10 Hill Ley, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8LX

10 Hill Ley, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8LX — Welwyn Hatfield Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 13 June 2023 by A.Graham BA(hons) MAued IHBC an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 27 June 2023 Appeal Ref: APP/C1950/W/22/3311431 10 Hill Ley, Hatfield AL10 8LX • 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 Snehal Kajar against the decision of Welwyn Hatfield Council. • The application Ref: 6/2022/1423/FULL dated 25 May 2022, was refused by notice dated 15 September 2022. • The application is for change of use from amenity to residential land with the formation of a new access, crossover, hardstanding and driveway. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Procedural Matter 2. The description of development in the heading above has been taken from the Councils Decision Notice and differs from that used on the Application Form. However, in Part E of the appeal form it is stated that the description of development has not changed. Accordingly, I have used the one given on the Council’s Decision Notice that I feel more accurately describes the proposed development. Main Issues 3. The main issues are the impact of the proposal upon the character and appearance of the area.

10 Hill Ley, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8LX — Welwyn Hatfield Council — Appeal Decision Reasons 4. The appeal property is a mid terrace property seemingly part of the wider ‘Radburn’ inspired estate of houses that form much of the residential area within which the property sits. The area is largely defined by rows of houses often with open plan areas of landscape or amenity land to their frontages and small areas of front gardens. Such a character is predominant in the area and is a defining characteristic of the estate as a whole. Although there are some departures from this character, the areas of landscape form an important linking characteristic. 5. The appeal property stands within a row of houses fronting onto the streetscene and contains a small area of private amenity space defined by a low hedge with a typically gently sloping, open plan frontage mainly laid to grass with a pathway leading to the front door. The house itself presents a https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

10 Hill Ley, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8LX — Welwyn Hatfield Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision Appeal Ref: APP/C1950/W/22/3311431 weatherboarded gable elevation onto the street and forms a consistent part of the group of properties here. 6. The proposal before me seeks to accommodate vehicular parking upon what is currently amenity grassland. This would include the formation of a drop kerb to the pavement and the paving over of part of the grass, along with removal of the existing hedge. 7. In assessing the impact of this proposal, I give great weight to what I consider are the defining characteristics of the area here as outlined above, namely the plethora of green areas and amenity grassland that I consider was likely an intentional design element for the original estate. 8. Although I recognise the largely private benefits of being able to park a vehicle immediately outside one’s property, I consider that there would be real and tangible harm to the overriding character of the area were this to happen. This proposal would therefore erode a core component of the character of the area here and introduce vehicles upon an area of important landscaping which would cause serious harm to both the character of the area and the appearance of the streetscene. 9.

10 Hill Ley, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8LX — Welwyn Hatfield Council — Appeal Decision As such I consider that the proposal before me would be in conflict with Policies GBSP2, D1, D2 and D8 of the Welwyn and Hatfield District Plan 2005 as well as the aspirations for good design as contained within the National Planning Policy Framework, as such the appeal must fail. Conclusion 10. For the reasons given above, and taking into account of all other matters raised, I dismiss the appeal.

10 Hill Ley, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8LX — Welwyn Hatfield Council — A Graham INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2