Agenda item

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2016 were confirmed as a correct record by the Committee and signed by the Chairman, subject to amendments to the comments made by Ms S Wilkinson who spoke at the meeting in relation to Item 5c, DM16/02695/FPA – 16 Nevilledale Terrace, Durham, as follows:

“Ms S Wilkinson noted that the City of Durham Trust, the Local MP, Local Councillors and residents all supported the refusal of the application.  It was added that the back of Nevilledale Terrace was highlighted in a TV documentary as an important contribution to the Conservation Area.  It was noted that the development was contrary to Policy E22 of the saved City of Durham Local Plan, and the plans gave a false impression of the finished extension with the current height being 4 metres, with the existing permission being for a height of 3.5 metres.  It was added that to state that the proposed 3.7 metre height was very similar to the former wall was not true, it was an increase 70 centimetres. 

Ms S Wilkinson added that in his first Design and Conservation report, the Assistant Design and Conservation Officer, Lee Hall stated that “the design of the extension has been very well considered”, yet in his second report he says that “the extension built without the benefit of planning permission is not of the design quality anticipated” and because planning permission was flouted, what has been built is not of good design. .  Ms S Wilkinson added that Members would have seen on site the height of the extension and the fact that it was not stepped in height, unlike other properties in the street.  It was explained that according to the retrospective plans, the salvaged coping stones would be built into the brick wall at heights below those actually in place, however the salvaged copings have been cut up and slices glued and screwed to the exterior of the rear wall and therefore this was a serious breach of Policy E22 and the NPPF.  Ms S Wilkinson noted that the Article 4 Direction imposed in 2007 was to prevent this type of erosion of the Conservation Area.  It was added that only one of the supporters was a resident of Nevilledale Terrace. 

Ms S Wilkinson noted that the applicant had not approached the Council in terms of the brick type used, the roof lantern was to be substituted by a flat roof window on the amended plans, but the two windows, visible above the boundary side wall, remain and these should be replaced by the bifold doors.  Accordingly, Ms S Wilkinson noted that the application was not in accord with saved City of Durham Local Plan Policy E6.  Ms S Wilkinson noted that the wall should only be 3.5 metres and that there should be a parapet to shield the view from the street and the aluminium trim was not in keeping with the area, and should use glazed coping stones.  Ms S Wilkinson concluded by explaining that residents would ask that the Committee refuse the application.”