91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 11 October 2024 by G Sylvester BSc (Hons) MSc MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 29th October 2024 Appeal Ref: APP/D1590/W/24/3338606 91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea SS9 1DR • 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 Jill Riches against the decision of Southend-on-Sea City Council. • The application Ref is 23/00873/FUL. • The development proposed is to install a dormer to front with Juliette balcony, convert two self-contained flats on first and second floors into one self-contained flat, install decking to front, alter front steps and lay out new parking bays to front. Decision 1.

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted to install a dormer to front with Juliette balcony, convert two self-contained flats on first and second floors into one self-contained flat, install decking to front, alter front steps and lay out new parking bays to front, at 91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea SS9 1DR, in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 23/00873/FUL, subject to the following conditions: 1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than three years from the date of this decision. 2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following drawings: Location Plan; 1049-1 Rev A; 1049-2 Rev 1 and 1049-3. 3) The external materials of the development hereby permitted shall match those used in the external surfaces of the existing property. Main Issue 2. The main issue in this appeal is the effect of the proposed roof dormer with balcony on the character and appearance of the host building and area. Reasons 3. The appearance of the host terrace’s roofscape of which the appeal property forms part of, is largely defined by a row of gable roofed dormers and forward projecting gables at roof level.

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision These vary in size and appearance but are mostly large with glazed doors that open out onto balconies overlooking the Seafront. They are set in an irregular pattern and are separated by the occasional flat roofed dormer and areas of front roof slope of varying widths. 4. Even if the existing dormers are historic, they are nonetheless sufficiently numerous as to be a strong characteristic of the host terrace’s roofscape. Given their respective sizes, appearances and irregular spacings, the collection https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision These vary in size and appearance but are mostly large with glazed doors that open out onto balconies overlooking the Seafront. They are set in an irregular pattern and are separated by the occasional flat roofed dormer and areas of front roof slope of varying widths. 4. Even if the existing dormers are historic, they are nonetheless sufficiently numerous as to be a strong characteristic of the host terrace’s roofscape. Given their respective sizes, appearances and irregular spacings, the collection https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/D1590/W/24/3338606 of gable roofed dormers and roof level gables contribute to the host terrace’s visually ‘busy’ roofscape, which is largely devoid of any strong sense of rhythm or uniformity. 5. Together, they distinguish the host terrace from the properties to the east and west, which tend to have comparatively large unbroken roof slopes with few roof dormers or roof level gables. As such, they contribute to the broad variety of mostly tall, period style properties that comprise the Grand Parade townscape in this area. 6. In this context, the appeal property’s small flat roofed dormer and front roof slope, which would largely be replaced by the proposed gable roofed dormer with balcony, do not make a discernibly positive contribution to the terrace’s character and appearance, or that of the wider townscape. 7. The proposed dormer would closely match the scale and form of the existing dormer on the host property’s front roof. However, given the varied window styles in the host terrace, it is unnecessary for it to match the angled bay window in the host property’s existing roof dormer. The different window designs would not, in this context, be jarring. 8.

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision Moreover, the proposed dormer’s siting, scale and appearance would reflect the irregular spacings and the varied sizes and appearances of the existing gabled dormers and roof level gables in the host terrace’s roofscape. As such, when seen in street level views, its relatively modest bulk and massing would be absorbed amongst them. 9. Consequently, the proposed dormer with balcony would not be a dominant or incongruous addition to the host terrace’s roofscape, and it would reinforce its distinctive character and appearance within the wider townscape. 10. For these reasons, the appeal proposal would respect the style, scale and form of the existing roof design, and the character of the wider townscape in accordance with the overarching aims of Paragraph 366 of the Southend-on- Sea Supplementary Planning Document 1, Design and Townscape Guide 2009. 11. I conclude on the main issue that the proposed roof dormer with balcony would not have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the host building and area.

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision As such, it would be consistent with Policies CP4 and KP2 of the Southend on Sea Borough Council Core Strategy 2007, and Policies DM1, DM3 and DM6 of the Southend on Sea Borough Council Development Management Document 2015, insofar as they require development to respect its local context and townscape, and to not adversely affect the character and appearance of the relevant Seafront character zone. 12. The proposal would, for the same reasons, be consistent with Framework Paragraph 135.c) which seeks to ensure that development is sympathetic to local character, including the surrounding built environment. 13. The Council has not identified which parts of the National Design Guide the appeal proposal would conflict with. Therefore, it has limited relevance to my considerations and does not alter my conclusion on the main issue. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/D1590/W/24/3338606 Conditions 14. For certainty, it is necessary for the development to be carried out in accordance with the approved drawings. To be in keeping with the appearance of the host property it is necessary for the external materials of the proposed development to match it. Conclusion 15. For the reasons given above, I conclude that the appeal proposal is consistent with the development plan as a whole, and there are no material considerations of sufficient weight to indicate that a decision should be made other than in accordance with that plan. The appeal should be allowed.

91 Grand Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1DR — Southend-on-Sea City Council — G Sylvester INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3