18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 22 November 2022 by Jonathan Edwards BSc(Hons) DipTP MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 24 November 2022 Appeal Ref: APP/J0405/W/22/3303497 18 The Meadows, Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire HP22 4TL • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a failure to give notice within the prescribed period of a decision on an application for planning permission • The appeal is made by Mrs Kelly Goulding against Buckinghamshire Council. • The application Ref 22/01754/APP, is dated 12 May 2022. • The development proposed is single storey side extension to form garage. Conversion of existing garage for habitable use. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for single storey side extension to form garage. Conversion of existing garage for habitable use at 18 The Meadows, Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire HP22 4TL in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 22/01754/APP, dated 12 May 2022, subject to the conditions in the Schedule at the end of this decision. Main Issue 2. The Council has not determined the planning application leading to this appeal.

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Appeal Decision However, in light of the submissions, the main issue is the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area. Reasons 3. The appeal property (No 18) lies close to the entrance to The Meadows, a residential cul de sac. Like other nearby dwellings, it is a 2 storey high, detached house. The highway runs to the front of the site and wraps around the side of the plot before leading to a turning head at the rear. A low hedge runs along the side and part of the rear boundary with a grass verge between the hedge and the road. 4. The proposed extension would be attached to an existing 2 storey high side addition. It would be set back a significant distance behind the principal elevation of the main part of the house and so it would not be easily seen at the entrance of The Meadows. However, once within the cul de sac, the garage would be visible from the road as well as from the front of nearby properties. Consequently, the proposed development would have a noticeable effect on the street scene. 5. The proposed garage would be on part of the plot that is currently vacant of buildings. Therefore, it would clearly reduce the openness of the site and it would lead to the house filling most of the plot width.

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Appeal Decision However, the open area to the side of No 18 adjoins the road and so the proposal would not erode https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Appeal Decision However, the open area to the side of No 18 adjoins the road and so the proposal would not erode https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/J0405/W/22/3303497 space that provides an important visual relief between properties. Also, the plans indicate that a gap comprising of the hedge and the grass verge would be retained between the garage and the road to the side and rear. 6. Moreover, the proposed addition would be single storey and it would have a hipped roof that slopes down towards the plot boundaries. Accordingly, it would not be overly dominant but it would be viewed as a sympathetic, step-down extension to the side of the property. 7. There is no obvious uniformity in the design of houses on The Meadows. Also, they are set back varying distances from the highway. Of particular note is a garage addition that projects forward of a house on the opposite side of the road to No 18. In light of the variation in the local development context, the proposed extension would be compatible with the street scene, especially as it would be of modest scale and as it would be set back off the road. 8. The Council mention that the site lies in the Quainton-Wing Hills Area of Attractive Landscape. However, the site and its surroundings are a typical residential area and so the proposal would not detract from any significant landscape features.

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Appeal Decision The Council raise no objection to the conversion element of the proposal and I also find this would be acceptable. 9. For the above reasons, I conclude the development would not be harmful to the character and appearance of the area. In these regards, it would accord with policy BE2 of the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan 2021, the Council’s Design Guide for Residential Extensions and the National Design Guide. Amongst other things, these look for development to respect a site and its surroundings. Conditions 10. I have had regard to the list of planning conditions suggested by the Council. Where appropriate, I have amended the wording for precision reasons. 11. I include a condition listing the approved plans for reasons of clarity. These drawings indicate the materials to be used in the construction of the development and so a separate condition on this matter is unnecessary. 12. A landscape condition is required to minimise the visual impact of the scheme on the street scene. A condition regarding bat and bird boxes is imposed to help maintain and enhance the biodiversity value of the site.

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Appeal Decision A condition that prevents the use of the garage as habitable room space is needed to ensure the provision of sufficient parking space. Conclusion 13. The development would be acceptable in terms of the main issue and no other objections or concerns have been raised. Therefore, the proposal would accord with the development plan when read as a whole. As such, I conclude the appeal should be allowed.

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Jonathan Edwards INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Jonathan Edwards INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2 Appeal Decision APP/J0405/W/22/3303497 SCHEDULE OF CONDITIONS 1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision. 2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with approved plan numbered 22/GG/001 rev A. 3) No construction work on the development hereby permitted shall take place above slab level until details of the existing and proposed soft landscape boundary treatments have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The details shall include a boundary treatment plan (at a minimum scale of 1:500) showing soft landscaping along the side and rear boundary as well as detailing the position of all proposed boundary treatment and annotated or accompanied by a schedule specifying the type, height, composition, appearance and installation method of boundary treatment throughout the site. Soft landscaping shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the occupation of the side extension hereby permitted and shall thereafter be retained in that form.

18 The Meadows, Buckinghamshire, Whitchurch, HP22 4TL — Buckinghamshire Council - Aylesbury Area * — Jonathan Edwards If within a period of five years from the date of the planting of any tree or shrub, that tree or shrub, or any tree and shrub planted in replacement for it, is removed, uprooted or destroyed, dies, becomes severely damaged or diseased, it shall be replaced in the next planting season with trees and shrubs of equivalent size, species and quantity. 4) The side extension hereby permitted shall not be first occupied until an integrated bat box and an integrated bird box have been installed at the property. The bat and bird box shall thereafter be retained. 5) The side extension hereby permitted shall not be converted into a habitable room. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3