Design and Access Statement
Revised and Issued 11.04.2013
43 Frome Road
Odddown
Bath
BA2 2QF
Design
Amount of Development: The existing site locates 41 Frome Road (First Floor Flat) and 43
Frome Road (Ground Floor Flat). Both properties are existing residential flats in a suburban
context. 43 Frome Road has an existing single storey extension to the rear of the property
and the proposal looks to demolish the existing extension and replace it with a slightly larger
single storey extension in the same location at the rear of the property. There are no works
proposed to 41 Frome Road and the proposal will not change the use of either of the existing
flats. The existing foot print of the ground floor of the building (including the entrance and the
stairwell to 41 Frome Road) is 100 square metres. The proposed foot print of the ground floor
of the building (including the entrance and the stairwell to 41 Frome Road) has been reduced
following pre-application advice from 138 to 129 square metres. The total site (as highlighted
on the attached site plan) totals 540 square metres.
Layout: The proposal will have little impact on the existing context and surroundings with
reference to the building’s layout, routes and open spaces. This is because the proposal is to
remove an existing extension and to replace it with a slightly larger extension in the same
location. To the East the property abuts a bungalow residential detached house. To the West
the property abuts a residential property vicarage with the church hall located also to the West
but further North. To the North of the property there is a low rise residential property. The
extension is located at the rear of the property (facing north) and is not overlooked to the east,
north and west due to the boundary garden fences and walls that surround the site measuring
approximately 2m high. The extension is also not visible from the main road (Frome Road) to
the south due to its location behind the main building and the trellis fence and therefore will
not have an impact at the front of the house. There is an existing concrete slab within the
garden that is marked on the location site plan. The proposal will be to remove this concrete
slab and to grass over the area.
The existing extension of 43 Frome Road is currently successful in its layout with respect to
creating a safe and vibrant place. Due to the proposed extension being in the same location
as the existing location, the successful layout will maintain the safe and vibrant place that
already exists as well as creating a slightly larger living environment for 43 Frome Road.
Scale: The proposal is to replace the existing single storey extension with a slightly larger
single storey extension. The proposed extension is located to the rear of the property, where
the boundaries of the site have approximately 2m high fences and walls, this means that the
garden where the extension is located is very secluded and not overlooked by the
surrounding properties. With the proposed extension being single storey, it will have little
impact on the surrounding buildings. The proposed width of the extension is designed so that
it is approximately the same size as the host building, as guidance received from the preapplication enquiry.
The length of the existing extension is 4700mm (this has been incorrectly referred to by the
planning case officer within the pre-application advice). After careful consideration, the depth
of the proposed extension is to be built in line with the depth of the existing rear extension of
the adjacent residential property to the east, please see attachment ‘Photo Sheet One’ for
reference. This means that the length of the proposed extension will be approximately
5770mm. This has been significantly reduced from the initial proposals that were submitted
for pre-planning advice that measured 7000mm. We would consider this to be respectful and
considerate with respect to the context of the site as it identifies the adjacent lines of
development of similar property and does not propose to increase the line of development
beyond this point. We do not believe that the size of the development will negatively impact
the surroundings, the garden of the proposed site is of considerable size (and is larger than
the garden of the residential property to the east) and will therefore not be overpowered the
proposed extension.
As previously discussed, the proposed extension is to be single storey and will not exceed
3000mm in height.
Landscaping: There are no public spaces within the proposals. The spaces with respect to
the proposed extension are all private spaces and the proposals are to have small paved
areas by the external doors and to maintain all other external areas within the garden with
grass as existing.
Appearance:
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The site is located in a suburban area that is predominantly residential. The housing
stock is varied and consists of rendered modern housing as well as bath stone semi
detached properties. Most residential property within the area has generous size
gardens. The property in question faces south onto a main road (Frome Road) and
like the other residential properties on the same side of the road within the street
there are large driveways for parking at the front of the properties and at the rear
there are gardens located that are only accessible from the south. Although the
gardens are north facing and due to their arrangements they have a great deal of
privacy.
The design of the proposed extension has been undertaken by a qualified and
conservation accredited architect, who has carefully considered the impact on the
adjacent properties and area as a whole. The proposal has been designed with a
sensitive understanding of the host building as well as the adjacent properties. Initial
proposals were sent to the council for pre-application advice and following
consideration of the advice, the plans were amended following the guidance that was
given. The residents of 43 Frome Road plan to visit adjacent properties to discuss the
proposals with their neighbours.
Before any of the proposals were designed or drawn up, extensive site surveys were
undertaken to ensure that the ground floor plan and elevations were drawn
accurately. This information has been used as a basis with which to design the
proposed extension. The adjacent trees and buildings were also photographed and
analysed so that the complete wider context of the site could be understood. This
information identified the constraints and the opportunities of the sites that was an
integral process to informing the design and principles of the proposed extension.
The design of the proposed extension has been considered with respect to the
information obtained regarding the existing site and surrounding context. With an
understanding of the private and secluded nature to the rear of the property, the
design of the extension was developed with respect to this. Although all of the
elevations are not greatly overlooked, the most visible elevation of the extension is
the one to the east and it is therefore proposed that this elevation is to be constructed
with bath stone in keeping with the ‘Bath building vernacular’. The proposed
bathroom window to the east elevation will have translucent glass. Due to the more
secluded elevations to the north and the west, the opportunity has presented itself to
propose rendered finish. These elevations are not overlooked by adjacent properties.
The north elevation is proposed to have glazed sliding doors and a glazed window.
These proposals are to open the extension up to the garden and to encourage a
positive interactive relationship with the extension and the garden.
The form of the roof of the proposed extension is to be a flat roof, this has been
chosen as a language to create a simple, clean line aesthetic. The design of the
extension does not have proposals of an external lighting scheme.
Access
The access component relates to access to the development and does not extend to internal
aspects of individual buildings. With respect to the external areas of the buildings, the access
will be as existing, which provides level and convenient access to the property for all users.
There are accessible local bus networks from the property. Access for emergency services is
proposed as existing.
The site is not a listed building and is not within a conservation area, therefore the application
will not be required to be accompanied by a Heritage Statement.
EXISTING AND PROPOSED PLANS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
The application contains drawings with existing plans and elevations and proposed plans and
elevations. There is also a site plan enclosed and 4no. photo sheets that have views of each
of the elevations and the context surrounding the property. The drawings have been drawn to
scale and are annotated as requested, the complete planning application drawings/ photo
sheets are listed below;
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1.1250 Site Plan
Existing Ground Floor Plan (1.100 @ A2)
Existing North and South Elevations (1.100 @ A2)
Existing West and East Elevations (1.100 @ A2)
Photo Sheet One
Photo Sheet Two
Photo Sheet Three
Photo Sheet Four
Proposed Ground Floor Plan (1.100 @ A2)
Proposed North and South Elevations (1.100 @ A2)
Proposed West and East Elevations (1.100 @ A2)
Proposed Roof Plan (1.100 @ A2)