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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions >> Dunster Properties Ltd v First Secretary of State & Anor [2006] EWHC 2079 (Admin) (20 July 2006) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2006/2079.html Cite as: [2006] EWHC 2079 (Admin) |
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QUEEN'S BENCH DIVISION
ADMINISTRATIVE COURT
Strand London WC2 |
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B e f o r e :
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DUNSTER PROPERTIES LIMITED | Appellant | |
-v- | ||
FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE | First Respondent | |
and | ||
ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA | Second Respondent |
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Smith Bernal Wordwave Limited
190 Fleet Street London EC4A 2AG
Tel No: 020 7404 1400 Fax No: 020 7831 8838
Official Shorthand Writers to the Court)
MISS KATE OLLEY (instructed by Treasury Solicitor) appeared on behalf of the Respondent
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Crown Copyright ©
"The Council considers the gap above No.65 plays an important role in providing a context for the neighbouring terrace to the north, and, for this reason, it contends its enclosure should be resisted. However I have not been advised this terrace is listed, and I believe its visual balance and symmetry have already been affected to some degree by the partial painting of the external brickwork, and by the presence of a 2 storey block close to its northern end. Furthermore, as stated above, this side of Glebe Place is characterised by its variety of buildings, and I consider each of them is of a strong enough design to contribute to the street scene despite the close proximity of its neighbours. I therefore do not believe an extension of a sympathetic appearance, scale and siting on the upper floor of No.65 would erode the contribution made by the neighbouring terrace to the appearance of the conservation area."
"It would be an unduly dominant and discordant feature on the building's front elevation, and, as a consequence, especially given its position at the front of the property, it would be highly noticeable and jarring within the streetscene, detracting from the pleasing character of this part of Glebe Place. ... Accordingly I conclude the proposal would neither preserve nor enhance the character and appearance of the Cheyne Conservation Area, and, as such, would be contrary to the objectives of the development plan."
"To ensure that any development in a conservation area preserves and enhances the character or appearance of the area."
"The current scheme attempts to overcome the issue of dominance of the roof form by reducing the degree of visible tile hanging and the extent of the roof. This is done by increasing the height of the front elevation in a style to match that of no.65, whilst keeping the ridge height of the new roof relatively low and in proportion to the existing roof form at no.65. The 'unduly dominant' bulk and visual dominance of previous refused schemes has been addressed by maintaining a degree of visual separation and distinctiveness between the two original buildings."
"The adjoining terrace of six late Victorian studio houses to the North of Nos. 64-65 has been designed as a group, ... The section of No. 65 adjoining this terrace is predominantly single storey with a recessed first floor element. ... The ground floor element constitutes an important and pronounced townscape gap between the terrace and Nos. 64-65. This gap plays a significant role in providing a context for the neighbouring terrace to the north."
"To resist proposals for extensions if: ...
k) an important or historic gap or view would be blocked or diminished."
"4. The character and appearance of this part of the Conservation Area is derived from the contrast between the relative uniformity of the terrace on the south west side of Glebe Place and the architectural variety on the north east side. Along the north east side of the Glebe Place, the gap at the appeal site due to the single storey frontage creates visual interest and adds depth to the views when looking along the street between the two facing rows of houses."
I shall return to the question of this gap, as he does.
"The Council suggested that the new roof at No.65 would appear dominant and overbearing in its position on the frontage."
That of course was a criticism which the council was making of the new plan, but which had indeed formed the fundamental basis for the rejection of the earlier plan by Mr Sargent, as I have already described. Mr Mead continued:
"However, the new roof would copy the form of the roof of No.64. Although No.64 is a slightly taller property, I consider that any degree of imbalance would hardly be perceptible and, as a design, the roof would visually integrate with the building on which it would sit and also the roof of No.64, with which it would have a comfortable relationship."
"6. However, the proposal would bring the new first floor at No.65 to the front main parapet and, in so doing, would remove the majority of the recessive view created by the juxtaposition of the single storey property with the end of the 3 storey terrace next door. I consider that the loss of the view which currently extends back beyond the frontage would erode the perception of depth which is an attraction of the existing townscape of the north east side of Glebe Place. The view of the rooftop garden at No.65 and the tree to the rear, both of which add to the ambience of the street, would also be either lost or significantly reduced.
7. Therefore, I consider that the erosion of the recessive view afforded by the single storey element of No.65 would fail to preserve either the character or the appearance of this part of the Cheyne Conservation Area. [That is plainly a reference to paragraph CD61.] Accordingly, the proposal would be contrary to the adopted UDP, notably Policies CD61 and CD62 which deal with development in conservation areas."
"The appellants referred to the statement of the previous Inspector who wrote that 'I do not believe an extension of a sympathetic appearance, scale and siting on the upper floor of No.65 would erode the contribution made by the neighbouring terrace to the appearance of the conservation area'. The appellants also commented that the Council had re-instated the 'in principle' objection raised in the respect of the application which led to the first appeal. I have no comments on either of those two remarks other than to state that each case is judged on its own merits and my conclusions on the current scheme are given above."
"The single indivisible question, in my opinion, which the court must ask itself whenever a planning decision is challenged on the ground of a failure to give reasons is whether the interests of the applicant have been substantially prejudiced by the deficiency of the reasons given. ... a developer whose application for permission is refused may be substantially prejudiced where the planning considerations on which the decision is based are not explained sufficiently clearly to enable him reasonably to assess the prospects of succeeding in an application for some alternative form of development."
A similar comment was made about the need for an opponent of the development to have the same understanding.
"The reasons for a decision must be intelligible and they must be adequate. ... They should enable disappointed developers to assess their prospects of obtaining some alternative development permission, or, as the case may be, their unsuccessful opponents to understand how the policy or approach underlying the grant of permission may impact upon future such applications."