Reference number: R12/2261
Site address: Rose Cottage, 62 Main Street, Wolston, Coventry. CV8 3HJ
Description: Erection of 1.8metre high entrance gates and fencing - Resubmission of application R12/1402
Case Officer Name & Number: Sachin Parmar tel: 01788 533549
The Proposal:
Permission is sought for two elements which includes the erection of entrance gates and additional fences. The proposed gates will have a height of 1.8 metres and allow vehicular entry into the existing driveway. The gates will measure 2.6 metres wide in total with two wings opening inwards each measuring 1.3 metres wide. The second element is the addition of 1.8metre high fences to continue an existing fenceline up to the proposed gate’s post. The additional fences will run along the north application site boundary for 3.3 metres.
Site History:
No relevant planning history
Third Party Consultations:
Neighbours – No responses
Parish Council: Wolston – No objection
Technical Consultees:
WCC Highways – Objection; proposal would be detrimental to highway safety
WCC Ecology Team – No objection subject to informatives
Relevant Planning Policies:
Core Strategy – Conflicts with Policy CS16: Sustainable Design
Local Plan – Complies with Policy E6: Biodiversity
Sustainable Design and Construction SPD: Residential Extension Design Guide; Section on Walls & Fences – Conflicts
NPPF:
Section 4: Promoting Sustainable Transport – Conflicts
Section 7: Requiring Good Design – Conflicts
Section 12: Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment – Conflicts
Relevant Site Information:
The site is located within the village boundary of Wolston in the Conservation Area. The dwelling is a west facing two storey end terraced property on a corner plot. The property has a traditional cottage form with a high pitched gable roof which slopes down to a lower eave height on the rear elevation in comparison to the principal elevation. The property evokes a rural character with details including top opening sash windows painted in a grey colour.
The main entrance into the property is located within the principal elevation on the west curtilage boundary of the application site. The principal elevation of the property faces the busy highway (Main Street) and is set back only by the adequate pedestrian pavement (3metres wide). There is a gravel driveway located to the northwest edge of the application site which provides adequate space for one off-road parked vehicle with direct access onto the road via a dropped kerb. This driveway is adjacent to the north side elevation of the main property where there is also a secondary house entrance. Further to the north this driveway faces a single lane access road (Old Station House).
No.60 Main Street (south boundary) is the handed property to the application site and is similar in form and appearance. To the north beyond the access road (Old Station House) there is the property Old Station House. To the northwest is the location of open Green Belt although from the application site to the west the Green Belt is screened from view by a 2 metre high wall.
The surrounding Conservation Area has a historic character although there is a mix of new modern houses with many traditional properties. Further to the southwest of the site The Beeches (47 Main Street) is a grade II Listed Building.
Determining Considerations:
The main issues concerning this application relate to the visual & residential amenity, the impact within the Conservation Area and the implications on highway safety.
Without a fence and gate to the northwest corner of the site, the property’s north side elevation is open and in view from Main street. By extending the existing 1.8 metre high fenceline and installing 1.8metre high gates the side entrance into the property will be screened from the street view. However, it is considered that visually the style of the entrance gates in a close boarded design will harm how the dwelling sits within the street scene. The proposed timber gates whilst being of good construction, in design terms, do not have a rural character which could potentially soften the impact within the street such as a post and rail style. The proposed grey colour of the gates wouldnot help toalleviate how the design clearly deviates from the general rural character of the property and local area. The gates therefore are not in keeping with the existing dwelling and would constitute a solid, prominent and incongruous feature within the Conservation Area.
In relation to neighbouring amenity the additional fenceline and gates will have minimal adverse impact. There is already an existing fenceline along Old Station House (access road). The proposed fences will result in no loss in sunlight/daylight as the access road acts as an adequate buffer to the neighbouring property Old Station House. There will be no impact to the west on the opposing side of Main Street (into the Green Belt) where the boundary is marked by a 2 metre high wall with grass verge.
Within the local vicinity there are numerous examples of fences and gates which face the highway and help to enclose property frontages and side elevations. However these have been designed more appropriately (not close boarded) and to reasonable heights (1-1.5 metres) which do not screen properties from view. These include Rosedale House which has approx 1.5 metre high prominent metal entrance gates and No.86 Main Street which has approx 1 metre high metal gates around the majority of the site boundary.
Warwickshire County Council’s Highways Team has commented on the application and object on the grounds that the proposal would be detrimental to highway safety. The team has highlighted that the proposal is unlikely to have an effect upon pedestrians walking along Main Street as the pedestrian desire line would be sufficiently far away from the access due to the kerb layout on the footway to the north. However, there is a concern of visibility for pedestrians walking down Old Station House and wishing to turn left (south) along Main Street. The likely desire line for such pedestrians means that they will not be visible to an emerging driver (and vice versa). Presently the site offers visibility to all parties however with the addition of the proposals pedestrians who are among the more vulnerable of road users would be at an increased level of risk.
The highways team have pointed out two possible solutions in highways terms for the proposal. These include that firstly the gate and fence is set back 1metre from the highway footway therefore providing a necessary safe zone for pedestrians. The second solution would be for the fence/gate height to be reduced to no more than 600mm in height. This could be built under the permitted development order.
The application site is within the 2km buffer zone of a SSSI site however due to the nature of the proposal as a householder application it was not considered necessary to formally consult with Natural England.
Warwickshire County Council’s Ecology team have commented on the application and have no objection subject to informatives regarding the protected status of nesting birds.
It is acknowledged that this proposal would fully screen any off-road parked vehicle and potentially increase security for the applicant. However entrance gates do not directly mean that there will be no future security/crimeincidents. The applicant’s security circumstances should not be allowed to outweigh the safety of pedestrians. Furthermore the proposals design is harmful to the character and visual amenities of the Conservation Area. Therefore the proposal conflicts with Policy CS16 of the Rugby Borough Council Core Strategy 2011, the Residential Extension Design Guide (from the Sustainable Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Document) 2012 and the NPPF 2012.
Recommendation:
Recommended Refusal
Report prepared by: Sachin Parmar 25/01/13
Report Sheet