Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — Appeal Decisions Site visit made on 11 January 2022 by William Cooper BA (Hons) MA CMLI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 14th January 2022 Appeal A: APP/A1910/W/21/3272860 Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden HP4 1NT • The appeal is made under section 20 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 against a refusal to grant listed building consent. • The appeal is made by Mr & Mrs M Gold against the decision of Dacorum Borough Council. • The application Ref: 21/00613/LBC, dated 12 February 2021, was refused by notice dated 29 March 2021. • The works proposed are described as single storey side extension to replace link and alterations. Appeal B: APP/A1910/Y/21/3272861 Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden HP4 1NT • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Mr & Mrs M Gold against the decision of Dacorum Borough Council. • The application Ref: 21/00612/FHA, dated 12 February 2021, was refused by notice dated 29 March 2021. • The development proposed is described as single storey side extension to replace link and alterations.

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — Appeal Decisions Decision Appeal A 1. The appeal is allowed and listed building consent is granted for single storey side extension to replace link and alterations at Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden HP4 1NT in accordance with the terms of the application Ref: 21/00613/LBC, dated 12 February 2021, and the plans submitted with it, subject to the conditions on the attached Schedule A. Appeal B 2. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for single storey side extension to replace link and alterations at Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden HP4 1NT in accordance with the terms of the application Ref: 21/00613/LB21/00612/FHA, dated 12 February 2021, and the plans submitted with it, subject to the conditions on the attached Schedule B. Preliminary Matters 3. The property name in the banner headings and decisions above is taken from the appeal form, decision notice and historic building listing, in the interests of precision. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — Appeal Decisions Appeal Decisions APP/A1910/Y/21/3272860, APP/A1910/Y/21/3272861 4. As the proposal relates to a listed building I have had special regard to sections 16(2) and 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (the Act). 5. Since the Council’s decision, a new version of the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) was published in July 2021. The parties have had opportunity to comment on the engagement of this new policy document in relation to the appeal, and so will not be disadvantaged by my consideration of it. Main Issue 6. The main issue in this case is whether the proposal would preserve the Grade II listed building ‘Witches Hollow’ (Ref: 1174755), or any features of special architectural or historic interest that it possesses. Reasons 7. The building is a two-storey house that dates back to the seventeenth century. Located in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), it nestles in verdant grounds, at the foot of a bank leading down from Ringshall Drive, looking over Edwardian-style garden terracing towards woods to the west. The historic core of the building is timber-framed, cased in red brick, with old clay tiled roofs.

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — Appeal Decisions Elements such as herringbone pattern brickwork on the front elevation, old chimneys and fenestration contribute to the historic charisma of the building, including its eastern and western elevations. Also, the building was associated with Rosina Jane Massey who was, according to the listing, ‘reputed a witch locally’ in the nineteenth century. 8. Formerly an inn, the building’s evolved character further stems from a combination of residential conversion and alteration from the seventeenth to the twenty first centuries. The northern elevation of the building, which faces onto part of the rear garden, comprises a variety of footprint indentations, and links the historic core of the house to the more recent lean-to kitchen extension and weatherboarded heritage-style annexe, with a substantially glazed link. 9. Consequently, the listed building embodies evidential, historical, aesthetic and communal values, which contributes to the building’s special interest. Given the above, I consider the special interest of the listed building, insofar as it relates to these appeals, to be primarily associated with the legibility of its seventeenth century core and its historically layered architectural evolution. 10.

