schedule of planning applications

1A East Way and these provide some screening of the dwelling at No.22, although
there are glimpses through them as they have been pruned. The trees at the rear of
Taba Taba are taller than these conifers, but do not offer effective screening from
ground level as they have few branches near the ground and views into the
application site from the rear garden of Taba Taba are readily available.
The Inspector considered that the proposed house would not have an overbearing
visual impact from the rear facing windows in the dwellings at 1A East way and Taba
Taba to the north, and nor would it lead to an unacceptable loss of daylight in terms
of the BRE publication: Site layout planning for daylight and sunlight – A guide to
good practice (P J Littlefair). However he judged that the house proposed would
have an unduly dominating effect which would significantly reduce the enjoyment of
the rear gardens of these dwellings. This was despite the boundary planting.
The dwelling now proposed is significantly lower and less bulky than the appeal
dwelling, and it is considered that it would not give rise to an overbearing visual
impact on the above mentioned properties. Therefore no adverse effects are
expected on the rear gardens of these dwellings and the Inspector’s concerns are
overcome in this respect.
The conifers on the rear boundary with 1A East Way appear to be in a poor state and
the bark has been stripped from some of them. Given this state of affairs, it is
considered reasonable to expect these trees to die or be removed by the applicant in
the near future. As the trees provide a good level of screening, and there is poor
screening at the rear of Taba Taba, a condition is suggested to require the erection
of a 2m tall close boarded fence to be positioned along the whole of the rear
boundaries of 1A East Way and Taba Taba. This is to be supplemented by planting
next to it within the application site with native species that will eventually rise above
the fence and provide screening up to 3m above ground level.
The proposed dwelling originally had a standard height window in its north elevation
to serve a kitchen. Given the grounds levels and poor screening provided by the
trees on the boundary with Taba Taba and 1A East Way, officers advised that this
was deleted and replaced with a high level window. Amended plans were submitted
to show this and a condition is required to ensure the sill of this window is at least
1.7m from floor level of the kitchen, which would avoid significant overlooking.
The other window in the north elevation serves a bedroom and is an oriel design.
This will focus any views from it away from Taba Taba and 1 A East Way and into the
garden of the new dwelling. This will be achieved by only glazing the north east side
of this window.
The other windows at the new dwelling will face north west and south east and no
adverse overlooking is expected from them given their relationship with adjacent
dwellings and the intervening boundary treatment.
No adverse impact on the amenities of the occupants of the dwellings with a common
boundary with the application site is foreseen, and the proposal accords with Policy
DES8 of the East Dorset Local Plan (EDLP), Policy HE2 of the emerging
Christchurch and East Dorset Core Strategy and the policy set out in the National
Planning Policy Framework.
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