Planning Application submitted for new residential annex in Hopton Wafers, Shropshire.

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En-Plan: Planing & Architecture formulated a full planning application that was subsequently submitted to Shropshire County Council Planning Department to retain a park home on site to be used as a residential annex for elderly family members thereby giving them semi-independent living on site and allowing for ongoing care for one family member who is registered as disabled. 

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he application seeks full planning permission for the siting of self-contained lodge building to be used as ancillary residential unit and the building is indicated to measure 12.18m deep x 6.9m wide with timber weatherboard walls with a tiled pitched roof with an eaves height of 2.4m and a ridge height of 3.6m. This is a retrospective application as the lodge was delivered to site on 19th May 2020 and 2 elderly members of the applicant’s family moved into the lodge on 22nd May 2020. The lodge is only being used for sleeping with all meals and laundry etc being carried out in the main house.

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Lubberland is accessed via a lane from the classified road located to the west of the dwelling. The dwelling sits centrally within the application site and is currently undergoing major repairs. The self-contained lodge is located a short distance to the south of the dwelling and replaces a previous caravan that had fallen into
disrepair. The application site is bounded by mature trees and hedges with open countryside beyond with the Catherton Common (SSSI) lying to the east of the application site.

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Although nowhere expressed within locally adopted policies, there is a generalpresumption that residential annexes must have a functional link with the principal dwelling. This link is predominantly opted for through the sharing of facilities or being internally connected / physically attached, resulting in the future occupants of
the annexe being reliant on the principal dwelling for everyday living. Furthermore, it is expected that any future occupants will be either related to or dependent on the applicant, to ensure that the annexe does not get sub-divided or sub-let. By definition, residential annexes provide accommodation ancillary to the principal
dwelling, therefore they must be used on a subordinate level. As such the layout, design and physical relationship between the annexe and principal dwelling are important considerations and must comply with relevant local policies – Core Strategy CS6 and SAMDev MD2.
 

In order for the local authority to ensure its use remains restricted, the annexe must be within the applicant’s residential curtilage and have no obvious boundary demarcation, or sub-division of garden areas. The annexe must share and utilise all existing external facilities (access, parking, garden, etc.) and be designed in such a manner that should the annexe be no longer required, it can easily become an integral part of the principal dwelling. The agent has confirmed that the ancillary accommodation would be used by 2 elderly members of the family, one of which is registered disabled. The current accommodation within the existing dwelling is not suitable as this would involve stairs and these elderly members of the family require accommodation all on one
level, in addition the existing house is also undergoing extensive repairs to accommodate the growing family.
However, In order for the local authority to ensure its use remains restricted, the annexe must be within the applicant’s residential curtilage and have no obvious boundary demarcation, or sub-division of garden areas. The annexe must share and utilise all existing external facilities (access, parking, garden, etc.). The lodge is located within the dwellings garden and located close to the dwelling, and the agent has confirmed that the lodge would not be sub-divided or sublet and would be happy for a condition to be included on any planning permission granted. In addition, there would be no boundary demarcation or subdivision of the garden area. The lodge would share and utilise the main dwelling for meals and laundry and the existing access, parking and garden area and thus the lodge would have a dependence on the dwelling in this manner and be in accordance with the above policies.

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As the application site is within the open countryside, policies CS5: Countryside and Green Belt, CS17: Environmental Networks of the Shropshire Core Strategy, along with MD12: Natural Environment of SAMDev require that the openness, permanence and visual amenity of the land within its boundaries are preserved and
that the extension or alteration of a building does not result in disproportionate additions over and above the size of the original dwelling while maintaining and enhance countryside vitality and character. The application site is within a relatively isolated location where buildings are located on to both the north and south of the main dwelling. The building would be located to the side of an existing outbuilding and a short distance to the south of the main dwelling, which would ensure it would not appear out of place and would be visually linked to these 2 buildings, thus ensuring minimal impact on the surrounding area. There are no concerns regarding neighbouring residential amenity given the distance from the neighbouring properties to the application site and the presence of opened fields and planting in-between.

 

It is considered that the proposal will remain in keeping with the existing property and will not be of detriment to the character of the dwelling or to the surrounding area in which it sits. The proposed building is not considered to unduly affect the locality or neighbouring premises and complies with the relevant development plan policy. It is therefore considered to be a suitable proposal and it is recommended that planning permission be GRANTED.

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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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