New residential extension and toilet block approved at Broome Chapel, Sun Road, Broome, Norfolk.

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Following on from the Planning Committee meeting held by South Norfolk Council planning permission was granted for a two-storey residential extension to the existing chapel to allow for the spiritual leader and his family to stay at the property.  The extension followed the architectural style of the main unit and blended seamlessly into the locality.

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The extension has been designed to reflect the character of the main building in terms of its proportions, materials and detailing including the fenestration.  The design has been amended so that the roof steps down from the original building to clearly delineate the original building from the extension.  The toilet block consists of a simple single storey element to the rear which will not be visible in public views.  it is considered that this is an acceptable design solution to provide the additional accommodation.

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The original chapel had no vehicular access or off-street parking.  This proposal seeks to create an access off Sun Road to allow for parking for the annexe and which will also allow for a very limited amount of parking for the place of worship.  The new access as originally proposed would have involved the loss of some of the brick pillars on the site frontage and would have been in close proximity to a bus stop.  This has been revised in order that the new access is now proposed to be located further away from the bus stop and located in a position that the brick pillars can be retained.  Norfolk County Council's Highways Officer raises no objection to the creation of the new access in terms of highway safety.

 

One of the main highways concerns raised relates to parking on Sun Road by people using the place of worship.  Whilst it is recognised that this can often cause issues with such buildings were they are built prior to modern parking demands, it should be remembered that this application does not relate to use of the building as a place of worship as this is an established lawful use, with the application only considering the impacts of the proposed extension.

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Concern had also been raised about the impact on the setting of the building from the access and parking, including the loss of a section of railings required to facilitate the new access, and noting that this was part of the reason for refusal on a previous application for conversion of the chapel to two dwellings.  The Council accepted that there is a degree of harm, however noting the above concerns about parking it is considered that the benefit of providing some off-street parking beyond that required for the annexe outweighs this harm.  A condition requiring details of the proposal materials to be used in the parking area is recommended to minimise its impact on the setting of the building.  As highlighted above it is considered that the design respects the building in terms of its character and appearances. and there is no detrimental impact upon this non-designated heritage asset.

 

With the planning approved En-Plan were instructed to complete a full plans building regulations submission which has also received full approval from CNC Building Control who are also based in Norfolk.  The owners went through the process of going out to tender and En-Plan are helping out with the project which is nearing completion.

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En-Plan have also provided ongoing support to the owners in helping gain permission for a new oil storage tank and external boiler to assist with the heating of the building and helping the owners discharge planning conditions concerning boundary treatment details and the new vehicular crossover, as well as a surface water drainage strategy.

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If you would like to find out more about how our Planning Consultancy and Architectural Design Services can work in perfect sync to achieve a successful outcome in the planning system please CONTACT US and we will be only too happy to talk through any questions or development proposals you may have.

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