Issue - items at meetings - Design Guide for Extension and Alterations

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached).

2.1             That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Employment, Economy & Regeneration approves the draft ‘Design Guide for Extensions and Alterations’ as a Supplementary Planning Document  for the purposes of formal public consultation.

58.1               The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place seeking endorsement of the draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) ‘Design Guide for Extensions and Alterations’ for the purpose of formal public consultation.

58.2               The Cabinet Member explained that the purpose of the draft SPD was to provide prospective applicants and members of the public with an interest in an application with user friendly guidance on the design issues when considering extending or altering a residential property. It detailed the key design considerations the Local Planning Authority would use when assessing applications or pre-application inquiries. 

58.3               The Area Planning Manager gave a presentation highlighting the purpose, structure and overall aim on the SPD (Appendix 2), which was to ensure well-designed extensions and alterations to residential properties, and improve the quality of the local environment as well as reducing unnecessary refusals and appeals by increasing awareness of interpretation of Local Plan Policies and helping members of the public to understand how householder applications were assessed.

58.4               The Cabinet Member advised that the SPD was designed to help applicants, not dictate to them.

58.5               Councillor C Theobald asked how many schemes the SPD would apply to given that some extensions did not require planning permission. She welcomed the SPD, but noted that it would be difficult to prevent residents from thinking they could copy bad extensions on other properties.

58.6               The Area Planning Manager explained that the SPD, once adopted, would apply to all householder applications in order to raise awareness and understanding of good design principals.

58.7               In response to a question from Councillor Morgan, the Head of City Planning & Public Protection explained that the SPD brought together existing guidance from different places into one guide and reflected work with local agents. The SPD would encourage applicants to be clearer and agents to work closely with the council on applications.

58.8               RESOLVED - That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the following recommendations be accepted:

(1)         That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Employment, Economy & Regeneration approves the draft ‘Design Guide for Extensions and Alterations’ as a Supplementary Planning Document  for the purposes of formal public consultation.