Planning – Application Comments

Consultation Date: Fri 16 May 2025

Comment Date: Thu 17 Jul 2025

PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL CONSULTEE COMMENTS FOR A PLANNING APPLICATION.

APPLICATION SUMMARY
PLANNING APPLICATION: 25/00476/FUL
ADDRESS: 5 Church Hill Road Plymouth PL9 9SE
DESCRIPTION: Single storey side and rear extension, front alterations, new enlarged driveway and access

CASE OFFICER: Joanna Churchill (Planning Officer)
Development Management, PCC Strategic Planning & Infrastructure, Floor 2 Ballard House PL1 3BJ

CONSULTEE: Gary Lester (Transport Officer)
PCC Strategic Planning & Infrastructure, Transport Planning Team, Floor 2 Ballard House PL1 3BJ

Date: 17th July 2025

ADDENDUM COMMENTS:
The Local Highway Authority (LHA) (further to previous comments dated 5th June 2025) would not wish to raise any objections in principle to the proposed development following and in accordance with the amended details for, access, driveway, and boundary enclosure, as shown on the revised application drawing titled and numbered, 'Proposed Plans and Elevations ' J687-15-01-Rev A'.

The aforementioned revised plan drawing shows: - The private frontage within the property surfaced with loose chippings ' having a driveway width and opening of approximately 3400mm wide adjacent to the neighbouring number 4 (in the same position currently used for vehicle access) - With some form of front boundary treatment and enclosure along the remainder of both the frontage and the side boundary adjacent to the neighbouring number 6. With the boundary treatment notated on the amended plan drawing as being a '0.5 high Planter Bed'.

As the proposed surfacing is permeable loose chippings there would be no requirement for surface water drainage, but some form of hard surfaced margin/apron 1500mm wide (in Concrete/Block Paving/Tarmac) needs to be provided at the rear of the footway to prevent loose chippings migrating and being carried out over the footway by car wheels.

Due to the now proposed front boundary treatment that would enclose part of the frontage restricting the width of vehicle access point 3400mm wide, there would be no footway service boxes within the vehicle crossing area. The front boundary treatment would also protect the nearby streetlamp from potential damage by a car entering and leaving the property and can therefore remain in its existing position.

The proposed low front boundary treatment comprising of 500mm high Planter Bed would also preserve and provide the necessary inter and forward visibility to serve the vehicle access/egress.

To formalise vehicle access, a vehicle footway crossing with a maximum width in the footway of 2700 mm wide would need to be constructed with the necessary approval of Plymouth Highways and at the applicant's expense, to protect the underground services below the footway and to establish lawful vehicular access across it.

SUMMARY:
The LHA would not wish to raise any objections in principle to the proposed development in accordance with the amended details for, access, driveway, and boundary enclosure, as shown on the revised application drawing titled and numbered, 'Proposed Plans and Elevations ' J687-15-01-Rev A' and subject to the following conditions:-

DRIVEWAY SURFACING
() From the rear of the footway the first 1500mm in length of the private driveway leading into the property and for the full width of the driveway and opening at the rear of the footway shall be hard surfaced/paved (in Concrete/Block Paving/or Tarmac). To provide a hard paved margin/apron at the rear of the footway to prevent loose chippings migrating and being carried out over the footway by car wheels when in use.

Reason:
To prevent loose chippings migrating over the footway and giving rise to issues of pedestrian and highway safety, in accordance with Policy DEV29 of the adopted Plymouth & Southwest Devon Joint Local Plan 2014 - 2034.


PRESERVATION OF SIGHT LINES
() No structure, erection or other obstruction exceeding 600mm in height shall be placed, and no vegetation shall be allowed to grow above that height, within the approved sight lines along the length of the front boundary of the property and vehicle access at any time.

Reason:
To preserve adequate visibility for drivers of vehicles at the road junction in the interests of public safety in accordance with Policy DEV29 of the adopted Plymouth & Southwest Devon Joint Local Plan 2014 - 2034.


INFORMATIVE: KERB LOWERING
() Before the access hereby approved is first brought into use it will be necessary to secure a formal vehicle footway crossing with the consent of the Local Highway Authority. The applicant should contact Plymouth Highways for the necessary approval and agreement of the precise details of all works within the public highway.

INFORMATIVE: PUBLIC HIGHWAY APPROVAL
() This planning permission does not authorise the applicant to carry out work within the publicly maintained highway. The applicant should contact Plymouth Highways for the necessary further approval. Precise details of all work within the public highway must be agreed with the Highway Authority and an appropriate Permit must be obtained before works commence.


