BCP Council (Bournemouth): Matt Annen has secured planning consent for a 2/3 storey extension to premises to form 2 additional flats with a balcony at 1st floor level close to Boscombe town centre.
The proposal followed a planning refusal and appeal dismissal for a similar type of development. The Planning Inspector concluded that the proposal would harm the character and appearance of the host property and the surrounding area, as well as would unacceptably harm the living conditions of neighbouring properties with particular reference to outlook, light and privacy impacts. The Inspector also concluded that the proposal would not provide adequate living conditions for the future occupants in terms of outdoor private amenity space. Further appeal reasons concluded that the parking arrangements would not be adequate and would not provide appropriate facilities for waste and recycling storage and
collection.
Following this decision whilst a re-design would have addressed the majority of the issues, the parking would still have been a problem… However, a new Parking SPD was introduced in January 2021, which requires zero parking within Zone A. The application site sits within Zone A and thus the current application providing zero on-site parking provision could no longer be objected to by the Local Highway Authority and thus the adaptation of the latest Parking SPD overcame a crucial previous refusal reason and unlocked the development potential for additional flats on the site.
Whilst the Council still weren’t overly happy with all aspects of the scheme – Policy BAP1 of the Neighbourhood Plan seeks to resist residential densities in excess of 100 dph. The proposed scheme represents 150 dph. However, because the Council cannot currently demonstrate a 5-year housing supply
and there is significant housing need within the Local Authority. A ‘tilted balance’ in favour of the grant of planning permission had to be applied. The scheme was finally (after 10 months!) approved last week.
If you have received a refusal in the past and would like to know whether there has been any subsequent changes in policy which may now unlock the development potential, contact us on 01202 585524 or email info@puretownplanning.co.uk. You may well be missing out on an opportunity!