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Proposal: Single storey Garden Room extension The Site: Ash Lodge, Patrick Road, St Johns IM4 3BR Applicant: Mr Richard Jones & Mrs Alison Jones
$$ 21 / 01241 $$
1.0 Existing Site & Building 2.0 The New Proposal 3.0 Parking 4.0 Services 5.0 Pre-application advice
Appendix I - Photographs
Ash Lodge is a distinguished detached four bedroom country house sitting in approximately seven acres of landscaped gardens including vegetable & fruit gardens, orchard and wooded glen.
The house is predominantly Victorian but has been more recently extended at the rear of the property to create a kitchen/dining and bedroom wing. There is no online planning record relating to this extension but it would appear to have been built during the 1980's.
The house is approached via a curving gravel driveway with mature trees screening the property so that it is not visible from the Patrick Road. There is an existing graveled parking area with space for three cars and additional parking along the drive for at least an additional two cars. There are no public footpaths with views of the dwelling and neighbouring properties are a sufficient distance away to avoid direct overlooking.
Ash Lodge is not on the registered building list or within a Conservation Area. It has been the subject of previous planning applications, the most recent being:-
Over the years our clients have undertaken a careful refurbishment of Ash Lodge and it's grounds. The original part of the property has been sensitively restored, however although the reception rooms are impressive they face north with little natural daylight and very limited connection with the landscaped garden.
At the rear of the property the more recent 1980's extension improved the relationship to the garden and a south facing paved area. This tends to be the family's general living area and although the kitchen/ dining space is adequate there is still insufficient space for a day room or garden room from where to sit and enjoy the views out to the garden.
The proposal extends the property at ground floor to create a garden room linked to the existing kitchen & dining rooms, which enjoys views of the extensive grounds and opens out onto the patio area. The proposed garden room will improve the connection with the garden and will create a light filled, open family space.
New inset roof-lights in the existing roof terrace will improve natural lighting into the darker circulation areas at ground floor, and the window arrangement in the kitchen has been amended to improve the views and relationship with the landscaped garden.
Although there are mature trees within the curtilage of the property, the proposed new extension will be constructed within an existing hard landscaped patio area sufficiently away from any mature trees so that they will not be affected by the works.
The proposed garden room extension will be single storey with a mono pitched roof reflecting the style of a traditional Victorian lean-to greenhouse with an insulated lead roof complete with a rolled standing seam detail. Natural, traditional materials will be used throughout and the new casement windows will be painted hardwood and designed to match the existing windows. The extension will have a painted render finish to match the main house and the client is keen to introduce as much planting as possible to soften the building into the landscape.
At first floor there is an existing roof terrace accessed from the garden by a spiral stair. This area is well used by the family however the access via the tight spiral stair is not ideal and the look of the terrace is stark and unwelcoming. The new proposal creates an improved access to the terrace from ground level. The route now is via a set of steps set into the terraced landscaping and a new set of straight painted metal stairs from the raised bed to the roof terrace.
A new metal framed veranda is proposed for the first floor terrace which can be fitted with sun sails to create shade for the enjoyment and prolonged use of this area. Planters will be introduced along the perimeter and the surface will be upgraded with a paved and gravel finish. New 'walkover' roof-lights set with the terrace floor will allow natural light into the circulation areas below as well as visually linking the ground and first floor areas.
The extension not only creates an improved link with the garden but also softens the appearance of the 1980's extension and is an attractive addition to the property. Being set at the rear of the property, the extension does not impact on the architectural balance of the building when viewed from the front or from the approach driveway.
The property is accessed by a gravel driveway and has a parking area in front of the dwelling with adequate parking for at least 5 cars. There will be no alterations to the existing vehicular access or parking provision.
4.1 Drainage: The surface water from the extension will discharge to the existing soakaways, but will also be collected in a water butt for use in watering the garden. The existing foul drains discharge to a septic tank but will be unaffected by the proposed works. 4.2 Other Services: All other services such as water supply and electrics will be modified to suit the new layout.
The preliminary scheme was sent to the Planning Department for pre-application advice. Overall the scheme met with a favourable response from the Planning Officer whose comments were:-
The dwelling is traditional but does appear to have some previous extensions that are less traditional, the test for any future extensions would be subject to perhaps a mix of both Housing Policy 15 and Housing Policy 16 in determining whether it is appropriately designed for those traditional elements whilst also not resulting in any increased visual impacts from public perspective (given the distance from the road this might be unlikely) but it still needs to be acceptable in its own right even if it can't be seen by the public.
The Residential Design Guidance 2021 also outlines a number of principles towards design, as part of the submission it would be helpful to understand how these have considered in the design process
Housing Policy 15 states that a proposed extension should respect the proportion, form and appearance of the original traditional styled property. The proposed extension to Ash Lodge is situated at the back of the dwelling and is not visible from the front. It is of a moderate size ( 18 m 2 ) and the mono pitched form echoes a Victorian lean-to greenhouse which not only provides additional living space but helps 'soften' a dated and perhaps stark elevation of the previous 1980's extension.
Housing Policy 16 guards against proposed extensions impacting on neighbours. Ash Lodge is a detached dwelling sitting well back from the main road and screened from view by mature trees and landscaping. It is not visible from the road, and the adjacent properties at Ballawillan Glen Cottage and Ballaquayle Farm are sufficiently distanced from Ash Lodge to have very limited views, if any, of the property. There will be no detrimental impact of the proposed extension on the general public or neighbours.
Issues raised in the Residential Design Guide include changes to highways, impact on neighbours, the environment and green issues. Vehicular access and neighbours have been discussed above.
The extension is small and is proposed to sit in an area presently used as a patio, no trees will be affected and no planting destroyed. The new paving will be laid with drainage gaps between the slabs and rainwater will be collected in water butts for use on the garden. The garden is already planted with diversity in mind and this will be continued in the new scheme.
Rather than a typically glazed conservatory the proposed garden room has been designed as an insulated structure, to modern standards, which still takes full advantage of natural daylight. The materials proposed for the extension, such as lead roof, hard wood windows etc are natural, traditional and sympathetic to the original building, and a continuation of the renovation our client's have been carrying out over the years.
The extension will greatly improve the living conditions of our clients by introducing good natural light levels and creating a family hub integrated with the garden they use and enjoy throughout the year. The design is sympathetic to the existing dwelling and its landscaped setting, and greatly improves the look of the existing 1980's extension while creating an inviting, bright and comfortable living area.
Photograph 1 - Front (North) elevation to Ash Lodge
First floor roof terrace
Photograph 2 - West elevation showing location of proposed Garden Room
Photograph 3 - South (Rear) elevation showing spiral stair to first floor roof terrace
Photograph 4 - Location of proposed garden room extension, showing the existing external spiral stair to the roof terrace, existing french doors into kitchen/dining room and the paved patio area
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