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This application is retrospective and concerns the creation of car parking in front of 4, Brunswick Road. The works involve the removal of the wall such that vehicular access may be gained for car parking. The applicant states that she telephoned this office three times and was told that she would not require planning permission for the creation of the car parking area. However our administrative staff are adamant that she was told that she did each time she telephoned. I would wonder why if she was told the first time that she did not require planning permission why she telephoned again, twice.
I assume that what existed before was a low rendered wall with coping like that alongside the premises at the Post Office although the wall does not extend to all of the forecourt. The wall has been removed from this part of the site although no planning permission was ever sought or granted for this.
Department of Transport indicated in preliminary discussions that it was unclear how access to and from the site in a forward gear would be obtained. This is not clear from the application as the applicant indicates that whilst there will be two ramps, forward an reverse gears will be necessary to
get on or off the spaces from the front (onto Brunswick Road) or side (the lane). There is sufficient space to allow two vehicles to park on the cleared space.
It is not clear from the drawings how a vehicle would reverse back onto Brunswick Road without using private space not belonging to the applicant and the appearance of vehicles parked on the forecourt would be unfortunate. The property is within a Conservation Area (Selbourne Drive) which makes this appearance perhaps more important than it may otherwise be.
The objections include reference to the fact that the site falls within the Conservation Area, safety of pedestrians, safety of other road vehicles (noting the presence of double yellow lines in the vicinity).
I do not think that this proposal will enhance or preserve the amenities of the Conservation Area in which the property sits. In fact the proposal will reduce the attractiveness of the area through the removal of the walling (I know the wall on the other side of the site has been removed but this should not establish a precedent for further wall removal and in any case was removed without permission prior to the designation of the Conservation Area and has a post box within the area therefore obstructing cars which may be parked there) and the appearance of vehicles within such close proximity of the building and in what should be garden area. Despite the views of the Department of Transport, I cannot see that the movement of cars over the footway and into the lane can be safe.
Recommended Decision : Refused
Date of Recommendation : 28.10.2004
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
R 1. The removal of the wall, which is a traditional feature demarcating what would have been the residential curtilage in this area, would be detrimental to the appearance of the Conservation Area in which this site lies.
R 2. The use of the area for car parking would be detrimental to the appearance of the area by virtue of the appearance of parked vehicles so close to the building and alongside the footway.
R 3. The use of the area for car parking would be detrimental to the safety of pedestrians and other vehicle users in the vicinity by virtue of the fact that vehicles gaining access to or egress from the site will have to cross over the footway (possibly in a reverse gear) where there is only limited visibility available to the driver of that vehicle due to the proximity of the rear lane, other parked vehicles and the general movement of pedestrians in the area.
As the wall has already been removed and planning permission refused, the wall must be reinstated in accordance with its original appearance within 28 days of the date of this notice as it becomes final.
Decision Made: Refused Committee Meeting Date: 4-11-4
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