave their presentation. They had lived on the property for over 10 years. Their property is an end-of-terrace house, so the hip to gable extension takes half of the 40m2 allowance that they have, therefore they sought to make the planning application as opposed to permitted development. They proposed to use slate under the advice of their engineer who recommended the material. The neighbour at 155 had done a loft conversion 2 years prior and used the exact same material. Addressing the objection that they would be overlooking the garden of the neighbour and will have an impact of shade, the applicant stated that this was not true and because of the slope the properties were built on, this would make overlooking difficult and there is no impact of their dormer to the neighbouring properties.

            There were no questions for the applicant.

            The objector then gave her presentation. She stated that two adjoining hip to gable extensions would diminish the sense of openness afforded by the hipped roofs closing off the views of the tops of trees in the conservation area, as well as sky views and sunlight in her back garden. She also stated that none of the examples of the hip to gable dormer extensions that were cited by officers, most of them could be confirmed as permitted development, with one exception of a modified gable and anther was not recorded as it was built in the 90s. She stated that this proposal was for an unusually large dormer. She stated that the position of the Juliette balcony meant that no corner of her garden would not be overlooked.

            The Chair asked the objector if her garden was not already being overlooked by other windows in surrounding properties due to its positioning. She responded that yes it was but she believed that a Juliette balcony would be considerably higher.

            The officer added that a Juliette balcony could go on their permitted development right and the impact on the neighbouring property would be accepted under that permitted right. It was not considered that would be additional overlooking.

7.5       The Committee considered the submissions made at the meeting, and

RESOLVED that planning permission be Granted for the construction of a hip to gable extension and roof extension in the rear roof slope incorporating a Juliet balcony at 153 Sydenham Park Road SE26, together with the installation of 3 roof lights in the front roof slope subject to the conditions and informatives in the report.