DELEGATED
DC/2014/01068
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: TWO STORY SIDE EXTENSION AND GARAGE
SITE LOCATION: 3 Burton Villas Caerwent
Case Officer: Kate Young
Registered: 14/10/14
1.0
APPLICATION DETAILS
1.1
3 Burton Villas is a small stone built semidetached property with a conservatory to the rear.
There is a natural stone wall to the front and an existing driveway. The application seeks a
two story side extension and a detached garage. The property is located within the
Caerwent Conservation Area, an ASA and it is adjacent to the Caerwent SAM .
2.0
RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY
DC/2009/00428 Proposed alterations to 2 Burton Villas - Approved
3.0
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES
Strategic Policies
S13
S17
Development Management Policies
EP1 Amenity and Environmental Protection
DES1 General Design Considerations
EP2 protection of Water sources and Water Environment
HE1 development in Conservation Areas
HE2 alterations to Unlisted Buildings in Conservation Areas
HE4 Roman Town of Caerwent
4.0
REPRESENTATIONS
Consultation Responses
Local Member – No response received to date
Community Council – No reply to date
Conservation.- The extension is designed to complement and work with the existing
building and does not present any loss of visual character to the conservation area. The wall
to the front is to be slightly extended using stone from a pre-existing wall that is being
shortened to improve visual access. Therefore there are no objections.
Highways –No objection subject to conditions
Biodiversity. Survey Details are sufficient
Tree Officer – No objection there are no significant trees in this location.
GGAT- Consulting the Historic Environment Record curated by this Trust shows
that the application area lies at the north east corner of the city walls less than
20m from the scheduled area of the Roman City of Caerwent, most of which is a
Scheduled Ancient Monument, Cadw Ref: MM001, and which has a complex
development throughout the Roman period and remarkable preservation of
remains of Roman date, with the buried remains less than 0.15m below current
ground level in some areas. Immediately to the west of the application area the
city wall has been lost because of the construction of a modern house, but
extrapolating the known wall lines shows that the proposed works are likely to be
across an area of the ditch that runs around the outside of the City walls. To the
south of the application area there are known burials and cremation inhumations.
As these are located sporadically it is difficult to predict where they might occur
and the extent of the cemetery area. It is therefore highly likely that
archaeological finds and features may be encountered during the ground works
for this development. It is therefore our recommendation that a condition requiring the
applicant to submit a detailed programme of investigation for the archaeological resource
should be attached to any consent granted by your Members.
CADW – The proposed development is located in the vicinity of the Caerwent Roman
City Scheduled Ancient monument. The proposed development is outside the walls of
the Roman City but in an area where it is thought that a roman suburb is located.
There will be no direct impact on any designated monument but it is necessary to
consider the impact of the development on the setting of the Roman City and in
particular the extant walls of the city. The line of the city wall is located 20 metres to
the west of the proposed extension however at this point the wall has been destroyed.
There is no intervisibility between the proposed development and the designated
monument. In this case the proposed development will the current wall and hedge
fronting the property making the existing lane more open, however the extension and
garage are of similar scale to those at the neighbouring property (4 Burton Villas).
The proposed development will not have a significant impact on the setting of the
designated monument.
Neighbour Consultation Responses
None
5.0
EVALUATION
5.1
Impact on the Conservation Area
The conservation officer has no objection to the proposal. The extension is designed to
complement and work with the existing building and does not present any loss of visual
character to the conservation area. The wall to the front is to be slightly extended using
stone from a pre-existing wall that is being shortened to improve visual access. The
proposed extension does enhance the character of the Caerwent Conservation area and
therefore accords with the objectives of Policy HE1 and HE2 of the LDP
5.2
Impact on the Roman City
Cadw is of the opinion that the proposed extension and garage will not have a
significant impact on the setting of the Roman City of Caerwent designated given that
the extension and garage are of a similar scale to those of the neighbouring property
(4Burton Villas) This is a residential property close to other residential properties
which have been extended over the years. Part of the stone wall at the front of the
property will be reduced in height but a new area of stone work will be constructed at
the front of the site using reclaimed stone. This stone wall is not part of the ancient
monument.
5.3
Residential Amenity
The proposed extension is set away from the adjoining property no. 4, which does
have a conservatory on the rear elevation. The proposal will no impinge upon the
residential amenity of the occupiers of no. 4. The proposed extension has been set
back slightly at the rear so as not to upset the visual balance between the two
properties. No 2 Burton villas has had a similar extension to the side . It is some
distance away from the common boundary and set further back. Gladper on the
opposite side of the road is set at a higher level and will not be impacted by the
proposal extension. The residential amenity of the residents of the adjoining
properties is not compromised by the extension or the detached garage.
5.4
Archaeology
Given the sensitive nature of this site so close the Roman City of Caerwent, a condition
requiring the applicant to submit a detailed programme of investigation for the
archaeological resource should be attached to any consent.
5.5
Highways
The visibility splay achievable at the proposed point of access is well below the
current standard however it is the best achievable from the land within the applicants
control. The proposed altered access is on a no through road, very close to the end
which terminates in a large turning head. The road only serves three additional
properties beyond no.3. Any traffic in this location has to be traveling very slowly as
the road is about to terminate. A slightly substandard access in this location is
considered acceptable. The vehicle access proposed is a significant improvement over
the existing arrangement.
5.6
Biodiversity
The biodiversity officer is satisfied that the survey was carried out at an appropriate
time of year and by a suitably qualified bat ecologist. Following a preliminary roost
inspection and activity surveys carried out in August 2014 the report concludes that the
dwelling does not currently support roosting bats and therefore states that a European
Protected Species derogation licence is not required in this instance. He is satisfied with
these findings, however, as the development involves an alteration of the existing roof
structure please include the standard bat informative on any consent as a precaution: As the
dwelling is located adjacent to suitable bat feeding habitat hedgerows, and bats have been
recorded within the garden area, the dwelling extension provides an ideal opportunity to
provide additional roosting habitat for bats.
6.0
RECOMMENDATION: Approve
Conditions:
Standard 5 year
Highways
Archaeology
Biodiversity