| The planning application was subsequently refused and became the subject of a planning appeal (2004) | |
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Chepstow Place Comments 07/11/2003 |
36-44
Chepstow Place, W2 The Pembridge Association recognises that its own Conservation Area Policy Statement, albeit now due for updating, is against additional floors in this terrace. However, the proposal forming part of the revised planning application clearly illustrates that the proposal to construct a bottle baluster parapet on top of a replacement cornice will effectively hide the effect of the proposed mansard extension and not involve 'demonstrable harm' to the conservation area; on the contrary, the Pembridge Association takes the view that the proposals will represent a considerable improvement to the frontage along the Chepstow Place elevation which is to be welcomed. |
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| The Association feels strongly that the Council should strive to achieve
some planning gain by asking for the front garden walls to be replaced
with bottle baluster walls, as has been done at No 44, and that the
opportunity should be taken to replace all the badly pruned lime trees
along this terrace with a more appropriate species to be agree with the
Arboricultural Section. The illustration below shows the proposed front elvation. |
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| The Pembridge Association recognises that the addition of the revised
mansard roof will raise the height of the rear elevations, such that there
will be some diminution of sunlight and daylight to the rear of the
properties in Pembridge Place, and that the new dormer windows would
increase the potential overlooking and reduction of privacy. However, the
height of the rear parapet and the view from eye-level from within the
proposed dormer windows will minimise the problem of overlooking. The illustration below shows the proposed rear elevations. |
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| The present rear elevations provide a rather variable quality of visual
appearance, because of the alterations that have been made over the years,
and it is considered that the proposed revised design would effectively
provide a unifying influence at roof level that would improve the visual
appearance of this terrace in conservation terms. It is the role of a
conservation society to comment on the physical appearance of alterations
to buildings leaving the Council to deal with matters affecting the
standards for daylighting, sunlighting and privacy as per policies in its
U.D.P. The Council's U.D.P. under CD45 provides justification for the proposed roof extensions in the case of this planning application albeit that CD44 could equally well be used to refuse the application! While there were some mixed views expressed by Pembridge Association Executive Committee Members the majority consensus was that the proposals are to be welcomed, particularly with respect to the considerable enhancement to the Chepstow Place elevation as part of the Pembridge Conservation Area. The Pembridge Association is keen to ensure that any such refurbishment should respect the traditional detailing of cornices, string courses and bottle balusters and that conditions should be imposed to ensure that this is effected. Consideration should also be given to a condition to control the painting of the elevations in future so that the effect of this improvement is not lost in terms of the unity of the terrace. The Council will need to give consideration to the matter of whether a condition should be imposed to require the cornices and bottle baluster parapets on the Chepstow Place elevation to be carried out at the same time, as proposed by the applicants; in addition, consideration needs to be given to the matter of all the mansards being constructed concurrently, or within a reasonable period of time, so as to effect the benefits of the proposals. The Pembridge Association takes that view that this would best be achieved by a Section 106 Agreement rather than solely by a condition on the planning permission. Assuming that the applicants are in agreement with the suggestions made by the Pembridge Association it would be beneficial for a Section 106 agreement to be entered into to in order to ensure that the beneficial improvements are achieved. |