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — Appeal Decisions The proposal would reduce the visibility of part of the historic roof and wall of the listed building’s ‘snug’ room, from exterior view from the northern end of the garden. That said, the roof and chimney of the ‘snug’ part of the building would still be noticeable and the proposed link’s glazing would provide a degree of transparency which would help the form of the existing single storey wing to remain legible. Also, the replacement of the clay roof tiles to the existing lean-to with slate would modestly highlight the earlier parts of the building by creating a contrast between the old and new roof. 11. The above together would result in the building’s northern elevation continuing to read ‘on the ground’ as a combination of the historic house core, recent weatherboarded heritage-style extension, and recent kitchen extension with a substantially glazed link. Moreover, the authoritative architectural charisma of the listed building’s front elevation and its western elevation to the garden https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — Appeal Decisions Appeal Decisions APP/A1910/Y/21/3272860, APP/A1910/Y/21/3272861 would endure, as would the building’s historic associations. The absence of a recessed alignment for the northern elevation of the proposed dining room would not prevent this. 12. Thus, the building’s evolved architectural blend of primary, charismatic historic core, with several more recent subordinate additions would endure, albeit in a moderately different form. Therefore, the legibility of the listed building’s seventeenth century core and its historically layered architectural evolution would endure. The above factors would also help the proposal to blend in with its residential garden landscape setting, and conserve the beauty of the AONB. 13. Given the above, I conclude that the proposal would preserve the special interest of the Grade II listed building. This would satisfy the requirements of the Act and the Framework. Also, it would accord with Policy CS27 of the Dacorum Core Strategy 2006-2031, which seeks to ensure that proposals conserve heritage assets and the historic environment. Conditions Appeal A 14.

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — Appeal Decisions In addition to the standard time limit condition, a condition requiring the works to be carried out in accordance with the submitted details is necessary to ensure that they are implemented as approved. Conditions covering architectural finish and detailing, and submission of samples are necessary to ensure that the appearance and construction of the extension is of a suitably high standard. Appeal B 15. In addition to the standard time limit condition, a condition requiring the development to be carried out in accordance with the submitted details is necessary to ensure that they are implemented as approved. Conditions covering architectural finish and detailing, and submission of samples are necessary to ensure that the appearance and construction of the extension is of a suitably high standard. Conclusion 16. Therefore, for the above reasons I conclude that the appeals should be allowed.

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — William Cooper INSPECTOR Schedule A) Conditions for Appeal A 1) The works hereby consented shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision. 2) The works hereby consented relate solely to the plans, drawings, notes and written details submitted with the application, or as subsequently amended and approved in writing by the following conditions. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — William Cooper INSPECTOR Schedule A) Conditions for Appeal A 1) The works hereby consented shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision. 2) The works hereby consented relate solely to the plans, drawings, notes and written details submitted with the application, or as subsequently amended and approved in writing by the following conditions. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — William Cooper Appeal Decisions APP/A1910/Y/21/3272860, APP/A1910/Y/21/3272861 3) The former external south wall of the nineteenth century extension shall remain as exposed brickwork, and no new finish applied. 4) No works, excluding demolition and ground investigations, shall take place until there shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority details of all new doors, windows and roof glazing at 1:20 scale. These details shall include cross section/profiles of glazing bars, sills and method of glazing. The works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details. 5) No works, excluding demolition and ground investigations, shall take place until details of the materials to be used in the construction of external surfaces hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Arrangements shall be made with the Planning Officer for inspection of materials on site. The works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and samples. Schedule B) Conditions for Appeal B 1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision.

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — William Cooper 2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: 2267/01 Site Location Plan; 2267/02E Site Layout Plan; 2267/03E Ground Floor Plan; 2267/04E East Elevation with Section AA; 2267/05E North and South Elevations and Section BB; 2267/06D East and West Elevations; I1420-E1 Elevations - Sheet One; I1420-E2 Elevations - Sheet Two; I1420-G Ground Floor Plan; I1420-T Site Survey. 3) The former external south wall of the nineteenth century extension shall remain as exposed brickwork, and no new finish applied. 4) No development, excluding demolition and ground investigations, shall take place until there shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority details of all new doors, windows and roof glazing at 1:20 scale. These details shall include cross section/profiles of glazing bars, sills and method of glazing. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

Witches Hollow, Ringshall Drive, Little Gaddesden, HP4 1NT — Dacorum Borough Council — William Cooper 5) No development, excluding demolition and ground investigations, shall commence until details of the materials to be used in the construction of external surfaces hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Arrangements shall be made with the Planning Officer for inspection of materials on site. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and samples. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 4