Agenda item

Demolition of existing single-storey permanent structures (used as garages and storage) and the erection of 2No. self-built semi-detached 3-bedroom family dwellings with associated access, external amenity spaces, refuse storage and car and cycle parking.

The Committee considered an application for Demolition of existing single-storey permanent structures (used as garages and storage) and the erection of 2 No. self-built semi-detached 3-bedroom family dwellings with associated access, external amenity spaces, refuse storage and car and cycle parking.

This application was deferred from the Planning Committee meeting of 6 July.

Mr Alex Maunders, speaking on behalf of the resident in the neighbouring property, in objection to the application, asked that the Committee refuse the application. The following points were made:

·        The letter from daylight/sunlight consultants, Rapleys LLP, referred to in the addendum was a desktop-based study. He disagreed that this three storey development would not have any notable impact. This would be overbearing on the back garden and was an inconsistent building line on Croydon Road.

·        He focused on overdevelopment; the proposed site for two houses was built up to the boundary of the neighbouring property at 84 Croydon Road on a site in his view was fit for one house.

·        On parking, Annex 4 of Parking Standards policy, states that this is a guide and may be varied at the discretion of the council to take into account specific local circumstances. Developments in high accessibility areas are encouraged to have some unallocated parking. This site was a few metres away from a medium accessibility area. If it was in that area, it would require 2 parking spaces per development and 4 parking spaces in total.

·        The extended drop curb would remove more parking from the road itself. Parking on the road was already strained as it was unrestricted parking. Commuters used parking for Reigate train station and residents have had driveways blocked numerous times.

·        A development with two parking spaces relied on each house having only one car which was unrealistic.

·        No amendments to the proposed scheme had been made by the architects.

·        Planning permission had been granted for one 2-storey detached dwelling in 2003 which had been proportionate, sympathetic and consummate to fit the size of the plot.

Stephen Bickford-Sawkings, applicant, from Sawkings Architects, spoke in support of the application.

• He referred to the previous Planning Committee on 6 July 2022. He corrected previous comments made at Committee by Members and said there were five mixed age schools within 700 metres from the proposed houses and 700 metres from Reigate station.
• The houses are located within the high accessibility area whether being on the border or not.
• The two houses were designed as the modern equivalent of the adjacent Victorian semi-detached houses which are between 3 and 4 storey dwellings with the design having lower heights to both ridge and eaves. The eaves were not dissimilar to those of 84 Croydon Road. The design was covered in depth in the report to Committee.
• The objector was incorrect as previous planning applications on this site related to the house now accessed via Doods Road at the very rear of the original overall site.
• This was not a speculative development. It was a self-build opportunity for two brothers who have lived in the borough for all their lives and were excited to create their own houses on land owned by their immediate family
• The application was in full compliance with the Council’s Planning Policies and the questions of overbearing, daylight, sunlight and car parking had been fully  addressed within the report to committee which recommended the application for approval.
• The Committee should not ignore the comprehensive report and not commit the Council to further cost and time of defending an appeal.

A motion setting out two Reasons for Refusal were put forward to the Committee, proposed by Councillor Blacker and seconded by Councillor Cooper, which was:

1.     The proposed dwellings, by virtue of their height, scale and proximity to the shared north side boundary, and the depth of the ground and first floor rear projections, would result in an unacceptable overbearing presence and impact on 84 Croydon Road, and would cause harmful overshadowing to the rear garden. The proposal would therefore be contrary to Policies CS1 and CS10 of the Reigate and Banstead Local Plan Core Strategy and Policy DES1 of the Development Management Plan 2019 and the Householder Extensions and Alterations Supplementary Planning Guidance.

2.     The location of the proposed development is considered to fall within an area of medium accessibility as defined within the Reigate and Banstead Development Management Plan 2019, for which two parking spaces would be required per dwelling. The proposed shortfall in parking provision would result in an increased demand for on-street parking on Croydon Road, to the detriment of the amenities of the local area. The proposal would therefore be contrary to Policies CS1 and CS10 of the Reigate and Banstead Local Plan Core Strategy and Policies DES1, TAP1 and Annexe 4 of the Reigate and Banstead Local Plan Development Management Plan 2019.

Following a vote by Members of the Committee, it was RESOLVED that planning permission be REFUSED.