Agenda item

Report of Head of Planning

(copy herewith)

Ward: Kingsthorpe

The Head of Planning submitted a report in respect of application number N/2010/0718, elaborated thereon and commented upon the availability of parking in Studland Road. In answer to a question he stated that there was a single yellow line on the left hand side of Studland Road that allowed unrestricted parking after 6.00pm and that there were no restrictions to parking on the right hand side.

Tony Murphy, on behalf Mr and Mrs Wykes, the next door neighbours to 2 Thornton Road, commented that they had lived at 4 Thornton Road for many years and were worried about the proposal affecting two of their children that had special needs. The eldest child was blind whilst the youngest had cerebral palsy. They had recently built a ground floor level extension with a bedroom and wet room for the youngest child. They were concerned that the proposal for four flats would lead to strangers affecting their children and that it would overwhelm their property. Mr Murphy commented that there appeared to be no provision for the storage of rubbish and that the proposed parking provision within the site was inadequate. He believed that dividing the premises into four flats would change the dynamic of the area as there were no other flats in the vicinity. The proposal had no consideration for neighbours. In answer to a question Mr Murphy confirmed the existing on street parking situation and noted that people parking on the left hand side of Studland Road would block access to and from garages at the rear of properties in Branksome Avenue. The right hand side of Studland Road was continually parked.

Mrs Wykes resident of 4 Thornton Road asked that the Committee take into account the circumstances of her family in reaching a decision.

Councillor Beardsworth stated that the on street car parking in the area was horrendous. Mr and Mrs Wykes had a disabled parking space outside their property that was ignored by other people. They had recently completed an extension to provide a bedroom and wet room for their daughter and were therefore committed to the area. She believed that the conversion of 2 Thornton Road into flats would change the nature of the area and noted existing issues of heavy traffic going to and from the industrial estate. She noted that the owner of 2 Thornton Road had previously been refused permission to remove trees on the site.

Paul Toone, on behalf of the applicant, commented that he had closely monitored the concerns that had been raised but believed them to be unfounded. The extension would be away from 4 Thornton Road on the far side of 2 Thornton Road so he believed that there were no issues over light or overlooking. Two parking spaces were to be provided on site and although there were high traffic movements to the doctors and the supermarket both of these had car parks. He sought the Committee’s approval of the scheme. In answer to questions Paul Toone commented that a current rear facing window was in a room currently used as a bedroom but would be a living room in the proposed scheme (but that the current bedroom could be used for other purposes now); he was unaware whether 2 Thornton Road had been built at the same time as surrounding properties; a bike rack was part of the scheme; and that a bin store was part of the scheme.

The Head of Planning noted that the refuse storage arrangements would be conditioned and that the only trees on the site were not part of the development area. He noted that the existing hedge had been heavily cut back and appeared in poor condition.

The Committee discussed the application.

Councillor Woods proposed and Councillor Malpas seconded “That the application be refused as the extension and conversion of the existing dwellinghouse to four one bedroom apartments was unacceptable by reason of the intensification of use giving rise to an unacceptable degree of overlooking of the neighbouring property, 4 Thornton Road, resulting in a loss of privacy and amenity contrary to saved policy E20 of the Northampton Plan. In addition, the restricted curtilage of the site would result in an inadequate provision for on-street car parking resulting in an inappropriate form of development contrary to save policy H6 of the Northampton Local Plan.”

Upon a vote the motion was carried.

RESOLVED: That the application be refused for the following reasons:

                        The extension and conversion of the existing dwellinghouse to four one bedroom apartments is unacceptable by reason of the intensification of use giving rise to an unacceptable degree of overlooking of the neighbouring property, 4 Thornton Road, resulting in a loss of privacy and amenity contrary to saved policy E20 of the Northampton Plan.

                         In addition, the restricted curtilage of the site would result in an inadequate provision for on-street car parking resulting in an inappropriate form of development contrary to saved policy H6 of the Northampton Local Plan