Are planning dept still bothered about terracing effect?

[Flump9]

Owners of a semi detached house in my street are going to put plans in for 2 storey side extension, the other semi already has one and the other side of them are 2 detached houses that have been extended up to the boundary which means if this gap is filled in there will be a bad terracing effect in a street of otherwise spread out semis and detached. It will look over developed IMO and I know councils didn't use to like plans that made a terraced effect but recently planning rules seem to have relaxed. I was wondering what the chances were of PP being granted or if the terracing effect would see them rejected.

Check your council's local plan. Mine (Wandsworth) pass all sorts, but I have seen some local submissions in the last 5 years refused due to terracing effect.

Yes - see if there is an extensions policy Inthe Council local plan (you will find it in the council web site). They may also have a Residential Design Guide supplementary planning document.

They should determine planning applications in accordance with the guidance set out in the policies.

I have searched the council site and can't find the local plan, only information on permitted development which this wouldn't be as within 2m of boundary.

If you tell me your local council, I'll have a look if you like?

South staffordshire

www.sstaffs.gov.uk/planning/the-adopted-core-strategy.cfm. Policy EQ11 in the Core Strategy Document which you can download.

There's also a Design Guide on this page, but I can't open it on my phone. www.sstaffs.gov.uk/planning/spds-planning-guidance.cfm

Might have something useful.

I can't see anything specific to terracing effect, but I think you could use parts of EQ11 to cover that if you wanted to object.

There's not a lot in the document about extensions (three short paragraphs, compared to a dozen pages in the equivalent from my local council).

This bit of the design guide looks relevant though: "The extension should respect ... it's relationship to adjacent buildings, including the gaps between them"

If I were you, I'd reference that bit in my objection.

I think the problem is the Core strategy is very old -2012. That should be updated every 5 years. And there should be a more detailed policy document to go with it which doesn't appear to exist.

The plans haven't gone in yet and I feel a bit hypocritical for objecting since loads of the street have extended but it will change the look of the street as it's a small cul de sac and leave no gap between 4 houses. They seem to think if they set it quite far back and go out the back more they will get it but the lack of sky space between the houses would still be a problem.

Meant to say we will be objecting but I can see it's a bit unfair to them, though it's a buy to let so i'm not feeling too sorry for them.