Planning Permission: Replacement houses, heritage assets and permitted development

Last month, we took on a number of unique and challenging planning projects. Here, we go into the details of how we succeeded in each case.

1. Thatched heritage asset makes way for two replacement houses

A thatched cottage in Pewsey, Wiltshire had come to the end of its usable life, and needed replacing, but it had been noted as an undesignated heritage asset in an adopted Conservation Area Appraisal document, and occupies a reasonably noticeable part of the conservation area. Having co-ordinated relevant surveys, we were able to show that the house was structurally incapable of modification and contained asbestos in a number of locations, and gained planning permission for two new sensitively designed houses, each with a garage.

2. Large replacement house in Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

At the end of 2016, we secured planning permission for a replacement house just over twice the size of the original at a site near the Pot Kiln pub in Berkshire, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). More recently, we were able to add a two bay cartshed and store to this in replacement of an existing garage/workshop building. By keeping the cartshed to the footprint of the original building and carefully moderating its height, we successfully argued that the new building would not be harmful to landscape quality in the AONB.

3. Listed Barn converted to studio space near Newbury

By carefully phasing a number of applications over time, we have been able to secure planning permission for a range of works to a farm house and its surrounding buildings near Newbury. Starting with works to the main house including a veranda and porch, we have also obtained planning permission for a swimming pool, an extension of the residential curtilage to site a new cartshed, and two ornamental ponds, as well as planning permission and listed building consent for the conversion of a barn into studio space. Phasing the applications meant that each element of the project would be considered on its own merits, and not be allowed to jeopardise any other element.

4. Converted Farm using Permitted Development

Under the permitted development rules, which allow the conversion of disused agricultural buildings to be converted into homes, conditions are attached which allow councils to require prior approval of certain aspects of the development; these are criteria such as flood risk, noise impact, contamination and design. By putting together a comprehensive scheme at the outset, we recently gained council agreement that their prior approval would not be required for the conversion of two agricultural buildings into houses at a site near Amesbury, Wiltshire.

5. Creative planning strategy success

We have recently secured substantial extensions to a home, with the addition of a new cartshed with accommodation above at Overton in northern Hampshire. Unusually, we took the step to establish the acceptability of a replacement house first, creating a realistic fallback position for the size of building sought. Our creative strategy paid off and our clients can now go ahead with the enlargement to their home that they wanted.

6. Thatched house extension near Marlborough

We have obtained planning permission for a large extension to the rear of a thatched house, in a conservation area and close to a listed building in Marlborough, Wiltshire. By carefully crafting the design, we were able to demonstrate that the extension would not harm the conservation area or the setting of the listed building, and remain sensitive to the existing house.

7. Enforcement issue solved

We are able to help our clients with enforcement issues where they arise. In 2011, our clients were granted planning permission and listed building consent for a number of changes to their grade II listed property in Oxenwood, east Wiltshire, including a new shed. Due to some confusion over the approved plans, our clients built the shed to the incorrect dimensions, and they were contacted by enforcement officers from the local planning authority. We were able to solve this problem by obtaining planning permission for the shed with the existing dimensions.

8. Listed Building consent in Newbury

We recently secured planning permission and listed building consent for a range of changes to a semi-detached grade II listed house on the outskirts of Newbury. The design was respectful of the heritage asset and was mainly confined to later additions to the building. The Council’s Officer agreed that the proposed works were not harmful to the historic significance of the listed building.

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