Residential flats alterations at Sandbanks, Coast Road, Littlestone

What was proposed

The application sought changes to an approved residential conversion, including a higher roof, dormers, rooflights, solar panels, altered flats, bin storage and a water tank.

“DC/25/52 3. Proposal 3.1. This application seeks permission for variation of conditions 2 (approved drawings) and 18 (no additional windows or openings) of planning permission 21/0747/FH (which granted planning permission for change of use and conversion of the former care home to 19 residential flats) to allow for the following: - Increased roof ridge height. - Addition of 6 dormer windows on the northern elevation.”

“It is proposed to insert pitched roof dormer windows (measuring approximately 1.5m wide x 2m tall) on the northern elevation, a flat roof dormer (measuring approximately 2.5m wide x 2m tall and including a Juliette balcony) on the internal courtyard eastern elevation, and rooflights on the southern elevation to enable use of the roof space. The bedrooms of the approved flats would be moved up into the roof space to allow for more generous internal layouts.”

Officer report

The site

Sandbanks is a former two-storey care home at the junction of Coast Road and St Andrews Road, within Littlestone’s settlement boundary and outside its conservation area.

“The application site comprises Sandbanks, a former care home situated at the junction of Coast Road and St Andrews Road within the defined settlement boundary of Littlestone. The building is two-storey, detached, and approximately L-shaped, and is currently covered with scaffolding as part of building works associated with 21/0747/FH (see below).”

“The site is in Flood Zone 3 and identified as being at moderate risk to 2115 under the Councils Strategic Flood Risk Assessment. It borders but is not within the Littlestone Conservation Area, which runs northwards from St Andrews Road. The seafront opposite is designated SSSI / SPA / SAC /”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers considered the changes acceptable because they would not harm visual amenity, the conservation area, neighbouring amenity, or highway safety, and recommended approval.

“Given the above assessment it is not considered that any unacceptable impact on highway safety or amenity can be identified at this point, and therefore a refusal on the grounds of highway safety and amenity could not be justified.”

Officer report

Main concerns raised

Objections covered scale and design, overbearing effects, character, privacy, light, highway safety, intensification, infrastructure and the bin store location.

“Scale and design. • Overbearing impact. • Character and appearance / visual amenity. • Impact on conservation area. • Overlooking and loss of privacy. • Loss of light / overshadowing. • Highway safety and amenity. • Intensification of use. • Impact on infrastructure and public services. • Amendments would be in breach of conditions [CPO comment: the application description has been amended to rectify this, and re- consultation carried out accordingly].”

“DC/25/52 • Proposed changes refused under previous non-material amendment application. • Inadequate public consultation. • Unsustainable location for residential development. • Impact on local tourism. • Unsafe working practices on site / health and safety concerns. • Length of time taken to complete construction. • Site should be reviewed by Building Control. • Noise from sheeting on scaffolding. • Impact on local wind conditions. • Damage to private road.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent spoke in support of the application, and the Principal Planning Officer advised that a further nesting-bird letter was outside the application’s scope.

The decision

Planning permission was granted subject to conditions, with delegated authority for the Chief Planning Officer to finalise wording and add necessary conditions.

“That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out below and that delegated authority be given to the Chief Planning Officer to agree and finalise the wording of the conditions and add any other conditions that he considers necessary.”

Minutes