Clapton CAAC December 2019

Planning Applications for Clapton CAAC meeting for 12 December 2019

2019/4111 80 Filey Avenue N16 6JJ Non-material amendment to planning permission 2019/1224 dated 02/07/2019 comprising repositioning of windows on rear elevation to be facilitated by an increase in height to the second floor rear projection. (Alix Hauser 020 8356 6377)

Without clearer drawings and sections (in particular) it's hard to see if the proposed extrusion of the second floor is non-material. We are concerned that by creating a single, uniform roof eve at the second floor, the hierarchy of the rear elements is lost (in plan) and the appearance of the terrace is substantially compromised.

2019/4006 Kehal Charedim Trust 99 Clapton Common E5 9AB Installation of 8No. air conditioning units and erection of louvred enclosures at first floor level (partially retrospective application) (Catherine Slade 020 8356 8056)

The location plan is wholly inadequate for locating this application and the Council's planning system incorrectly places the building in a Conservation Area. As it is not visible from the CA we have no comment to make on the suitability of the proposal.

2019/3790 79 Lower Clapton Road E5 0NP Erection of a single storey ground floor rear and side extension to provide additional commercial space (use class A2) and a roof extension to facilitate conversion of 1x 5 bed HMO unit (use class C4) into 1 x 1 bed and 1 x 2 bed unit (use class C3) (Danny Huber 020 8356 1453)

Both elements of this proposal seem to egregiously defy policy - perhaps the applicant has not read any of it. The box-form roof element is not of a mansard style normally preferred (Resi. Extensions SPD para 3.90) and obliterates the butterfly (valley) roof form at the rear (para 3.93). It also appears to be the first roof addition in the terrace and would break the established rhythm and form of the terrace (3.85). The rear extension is over 6m longer than the existing external walls and obliterates most of the garden - both are contrary to policy (3.22). The applicant relies on there being similar development in the vicinity, but fails to point any out which might help their case. Whilst we welcome the conversion of HMOs to flats this application falls too far short of policy to be acceptable.

2019/4027 52 Forburg Road N16 6HT Conversion of flats to a dwellinghouse, Excavation to create additional habitable floor space and a rear lightwell, erection of single storey rear extension (Fabian Culican 020 8356 4747)

Our principle concern is the scale of the rear extension which extends between 7 and 10 meters from the varying profile of the existing rear walls. This results in an overbearing and out of scale addition, which as a minimum should be constrained to the line of the neighbouring extension to better preserve the appearance of the house and terrace.

2019/4091 41 Cazenove Road N16 6PA Conversion of existing property (which currently provides 2x4 bedroom and 1x2 bedroom flats) to create 4 self-contained flats (comprising 1x3 bed flat, 1x1 bed and 2x2 bed) with rear extension and excavation at lower ground floor level to provide front and rear light wells with railings, rear dormer and erection of external rear and side staircases. Proposal also includes new windows to the rear elevation and reconstruction of summerhouse. (Kelsi Bolstad 020 8356 4160)

We have no objection save to the proposed form of the cycle store which is commercial and utilitarian and not appropriate for a domestic property.

2019/4136 90 Osbaldeston Road N16 6NL Erection of a rear dormer (Kim Aukett 020 8356 4740)

This proposal bears no resemblance to the previous scheme upon which it claims it might benefit. Nor does it benefit from the approved roof dormer at 86 Osbaldeston Rd which is made to a wholly different roof form. This roof extension will be highly visible from Filey Avenue and its bulk might be mitigated by use of a more sympathetic material and by moving its most prominent edge away from the hipped roof line upon which it encroaches.

2019/4245 Lorna Doone & Fountayne House Fountayne Road N16 7EA Erection of a ground floor, first floor rear extension; side extension above existing garage roofed by extending existing sloping roof; front rear and side roof dormer; modified roof including an increase in height; replacing garage door with windows; change of use of garage area from storage to a habitable room. Application relates to two adjacent houses Lorna Doons and Fountayne House. (Kim Aukett 020 8356 4740)

This proposal causes little further harm to an already poor pair of buildings which would benefit from total redevelopment.

2019/4066 91 Lower Clapton Road E5 0NP Change of use of part A1 retail at ground floor rear to provide 1x2 bedroom flat.Demolition of roof terrace and creation of new mezzanine floor and new roof, new windows to ground floor rear and new bike and bin store (Micheal Garvey 020 8356 8053)

We note the reasons for refusal of the previous scheme and point out that whilst the reduction in open shop floor is modest, the space currently used for storage is completely obliterated and so the overall loss of A1 space is still considerable and its loss may affect the viability of any future shop uses in perpetuity.

2019/4119 and 2019/4124 160 Lower Clapton Road E5 0QJ Removal of coal store at lower ground floor rear and replace with steps with metal handrail; removal of window and door and replace with French steel door; replace timber door at ground floor rear with steel door. (Micheal Garvey 020 8356 8053)

This and the adjacent corner building are important anchors in the streetscape and their form is to be cherished. The modest lowering of the floor of the basement is acceptable provided it is made good in an appropriate way and does not compromise the structural stability of the property. However the loss of the chimney breast is to be resisted as it remains an important part of the building and its history. The details of the rear window and door which are to be replaced, contribute to the coherence of the building albeit they are normally only partly seen. In particular the replacement of the arched headers with a solid concrete unit would be particularly regrettable. The coal store is not photographed so it is hard to determine its architectural and historic value. Its loss should be resisted without Conservation Officers having seen it and satisfied themselves that its loss causes no harm.

2019/4013 19 Urswick Road E9 6EG Enlargement of basement, provision of lightwells and covered courtyard to south elevation and elevational alterations to facilitate conversion of the building into 4 self-contained residential units (use class C3) comprising 3 x 2 bed, and 1 x studio (Raymond Okot 020 8356 8080)

Whatever the planning history and 'problems' encountered in implementing the previous permission, the result both now and after proposed adjustment is a poor quality fenestration to the south elevation on St John's Church Road. The condition has been unsatisfactory for some time but that is no reason not to expect that some effort be put in to improving it. The assertion that planning offers insisted timber windows be replaced by UPVC should be investigated as if such advice was given it was plainly based on an incorrect interpretation of the conditions. In addition the primary elevation now includes particularly poor, UPVC tilting casement windows instead of timber sash as per the neighbouring properties.