18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 11 August 2021 by P B Jarvis BSc (Hons) DipTP MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 7th October 2021 Appeal A Ref: APP/G2245/W/20/3262480 18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable BR8 7LQ • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Mr Nick Heasman against the decision of Sevenoaks District Council. • The application Ref 20/00727/FUL, dated 10 March 2020, was refused by notice dated 14 May 2020. • The development proposed is construction of a three bedroom dwelling. Appeal B Ref: APP/G2245/W/20/3262881 18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable BR8 7LQ • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Mr Nick Heasman against the decision of Sevenoaks District Council. • The application Ref 20/01856/FUL, dated 2 July 2020, was refused by notice dated 16 September 2020. • The development proposed is a new two bedroomed dwelling. Procedural Matter 1. The updated National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) was published on the 20 July 2021.

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision The parties have been given the opportunity to comment on this and I have used the new paragraph numbers where relevant. Decisions 2. Both appeals are dismissed. Main Issue 3. The main issue in respect of both appeals is the effect on the character and appearance of the host dwelling and wider street scene. Reasons 4. The appeal site comprises a large, detached dwelling set on a generously sized plot on the corner of Egerton Avenue and New Road. The area is predominantly residential in character with a variety of age, size and style of dwellings. Properties in the immediate vicinity comprise both modern and more traditional style as well as detached and semi-detached. 5. The dwelling on the appeal site is of traditional appearance, probably Victorian, with tiled pitched roof and rendered elevations with front gable projection and bay windows. It is located towards the western side of the plot with garden https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/G2245/W/20/3262480 & 3262881 areas to the side and rear. The dwelling contains an integral garage with access off Egerton Road. The New Road frontage is marked by a brick wall with planting behind. Appeal A 6. The proposed dwelling would be sited to the side of the existing dwelling set back a similar distance from the Egerton Avenue frontage with projecting front gable extending forward of the existing dwelling. It would be sited parallel to and quite close to the existing dwelling, such that it would be at an angle to the New Road frontage as that boundary is not straight and the side garden area narrows towards the rear of the plot. 7. The proposed dwelling would occupy almost the entire width of the side garden area adjoining the dwelling and given this and that its size and siting would result in the rear corner almost abutting the New Road boundary, it would appear as an overly large and dominant building which would fail to sit comfortably on this prominent corner plot.

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision The proposed siting would also result in the removal of the rear section of the boundary wall and although it would appear that specific permission would not be required for this, I consider that its removal would be harmful to the street scene as it currently contributes to the character of the host property and the streetscene particularly given its prominent corner location. 8. In terms of its design, whilst it would incorporate some features that would appear to reflect those of the host dwelling, such as front gable projection with bay windows, the overall scale of the dwelling, including its span depth, would be greater, resulting in an overly bulky building form. This would be exacerbated by the overly large box dormer that is proposed on the rear roofslope and odd flat roofed element below. Furthermore, the flank elevation facing New Road is unrelieved with no openings apart from one high level window. Given its close proximity to the New Road frontage, this would result in a design that would fail to address or add any interest to the street scene resulting in a harsh blank elevation with little room for planting to provide any relief. 9.

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision Overall, I find that it would appear as an incongruous form of development and one which would appear cramped on this restricted corner plot. It would thereby be harmful to the character and appearance of the host property and the street scenes of both Egerton Avenue and New Road. I therefore conclude that it would conflict with policy EN1 of the Sevenoaks Allocations and Development Management Plan 2015 (SADMP) which seeks high quality design through development that responds to the scale, height and site coverage of the area, and respects the character of the site and surrounding areas. 10. The proposal would also fail to comply with the Framework, in particular section 12 which seeks the creation of high quality, beautiful and sustainable buildings and places, and paragraph 130, which seeks to ensure that development adds to the overall quality of the area, is visually attractive and sympathetic to local character and the built environment generally. 11. The appellant suggests that the dwelling would make a much needed contribution to local supply which would in turn generate social and economic benefits.

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision The Council confirms that it is currently unable to demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites therefore the paragraph 11d(ii) of the https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision The Council confirms that it is currently unable to demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites therefore the paragraph 11d(ii) of the https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2 Appeal Decision APP/G2245/W/20/3262480 & 3262881 Framework is engaged. However, it is my view that the adverse impacts of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole. Appeal B 12. The proposed dwelling would be sited in a similar position to the side of the host dwelling. However, it would be of much simpler design than that of Appeal A, with single pitched roof and gable side walls. It would have a smaller footprint, albeit a greater span depth than the existing dwelling with gaps retained to the side boundary, the closest element to New Road being the rear corner. A single parking space would be provided on the front corner of the plot accessed off Egerton Road. 13. The proposal would retain a reasonable amount of space around the new dwelling, though would, in my view, still sit somewhat awkwardly within the restricted shape of the plot. Nevertheless, it would be set away from the boundary wall along New Road which would appear to be retained. 14.

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision However, as a result of its greater span depth than the host dwelling and unrelieved elevations, its overall built form would still appear bulky compared to the host dwelling which has a modest span depth and articulated form. Furthermore, its design would pay little regard to the host property with its very plain, modern appearance and lack of character. As a result, it would fail to complement the existing dwelling and wider street scene. 15. Overall, I find that it would appear as an incongruous form of development. As a result, it would be harmful to the character and appearance of the host dwelling and to the street scenes of both Egerton Avenue and New Road. I therefore conclude that it would conflict with SADMP policy EN1. 16. For the above reasons, the proposal would also fail to comply with the Framework, in particular section 12 and paragraph 130. 17. The appellant again suggests that the dwelling would make a much needed contribution to local supply which would in turn generate social and economic benefits. The Council confirms that it is currently unable to demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites therefore the paragraph 11d(ii) of the Framework is engaged.

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — Appeal Decision However, it is my view that, as with Appeal A, the adverse impacts of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole. Conclusions 18. I therefore conclude that both appeals should be dismissed.

18 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, KENT, BR8 7LQ — Sevenoaks District Council — P Jarvis INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3