Plans to build two town homes turned down due to ‘unduly cramped’ design

Plans to build two new town homes have been turned down because of their “unduly cramped” design.Mr D Ward, who lives in North Wootton, had applied to construct the properties at 56 Wootton Road in Gaywood.The site is made up of former rear gardens at numbers 52, 54 and 56 on the street, and the plot is positioned to the rear of these properties.

Last week, West Norfolk Council’s planning committee turned the proposals down, stating that the houses would result in an “unduly cramped form of development that would appear incongruous and would be harmful to the established form and character of the area”.Officers also said the development would provide an unacceptable level of amenity space for potential residents. A planning statement in support of the plans had described Wootton Road as “a highly sustainable location” in Gaywood, and argued the homes would “accord with the form and character” of others in the vicinity.However, a borough council planning officer’s report said: “The siting of two dwellings on the site would also not be in keeping with the existing pattern of built forms of the area, where dwellings are served by lengthy gardens extending to the east.“The positioning of two new dwellings in this locality would result in back land development which would be out of keeping with the existing built form of Wootton Road.“In terms of townscape, the proposal would not follow the grain of development in the area. “Overall, the proposed development appears cramped and contrived and at odds with the built form of the surrounding area.”It added: “It is considered that the extent of private amenity space indicated to be retained for 52, 54 and 56 Wootton Road would be insufficient “Areas of some 25 square metres would simply be too small to provide sufficient amenity to a standard terrace house. Each amenity space indicated for the host dwellings would be only marginally larger than a single parking space.“Whilst the areas proposed would be of a sufficient size to sit out in and perhaps dry washing, no other use would seem practical. The spaces proposed are considered too small for children to play in. “Sitting out in the areas proposed would either have to be done with no sense of privacy or would have to be within a relatively confined space with no real outlook.”Concerns were also raised that the two homes could potentially create problems with overlooking on other properties to the northwest or southeast. It was also suggested that the possible presence of Middle Saxon artefacts at the Wootton Road site is “potentially significant” and could indicate a rare settlement site. Officers therefore said that if permission was granted, an archaeological written scheme of investigation should take place before any work commenced.However, the proposals were turned down last week.