After a long period of negotiation with the Council and a previous appeal, planning permission has been granted for a new house on a tight infill site in Teddington, south west London. The Council were concerned with design, effect on neighbours, parking, trees and access to the site, as well as seeking various legal agreements for the site. We considered some of the requests unreasonable and, after much work, secured a permission that was in better terms than the Council had initially sought.

Client: private developer

Another successful appeal result this week. This time in Wimbledon, for a large front, side and rear extension to a detached house in a private road. The refusal had been on the basis of harm to neighbouring amenity. We demonstrated that the extension would not cause any impact to neighbours and that the new extensions were a well-designed addition to the street.

​Client: private householder

Planning permission was refused for a side extension to a detached house in the Green Belt, near Windsor. The application had been prepared with detailed analysis of Green Belt policy and case law, and so the refusal of permission was felt to be unreasonable. We made an appeal, and the Inspector agreed with our interpretation of these matters. Permission was granted, and full costs awarded against the Council.
The case raised some important points of planning law and was reported in the planning press.

​Client: private householder

An appeal has been allowed to grant planning permission for a rear extension to a semi-detached house in Surrey. The client had submitted a scheme before our involvement, which had been refused permission on the grounds of design and harm to the neighbours. We advised in relation to a modified design to address design issues, but anticipated the amenity issue may remain. Following the refusal on amenity grounds we took the case to appeal and successfully argued that there would be no harm to the nearest residents. Planning permission was granted by the Inspector.
Client: private householder

Looking sparkling in the Spring sunshine, we were pleased to see the completion of a roof extension to a mixed commercial and residential property on Fulham Road, Chelsea.
The Council had refused planning permission for the extension on the grounds of design, for this prominent corner site adjoining a conservation area. We successfully argued at appeal that the design was more suited for the building and context than the 'traditional' scheme the Council preferred. The Inspector agreed that there should always be a place the  zinc finish would be suitable.
​Client: private developer

An appeal has been allowed for re-modelling and extension at the back of a terrace house in Chiswick, London. The Council had refused permission due to the scale of the extension, the design and the effect on neighbours. We made the case that the extension would be suitable for the house and there would not be any harm to light or outlook. The appeal was allowed, and the clients now have a much larger extension than the Council would have permitted.

​Client: private householder

We were called in by solicitors to assist one of their clients who was at threat from prosecution for non-compliance with an enforcement notice and dismissed appeals. The client had been told he must vacate the land and effectively lose all rights for any useful purpose.

We appraised the case and came to a different interpretation of the situation. We then undertook discussions with the local authority and submitted a series of applications to regularise the use of the land. In the face of continued prosecution action, we managed to negotiate a new building on the land and storage in the countryside.

​Client: private company

We won an appeal for a large two storey front extension to a house, within a residential area of South London. The application had been refused by the Council due to their design guidance resisting front extensions, and their concerns regarding effect on neighbours. We demonstrated to the Inspector that an exception to the supplementary planning guidance on design should be made in this instance, as the design of the extension was suitable for the house and the street. We also demonstrated there would not be any effect on the next door houses.

​Client: private householder

A pre-application submission to Westminster Council for a side extension and roof extension received a negative response. A formal application was made that sought a compromise in the design, but the Council still objected to the scheme on the basis of the harm to the conservation area and effect on 'gaps' in the street. We appealed the scheme and the Inspector agreed with our case that the design and scale of the extensions were suitable, and that the St John's Wood Conservation Area would not be harmed.

Client: private householder

Another appeal won in the LB Richmond, and this time for an extension to a house within the Twickenham Conservation Area. The site forms part of distinctive modernist housing scheme, proposed for local listing, and the works will see a change to the original form and design of the house. We demonstrated to the Inspector there would not be any harm to the architectural composition of the buildings, nor to communal gardens on the estate.

Client: private householder