Site: Garage Court Between 43 and 45/47/49, Camwood Crescent, Lincoln, LN6 0PN

Application No: 2014/0910/RG3 Target Date: Agent: Geoff Carter Architects Applicant: City of Lincoln Council Development: Erection of 4 semi-detached bungalows Background Site Location and Description The application proposes 4 dwellings on an existing garage site located off Camwood Crescent. The buildings would be single storey and would be laid out in two pairs of semi-detached bungalows. Camwood Crescent is located within the Birchwood housing estate accessed from Dellfield Avenue. The site is currently occupied by 22 garages owned by the City of Lincoln Council. This is one of 5 sites currently put forward for housing development. The garages are currently laid out in two blocks, positioned on the west and east boundaries of the site. The rear walls of the garages are positioned on the rear boundaries of 39-43 Camwood Crescent and 13-19 Dellfield Avenue. The north boundary of the site is defined by a 1.8 metre high fence with some access gates through to the rear gardens of the properties on Briar Close The site would utilise the existing access between No. 43 to the north and the rear boundary wall of the flats to the south. The proposed development would consist of 4 no. two bedroom bungalows with associated parking to the front of each plot. The north, east and west boundaries would be defined by a 1.8 metre high close boarded timber fence as part of this development. It is worth noting that the properties would be built to the Lifetime Homes standard. Lifetime Homes are ordinary homes designed to incorporate 16 Design Criteria to support the changing needs of individuals and families at different stages of life. Housing that is designed to the Lifetime Homes Standard will be convenient for most occupants, including some (but not all) wheelchair users and disabled visitors, without the necessity for substantial alterations. A Lifetime Home will meet the requirements of a wide range of households, including families with push chairs as well as some wheelchair users. The additional functionality and accessibility it provides is also helpful to everyone in ordinary daily life. Case Officer Site Visit Undertaken on 23rd January 2015. Issues National and Local Planning Policy The Principle of the Development Impact on Visual Amenity

Impact on Residential Amenity Policies Referred to 1 National Planning Policy Framework 2 Policy 34 - Design and Amenity Standards 3 Policy 56A - New Housing (Self-Contained)

Consultations Consultations were carried out in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement, adopted May 2014. Responses Mr & Mrs Francis 17 Dellfield Avenue

Lincoln Lincolnshire LN6 0PR

An email has been received in response to the consultation process from 17 Dellfield Avenue. The resident’s concerns relate to privacy and noise and congestion relating to the access. Consideration of Issues National and Local Planning Policy Paragraph 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) outlines that “at the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking. For decision-taking this means:

approving development proposals that accord with the development plan without delay; and

where the development plan is absent, silent or relevant policies are out of date, granting permission unless: any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh

the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole; or

specific policies in this Framework indicate development should be restricted.

Chapter 6, para 49 states that housing applications should be considered in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development. The site is located within an area allocated as residential within the City of Lincoln Proposals Map and as such the following Polices require consideration. Policy 34 indicates that planning permission will be granted for new buildings as long as they meet the following requirements:

the scale, massing, height, design, external appearance and facing materials to be used in the development must complement the architectural style and townscape character of the locality;

the siting and layout of any new building or extension must ensure a satisfactory physical and functional relationship to adjoining buildings and streetscape;

the amenities which occupiers of neighbouring properties may reasonable expect to enjoy must not be harmed by, or as a result of, the development.

Policy 56A: New Housing (Self Contained) Planning permission will be granted for new, self-contained housing on sites within areas shown on the proposals map as being predominantly for residential use. ‘Self contained accommodation’ is that occupied by a single household and where the household has the exclusive use of living, dining and sleeping space, kitchen facilities, a w.c. and a bath or shower, all behind its own private door. The Principle of the Development Given the existing national and local planning policy and the predominantly residential use of the surrounding area it is considered that the proposed site is suitable for residential development and the proposal is therefore acceptable in principle. Visual Amenity The proposed dwellings would be of a simple design, semi detached, single storey and constructed of red facing brick, concrete tiles and grey UPVC windows. Whilst a number of the surrounding properties are 2 or 3 storey it is considered that the proposed single storey would not be out of keeping in this location particularly as the existing garages are single storey. Furthermore there are a mixture of housing types and designs within the wider locality. The site is not directly visible from Camwood Crescent and I am satisfied that the development would sit comfortably within the site and would present a significant improvement to the visual amenity of this area. Residential Amenity Policy 34 of the Adopted Local Plan, along with Paragraphs 17, 59 and 123 of the NPPF, refer to the implications of development upon amenity. “The amenities which occupiers of neighbouring properties may reasonable expect to enjoy must not be harmed by, or as a result of, the development” It is therefore necessary to determine whether the proposals would result in any harmful implications upon amenity. With regard to the impact on residential amenity, as the dwellings would be single storey there would be limited impact on the surrounding neighbouring properties. The proposed 1.8 metre close boarded fence to the north, east and west boundaries would ensure that privacy would be maintained to the gardens of the surrounding properties. Whilst the gable ends of the bungalows would be presented to the rear boundaries of the properties on Camwood Crescent to the west and Dellfield Avenue to the east, given the proposed properties would be single storey and have shallow pitched roofs, I am satisfied they will not appear unduly overbearing to the residents of the neighbouring properties. To the south of the site is a footpath then beyond this is the three storey flats on Camwood Crescent. An existing brick wall separates the development site from the footpath with a separation

distance of 16m from the proposed buildings to the flats. I am satisfied that this is an acceptable relationship and that the occupants of the flats on Camwood Crescent would not be unduly harmed by the proposal. Whilst the existing access road between No. 43 and flats 45-49 Camwood Crescent will be utilised for the proposed development, as the access has previously been used for access to 22 garages. I am not concerned that noise and disturbance through vehicular access would be unduly harmful to the occupants of these surrounding properties. Other Issues Loss of Garages Whilst the proposal would result in the loss of garages, it is noted that given their size, the majority of the garages are used as storage. Furthermore, a parking space per dwelling would be provided as part of the development. In this instance, given that there is no on street parking restrictions in the area it is considered that there would be sufficient on street capacity for any cars currently using the garages for parking to be displaced. The access itself has been previously used for access for 22 garages. The Highway Authority has raised no objections to the proposal, subject to conditions regarding the access being completed before the use is implemented. I am satisfied that the continued use of the access for the 4 proposed dwellings would be acceptable and would not cause harm to highway safety. Conclusion It has been demonstrated that the development of the site for the use proposed is acceptable in principle given that the area is shown on the proposals map as being predominantly for residential use as outlined in Policy 56A. In terms of the appearance of the proposed buildings it is considered that the design takes into account the local area in accordance with policy set out within the NPPF. The proposed use would not have an adverse impact on the amenity currently enjoyed by local residents. This is therefore in accordance with Policy 34 of the Local Plan. Financial Implications None. Legal Implications None Application Negotiated Either at Pre-Application or During Process of Application No. Equality Implications None.

Application Determined Within Target Date No – extension agreed. Recommendation Deemed consent with conditions. Conditions Development to commence within three years Development to be in accordance with plans Contaminated Land Landscaping Report by: Planning Manager

Access from Camwood Crescent

Access from Camwood Crescent

View inside the garage court towards the rear of Briar Close

View inside the garage court towards the rear of Dellfield Avenue

View inside the garage court towards the rear of Camwood Crescent

Access onto Camwood Crescent

View from the garage court to the flats on Camwood Crescent

Neighbour comments