17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU

17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU — Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area * — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 15th December 2022 by Megan Thomas K.C. Barrister-at-Law an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Decision date: 19th January 2023 Appeal Ref: APP/K0425/W/22/3296025 17 Greaves Road, High Wycombe HP13 7JU • 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 Mrs D Tyllyer against the decision of Buckinghamshire Council. • The application Ref.21/07703/FUL, dated 6 September 2021, was refused by notice dated 10 November 2021. • The development proposed is the “erection of single detached dwelling in rear garden and new vehicular access from Hazelbury Road. Demolition of existing store.” Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Main Issues 2. The main issues in the appeal are the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area and the effect on the living conditions of the occupants of 17 Greaves Road with regard to outlook. Reasons Character and appearance 3.

17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU — Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area * — Appeal Decision The appeal site is a two storey semi-detached dwelling which fronts Greaves Road but its long rear garden extends eastwards and upwards to Hazelbury Road where there is a storage building and timber shed in the garden. There is off-street parking in front of the storage building. The site is in a built-up predominantly residential area of High Wycombe. 4. The rear gardens of Greaves Road east side properties have timber fencing on their rear boundaries about 2m in height. Some have detached outbuildings or garages behind the fence and have rear parking facilities. Hazelbury Road is characterised by flatted development of 2, 3 and 4 storeys high set behind a red brick boundary wall and railing. 5. The proposed development includes demolition of the storage building and the erection of a one-bedroomed dwelling in its place. The plot would be divided into two. The dwelling would be chalet style with a pitched roof and two pitched roof dormers, one facing west and one facing east. The roof ridges of the dormers would be almost as high as the apex of the main roof. The rear (west- facing) dormer would be fitted with obscured glass.

17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU — Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area * — Appeal Decision There would be two off- street parking spaces on an incline in front of the proposed dwelling (which https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU — Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area * — Appeal Decision There would be two off- street parking spaces on an incline in front of the proposed dwelling (which https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate Appeal Decision APP/K0425/W/22/3296025 would be set down from the road). There would be a bin area and a cycle storage area and a rear amenity space. 6. The pattern of residential development on the east side of Greaves Road is long rear gardens with low level domestic garages, sheds and hardstandings near Hazelbury Road. The proposed development would fragment the existing rear garden of No. 17 into two sections, measuring approximately 10 metres and 7 metres in size. Plots of that length are not typical of the area and would be out of keeping with the grain of development. The chalet-style dwelling would be about 5.5m high and would clearly not be an ancillary domestic building associated with dwellings on Greaves Road, appearing incongruous alongside those structures. 7. Furthermore, whilst acknowledging that effective and efficient use of land is a commendable objective, the dwelling would be built close to the north and south boundaries of site and would appear squeezed into the available narrow plot.

17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU — Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area * — Appeal Decision Whilst the fear of creating a precedent must be sparingly used as a reason for refusing development, in this case I consider that if permission was granted then it would be very difficult for the Local Planning Authority to refuse other proposed subdivision/outbuilding redevelopments in the eastern-side Greaves Road curtilages. The cumulative impact would reduce the open character and sense of spaciousness in the area. 8. On this issue, I conclude that the proposal would unduly harm the character and appearance of the area. It would be contrary to policy CP9 (Sense of Place) and DM35 (Placemaking and Design Quality) of the Wycombe District Local Plan (adopted 2019). Living conditions of Occupants of Greaves Road 9. It is important to have regard to the potential impact of the proposal on the enjoyment of outdoor and indoor spaces of nearby dwellings. 10.The topography of the area is such that the proposed dwelling would sit at a very elevated position and whilst it would not in itself be unduly high, it would loom over the rear gardens of nos 17 & 19 Greaves Road in particular.

17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU — Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area * — Appeal Decision No.19 has a ground floor rear extension with a rear window and a first floor rear window and I consider that there would also be an undue sense of enclosure when looking out of those windows. 11.On this second issue, I conclude that the proposal would cause significant adverse impacts on the living conditions of the occupants of 17 and 19 Greaves Road by reason of loss of outlook. There would be a breach of policy DM35 (Placemaking and Design Quality) of the Wycombe District Local Plan (adopted 2019). Conclusion 12.Having taken into account all representations made including the potential for an energy and water efficient dwelling, for the reasons given above, I dismiss the appeal.

17 Greaves Road, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP13 7JU — Buckinghamshire Council - Wycombe Area * — Megan Thomas K.C. INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2