Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH

Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 14 January 2025 by A Caines BSc (Hons) MSc MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 23 January 2025 Appeal Ref: APP/W4705/W/24/3348655 Land at Mill Hill, Acre Lane, Haworth, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD22 8QH • 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 Ken Steel against the decision of City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. • The application Ref is 24/01936/FUL. • The development proposed is a single-storey garage. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a single-storey garage at Land at Mill Hill, Acre Lane, Haworth, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD22 8QH in accordance with the terms of the application Ref 24/01936/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 drawing no 201 Rev B.

Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision 3) No development above ground level shall take place until a sample panel of the stonework to be used in the construction of the external walls has been prepared on site for inspection and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The approved sample panel shall be retained on site until the work is completed and the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved sample panel. 4) No development above ground level shall take place until details of hard and soft landscape works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. These details shall include specification of all new or retained boundary treatments, hard surfacing materials, soft landscaping, and a timetable for implementation. Thereafter, the development shall be carried out and retained in accordance with the approved details. Preliminary Matters 2. The site address has been taken from the appeal form rather than the application form as this more accurately represents the site location. Main Issue 3. The main issue is the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/W4705/W/24/3348655 Reasons 4. The proposal is to construct a detached double garage on part of a grassed area towards the end of Acre Lane. The land is encircled by an unmade access track, with traditional stone and slate dwellings to the north and south. The evidence before me indicates that the land may already benefit from planning permission for use as garden and parking purposes. It is not a dedicated local green space or green infrastructure. 5. Measuring approximately 6.65m in length, 6.6m deep, and 4.6m high, the proposed garage could not reasonably be described as excessive in scale. The surrounding dwellings are mostly two-storeys in height, including the pair of semi-detached dwellings to the south. It is these dwellings that the garage would be most closely read in context with, appearing as a subordinate continuation of the row of development rather than an isolated and dominant feature. 6. The Council’s officer report states that the garage would take up a significant area of the site. However, the drawings show that it would be positioned towards the back of the site leaving approximately 9.8m at the front for access. There would also be space at the sides for some soft landscaping.

Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision The width of the track on both sides provides further separation to the surrounding development. As such, the garage would not appear cramped within the plot. Details of hard and soft landscaping and the means of enclosure can be suitably controlled by a planning condition to ensure an appropriate appearance of the site. 7. Furthermore, the use of stone and slate with traditional design features would respect the prevailing character and reinforce local distinctiveness. To ensure a high standard, I will impose a further planning condition requiring approval of a sample panel of the stonework. 8. For these reasons, I conclude that the development would not harm the character and appearance of the area. Thus, the proposal complies with Policies DS1 and DS3 of the Bradford Core Strategy Development Plan Document (2017). Together, these seek development that is visually attractive, appropriate to the local context in terms of layout, scale and materials, and which contributes to the quality and distinctiveness of the area. For the same reasons, I do not find conflict with the design and open space protection aims of the Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Neighbourhood Plan. Other Matters 9.

Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision The boundary of the Haworth Conservation Area (the CA) lies immediately to the west of the site and I have considered the effect of the proposal on this designated heritage asset. However, for the reasons set out above, and subject to conditions relating to materials and landscaping, I am satisfied that the setting of the CA would be preserved. 10. Having regard to the scale, siting, and design of the garage, I am satisfied that the development would not adversely affect the living conditions of neighbouring residents in terms of outlook or loss of light. This was also the view of the Council. 11. The decision would not set a harmful precedent for the area, as each proposal must be assessed on its own merits and the particular circumstances of the site. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/W4705/W/24/3348655 Conditions 12. In addition to the standard time limit and approved plans conditions, I have imposed conditions relating to materials and landscaping for the reasons previously stated. A condition preventing residential occupation of the garage is not necessary as this would require planning permission in any event. Conclusion 13. The development complies with the relevant policies of the development plan for the area. Therefore, the appeal should be allowed.

Acre Lane, Haworth, BD22 8QH — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — A Caines INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3