Planning supporting statements in 60 seconds

1. Introduction

This planning supporting statement has been prepared in support of a full planning application for a single-storey rear extension at 42 Richmond Road, London, E8 4PH, within the administrative area of the London Borough of Hackney. The document sets out the site context, describes the proposed development, and demonstrates compliance with the relevant national and local planning policies.

The proposed development comprises a single-storey rear extension measuring 4.0m in depth and 5.0m in width, with a flat roof at a height of 3.0m. The extension will incorporate bi-fold doors opening onto the rear garden and internal alterations to create an open-plan kitchen and dining space. External materials are proposed to match the existing brick and render finish of the host dwelling.

2. Site Description and Context

The application site comprises a two-storey Victorian mid-terraced dwelling located on Richmond Road in the London Borough of Hackney. The property sits within a residential street characterised by uniform Victorian terrace housing of similar scale, form, and material palette. The rear of the property faces south-west and benefits from an enclosed garden. There are no designated heritage assets on or immediately adjacent to the site, and the property does not fall within a Conservation Area.

The surrounding area is predominantly residential in character, with rear extensions of varying depth and form common throughout the terrace. An informal survey of neighbouring properties indicates that several comparable single-storey rear extensions exist within the immediate vicinity, establishing a precedent for this form of development.

3. Description of Proposed Development

The proposed development involves the construction of a single-storey rear extension to the ground floor of 42 Richmond Road. The key parameters are as follows:

— Depth: 4.0m from the existing rear elevation
— Width: 5.0m (the full width of the existing kitchen projection)
— Height: 3.0m to flat roof with a parapet
— Materials: London stock brick to match existing; flat roof finished in GRP
— Glazing: aluminium bi-fold doors to the full width of the rear elevation

The internal works will reconfigure the existing ground floor to create a single open-plan kitchen, dining, and living space. No changes are proposed to the front elevation, roof form, or the upper floors of the dwelling.

4. Planning History

A search of the London Borough of Hackney's planning register reveals no relevant planning history for this property. No prior approvals or refusals are recorded that would materially affect the assessment of this application.

5. Planning Policy Framework

The proposed development must be assessed against the following policy framework:

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, 2023)
Paragraph 130 of the NPPF requires planning decisions to ensure that developments are visually attractive as a result of good architecture, layout and appropriate and effective landscaping; are sympathetic to local character and history; and do not undermine local distinctiveness. The proposed extension has been designed to be clearly subordinate to the host dwelling in terms of scale and massing and uses materials to match the existing property.

Paragraph 135 of the NPPF is also relevant, requiring that the design of extensions be of a high standard. The proposed flat-roof form is appropriate to the rear elevation context, where it will not be visible from the public realm.

London Plan (2021)
Policy D3 of the London Plan requires that development proposals demonstrate high-quality design that responds to local context. The proposals are consistent with this policy in that they maintain the character of the host dwelling and do not result in a disproportionate addition.

Hackney Local Plan (2033)
Policy DM2 of Hackney's Development Management Local Plan relates to residential extensions. It requires that extensions do not result in the loss of adequate private amenity space, that they are subordinate in scale to the host dwelling, and that they preserve the amenity of neighbouring occupiers. The proposed extension retains in excess of 50% of the rear garden area, complies with the 45-degree rule in relation to adjacent windows, and is set in from the side boundary by 0.15m.

Supplementary guidance is provided in Hackney's Residential Extensions Supplementary Planning Document (2011), which advises that single-storey rear extensions should not exceed 4m in depth for mid-terrace properties. The proposed extension accords with this guidance.

6. Assessment Against Policy

Design and character: The extension is single-storey and situated entirely to the rear of the property, where it will not be visible from Richmond Road. The flat-roof form and matching brick materials are appropriate to this rear-of-property context and are consistent with extensions on comparable properties in the street. The proposal will not harm the character or appearance of the host dwelling or the wider street scene.

Residential amenity: The proposed extension will not result in any significant loss of daylight or sunlight to the habitable rooms of neighbouring properties at 40 or 44 Richmond Road. The extension does not project beyond the established building line of adjacent rear extensions. The proposed bi-fold doors are directed towards the applicant's own garden and will not result in any harmful overlooking of neighbouring properties.

Amenity space: The rear garden currently measures approximately 12m in depth. The proposed 4m extension will retain approximately 8m of garden, which comfortably exceeds the minimum garden depth guidance and provides adequate outdoor amenity space for the occupants of the dwelling.

Impact on the host dwelling: The proposed extension is modest in scale and clearly subordinate to the main dwelling. It does not exceed the maximum depth guidance set out in the Hackney Residential Extensions SPD and does not represent a disproportionate addition to the original dwelling.

7. Conclusion

This statement has demonstrated that the proposed single-storey rear extension at 42 Richmond Road, London, E8 4PH is acceptable in planning terms. The development is consistent with the relevant provisions of the NPPF, the London Plan 2021, and Hackney's Development Management Local Plan and Residential Extensions SPD.

The proposal is of a high standard of design, is sympathetic to the character of the host dwelling and the surrounding area, preserves the amenity of neighbouring occupiers, and retains adequate private amenity space. There are no material considerations that would indicate refusal of the application.

Planning permission is respectfully sought.