Agenda item - BH2019/01136- 24 Montpelier Street, Brighton-Householder Planning Consent

Removal of existing butterfly roof and construction of roof terrace and sunroom.

RECOMMENDATION – REFUSE

Ward Affected: Regency

1.             Stewart Glassar, Principal Planning Officer, introduced the application and gave a detailed presentation by reference to site plans, photographs and elevational drawings detailing the proposed scheme. The main considerations for this application relate to the impact of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the application dwelling, the Montpelier and Clifton Hill Conservation Area, the nearby grade I listed Church of St Michael and All Angels and the amenities of the local residents.

Speakers

2.             Mr Farrow, the applicant, spoke and stated that they disagreed that the proposal would be visually prominent as the proposal would not be visible from the road, as the current Butterfly roof cannot be seen either. The proposed sunroom will be 50cms above the existing parapet. Mr Farrow commented that other properties nearby, including opposite the application site, have removed the Butterfly roofs and created terraces.

Questions for the speaker

3.             Councillor Sue Shanks was informed that other properties in the street have been developed in similar ways some with dormer windows on pitched roofs and others with terraces.

4.             Councillor Bridget Fishleigh was informed that the proposal would not include side or rear window openings, with doors onto the terrace only, thereby reducing the possibility of noise to neighbours.

5.             Councillor Carol Theobald was informed that the other developments quoted were more than 15 years old.

6.             The Planning Officer stated that other properties were changed some time ago and had not been considered under current case law and policy.

Questions for officers

The Conservation Advisory Group (CAG) officer noted that the last two buildings in the terrace are a pair.

7.             Councillor Sue Shanks was informed that the current context of the area is taken into consideration and the loss of the Butterfly roof is considered to be detrimental to the area having been judged under current planning policy.

Debate

8.             Councillor Daniel Yates noted that roof terraces may have been allowed in the past, the impact on the Conservation Area and the neighbours would not be positive. Views from above are also noteworthy.

9.             Councillor Sue Shanks expressed concerns regarding the setting of a precedent and would not support the application.

10.          Councillor Dee Simson noted the need to retain the historical Butterfly roofs in the Conservation Area.

11.          A vote was undertaken to support the officer’s recommendation to refuse the application:

Vote: For = 7, Against = 0, Abstentions = 1. (Councillors Joe Miller and Phelim Mac Cafferty not present).

12.          RESOLVED: To REFUSE planning permission for the following reasons:

1.          The proposed alterations, by virtue of the loss of the historic roof-form and addition of an incongruous and visually prominent extension would detract from and cause harm to the character and appearance of the host building, wider Montpelier & Clifton Hill conservation area and the setting of the Grade I listed Church of St Michael & All Angels. This harm is considered contrary to policies QD14, HE3 and HE6 of the Brighton and Hove Local Plan and CP12 and CP15 of the Brighton and Hove City Plan Part One.

2.       The proposed terrace, by reason of it having the potential to create activity and visual clutter at rooftop level in a historically sensitive location, would appear as an unsympathetic feature that detracts from the historic character and appearance of the wider streetscene within the Montpelier & Clifton Hill conservation area. This harm is considered contrary to policies QD14, HE3 and HE6 of the Brighton and Hove Local Plan and CP12 and CP15 of the Brighton and Hove City Plan Part One.