1.
Site Description
1.1
No. 10. Townley Mews is located within the complex of new dwellings on the former
Carleton Mill site in Carleton Conservation Area. It is within a terrace of dwellings
adjoining a three storey unit.
2.
Proposal
2.1
The proposal is to construct a conservatory in the rear garden of the dwelling.
3.
Planning History
3.1
This appears to be the first conservatory on this estate and so it is important to obtain
an appropriate design.
4.
Planning Policy Background
4.1
Craven Local Plan policy BE11 – “Development in Conservation Areas”; Paragraph
7 of appendix F of the Craven Local Plan gives guidance on the design of
Conservatories.
5.
Parish/Town Council Comments
5.1
Carleton Parish Council has no objections to the proposal but query the use of white
upvc material when the planning agreement for the whole site has specified wood for
all windows and doors.
6.
Consultations
6.1
None.
7.
Representations
7.1
None received.
8.
Summary of Principal Planning Issues
8.1
The main issues are considered to be whether or not the conservatory would accord
with the advice in paragraph 7 of appendix F of the Local Plan and whether or not it
would harm the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
9.
Analysis
9.1
Conservation Area Issues.
9.2
The Conservatory as submitted takes the form of a quasi victorian type with a hipped
roof and finial, and decorated ridge piece. The traditional building form in the area is
one of gabled roofs with plain ridges and, although this building is a relatively minor
feature in the conservation area it is likely that, being the first of its kind on the
development, that other applications will follow. It is considered important to achieve
an appropriate design and in the case of this particular area the simpler the building,
the more the character of the conservation area is likely to be maintained. The
Applicant has amended the plans to show a small gable to the conservatory and to
removed the finial and decorated ridge.
9.3
The Parish Council have queried the use of upvc in the framework of the
conservatory and compared its use with the requirement of the planning consent for
timber in the doors and windows on the houses. The use of upvc may have been
acceptable for some of the window designs in the Mill development depending on the
window design. The test is whether or not there would be any discernable difference
between the two. The windows in the Mill building itself would not have been
acceptable in upvc because their intricate structure could not be replicated
successfully in plastic, and because the mill is listed. The windows in the houses
could have been fabricted in plastic and their appearance is unlikely to have been
any different to timber. Similarly the framework of the conservatory would appear
basically the same in timber or upvc, consequently the use of upvc in the framework
is considered to be acceptable.
9.4
Paragraph 7 of appendix F of the local plan states that the design of a conservatory
should reflect the character of the existing building particularly in the materials used
in its construction. Careful consideration should be given to the siting and
conservatories should not usually project further than 3 metres from the rear or side
elevations of a house. Care should be taken in locating a conservatory in close
proximity to the boundary of an adjoining property. Obscure glazing or a solid wall
should be used on the elevation nearest to the property.
9.5
The proposed conservatory would be located in the rear garden of no 10 Townley
Mews and according to the plans it would be located 1.8 metres from the boundary
with the existing attached dwelling to the south. The conservatory would project
3.03m from the rear of the building and its width would be 2.46m. The conservatory
would not have any undue adverse effect on the existing dwelling to the south if the
elevation of the conservatory facing the rear garden of that property was glazed in
level 5 obscured glass with no low level opening windows, although the rear gardens
of no 10, and the dwellings on either side have no privacy due to the fact that they
have a public road frontage with no screening.
9.6
It is considered that if the conservatory is constructed in accordance with the
amended plans then it will be acceptable.
10.
Recommendation
10.1
Approval
11.
Summary of Conditions
11.1
The roof of the conservatory shall be formed in accordance with the amended plans
received by the District Planning Authority on the 5th December 2002 from the
Applicant.
11.2
Reason: For the avoidance of doubt.
11.3
The South elevation of the conservatory (facing the 3 storey former mill building)
shall be glazed in level 5 obscured glass and permanently retained as such. None of
the windows on that elevation shall be of an opening type other than those indicated
as openers on the submitted plans.
11.4
Reason: To safeguard the privacy of the residents of the adjoining property to the
south of the application site.
11.5
The base of the conservatory shall be faced externally in natural stone to match that
of the existing dwelling. No development shall be carried out in advance of the
approval in writing of the District Planning Authority of a sample of the stone to be
used in the external face of the conservatory base.
11.6
Reason: To ensure that the building will be of good appearance.