1.
Site Description
1.1
A stone-built mid-terrace house, probably dating from the early 19th century, fronting
the north side of Keighley Road (A6068) in the western part of the village. There is a
back street to the north and predominantly terrace housing beyond. The house has a
ground-floor rear extension with a roof of corrugated sheets, a back garden and a
detached single garage accessed from the back street. The two adjoining houses
each have a two-storey extension, probably dating from the late 19th century, with a
ridge-roof parallel to the original roof. The site and its surroundings are in the Cowling
Conservation Area.
2.
Proposal
2.1
It is proposed to remove the roof of the existing rear ground-floor extension, and to
construct a rear two-storey lean-to extension and a dormer window on the rear roofslope of the original building.
3.
Planning History
3.1
None.
4.
Planning Policy Background
4.1
The development plan for the area comprises the North Yorkshire County Structure
Plan (Alteration No.3, adopted October 1995) and the Craven District Local Plan
(adopted July 1999). Relevant policies of the development plan are structure plan
policy E4 and local plan policies BE11 – Development in Conservation Areas, H20 –
Extensions to Existing Dwellings, and Appendix F – Residential Extensions.
5.
Parish/Town Council Comments
5.1
Cowling Parish Council has no objections.
6.
Consultations
6.1
None.
7.
Representations
7.1
None.
8.
Summary of Principal Planning Issues
8.1
The effect of proposed development on the character and appearance of the area.
9.
Analysis
9.1
There is a general duty, under section 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and
Conservation Areas) Act 1990, to pay special attention to the desirability of
preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a conservation area. This is
reflected in the development plan and, specifically, structure plan policy E4, which
states that buildings and areas of special townscape, architectural or historic interest
will be afforded the strictest protection, and local plan policy BE11, which states that
development in or adjoining a conservation area will only be permitted if it makes a
positive contribution to, or does not cause harm to, the character or appearance of
that area. Local plan policy H20, supplemented by detailed design guidance in
Appendix F of the plan, states that planning permission will be granted for the
extension of an existing dwelling provided that, amongst other things, the scale,
design, proportion and materials of the extension respect the original property and do
not have an adverse effect on the street scene. Section 54A of the Town and Country
Planning Act 1990 states that decisions on planning applications shall be made in
accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate
otherwise.
9.2
An important aspect to the character and appearance of the Cowling Conservation
Area is the predominance of 19th century terrace housing. This form of development
dictates a certain uniformity in the design of individual buildings and in their layout,
which, in turn, has a strong influence over the development pattern of the settlement.
Notably, in this case, the application house and surrounding houses have a
predominance of rectangular windows with a vertical emphasis and full surrounds,
and ridge-roofs covered with slate or stone slate, adorned only by prominent chimney
stacks, providing an attractive roofscape. The importance of this roofscape to the
Cowling Conservation Area is evident in street-scenes within the settlement, but also
in long-distance views over the settlement from hillsides to the north and south.
9.3
The proposed dormer window would be visible from the back street and from
properties to the north, and would therefore affect the appearance of the
conservation area. There are no dormer windows on houses in the vicinity of the site
and such features are not characteristic of the locality. The introduction of the
proposed dormer window would therefore create an alien and discordant feature,
which would detract from the street-scene and local roofscape, and would therefore
fail to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area,
contrary to development plan policies E4, BE11 and H20.
9.4
Windows in the proposed extension comprise two roof-lights, two first-floor
rectangular windows, with a horizontal emphasis and only heads and sills, and a pair
of patio doors. These windows would be visible and would affect the appearance of
the conservation area. There are no roof-lights on houses in the vicinity of the site
and such features are not characteristic of the locality. Similarly, patio doors and
windows with a horizontal emphasis and without full surrounds do not reflect the
surroundings. The proposed extension would therefore introduce further alien and
discordant features, which would also detract from the street-scene and fail to
preserve or enhance the conservation area, contrary to development plan policies.
10.
Recommendation
10.1
Refusal.
11.
Reasons for Refusal
11.1
The proposed dormer window would be visible from the back street and from
properties to the north, and would therefore affect the appearance of the Cowling
Conservation Area. There are no dormer windows on houses in the vicinity of the site
and such features are not characteristic of the locality. The introduction of the
proposed dormer window would therefore create an alien and discordant feature,
which would detract from the street-scene and local roofscape, and would therefore
fail to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area,
contrary to policy E4 of the North Yorkshire County Structure Plan and policies BE11
and H20 of the Craven District Local Plan.
11.2
Windows in the proposed extension comprise two roof-lights, two first-floor
rectangular windows, with a horizontal emphasis and heads and sills, and a pair of
patio doors. These windows would be visible and would affect the appearance of the
conservation area. There are no roof-lights on houses in the vicinity of the site and
such features are not characteristic of the locality. Similarly, patio doors and windows
with a horizontal emphasis and without full surrounds do not reflect the surroundings.
The proposed extension would therefore introduce further alien and discordant
features, which would also detract from the street-scene and fail to preserve or
enhance the conservation area, contrary to the same development plan policies
referred to above.