22/07960/FUL REFUSED: Installation of Front, Side and Rear Gable Dormers

Studley Green, Stokenchurch | Buckinghamshire Council Wycombe Area

This application to Buckinghamshire Council is the refusal of permission for installation of front, side and rear gable dormers, and roof lights to side in connection with loft conversion.

These proposals, when on the side and rear of a normal house could be considered to be permitted development, and an application for a Lawful development certificate in most cases would likely be approved.

Read the full planning application here.

The problem for the applicant here is that the site is within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and so permitted development rights are restricted, and the planners are within their rights to refuse and application which affects the character of the area. Briaily Architects have made a reasonable job of keeping the proposed additions in-keeping with the existing stile of the bungalow,  and looking at the roofs of many of the surrounding properties and some of the nearby street scenes there have been a lot of dormers added previously, so there is a good deal of precedence. (To be honest the telegraph poles and electrical cables cause more visual damage to the area!)

This is the second application of this nature for the same property, we suspect that the scheme has been toned-down on the basis that if it is refused again it would stand a good chance at planning appeal. Visually, we cannot see a problem with the proposal, it will not affect the natural beauty of the area any more than the surrounding properties, but what it might do is compromise the privacy and thus the amenity of the neighbouring properties, which might result in the scheme being refused at appeal.

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