Gary Lester
Transport Planning Officer
Officer authorised to sign on behalf of the Service
Director for Strategic Planning & Infrastructure

Comment Date: Mon 09 Jun 2025

PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL CONSULTEE COMMENTS FOR A PLANNING APPLICATION.

APPLICATION SUMMARY
PLANNING APPLICATION: 25/00476/FUL
ADDRESS: 5 Church Hill Road Plymouth PL9 9SE
DESCRIPTION: Single storey side and rear extension, front alterations, new enlarged driveway and access.

CASE OFFICER: Joanna Churchill (Planning Officer)
Development Management, PCC Strategic Planning & Infrastructure, Floor 2 Ballard House PL1 3BJ

CONSULTEE: Gary Lester (Transport Officer)
PCC Strategic Planning & Infrastructure, Transport Planning Team, Floor 2 Ballard House PL1 3BJ

Date: 5the June 2025

COMMENTS:
The Local Highway Authority (LHA) is unable to support the proposed alterations at the application property, although not having any issues with the proposed rear, side, and front, extensions to the building. The LHA would object to the proposed alteration to create a new access, driveway, and parking, 'to accommodate more vehicles' using the entire frontage of the property, which is contrary to Council planning policy (notwithstanding the adjacent property at number 6).

The application property is located on Church Hill Road, Hooe, which being a Classified Road would generally require space to turn a car within the bounds of the application property, to allow a car to enter and leave in forward gear to preserve highway safety, and to help maintain the free flow of traffic along the street. However, it is accepted that there are numerous properties along the street that already have car parking without being able to turn a car within the private frontage. Therefore, it is considered the requirement to turn a car within the property should in this case be waivered.

Forward visibility toward traffic approaching from the right on exiting the site is compromised by an adjacent neighbouring fence, which has at some time in the past been added to the dividing wall between the properties, but which appears to have been there for some time. Which needs to be considered in relation to the position of the vehicle access/egress within the application property.

Part of the front garden (adjacent to the neighbouring number 4 and between the streetlamp) is being used for car parking, with the application details suggesting there is an existing vehicle footway crossing there. However, the LHA would disagree, as seemingly a vehicle footway crossing has never been sought or constructed to serve the application property, which being the case suggests there is currently no lawful right of vehicle access over the footway. The LHA instead considers that a long length of the road kerbs along the front of the application property and along the street beyond that, have over time sunk or been pushed down by vehicle override, resulting in cars being easily being able to drive over the low kerbs. Therefore, as apart of this proposal a new vehicle footway crossing would need to be constructed in accordance with Council guidance and the permission of the LHA.

Furthermore, there is a streetlamp that is too close to the point where off-street parking is occurring that would need to be repositioned clear of the driveway at the applicant's expense. There is also a nearby service box in the footway that appears to be a BT or similar communications chamber, in which case it is unlikely to be able to be repositioned, changed, or driven over.

However, notwithstanding that the boundary treatment at the front of the application property has been removed to create an entirely open frontage and been left without any form of enclosure such as a wall, fence, or hedge. Referring to the best practice guidance in the Councils Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), the open frontage and the proposal to pave the whole of the front garden and construct a vehicle footway crossing across the entire frontage of the application property to facilitate random vehicle access and parking, is contrary to the Councils planning policy SPD and therefore unsupported by the LHA.


Referring to the Councils SPD best practice set out in paragraphs 13.78 ' 13.90 and diagram 'Figure 33 for Hard Standings', informs: -
13.78: In assessing proposals, the LPAs will have regard to the impact of the proposal on the street scene, highway safety and drainage.
13.79: When designing a hard standing the following guidelines should be adhered to: Retain as much original walling, fencing or railings as practical to ensure the appearance of enclosure is preserved. Full frontage crossings will not generally be permitted: -
>Incorporate sufficient space for soft landscaping to screen cars and minimise the visual impact of the hard surfaced area:
>The hard standing should be constructed of permeable material so that water can soak into the surrounding ground. If it is intended to construct a hard standing using gravel, a one (1) metre wide hard paved block, tarmac, or concrete apron is required adjacent to the public highway to prevent gravel coming onto the highway:
>The proposed hard standing should not drain onto the public highway. If the hard standing slopes/drains towards the highway, a drainage channel should be installed to prevent run off onto the highway: (which is in accordance with government guidance for paving front gardens)

13.82: Dropped kerbs, Domestic Vehicle Crossings. Driving a vehicle over a verge or footpath to access a property, without an appropriate vehicle crossing or without lawful authority from the LHA, is an offence under Section 184 of the Highways Act 1980'

13.83: Agreement from the local highways authority (LHA) is needed before you do anything on the highway. This consent procedure is separate from obtaining planning permission and the highway service applies its own guidelines in respect of the width and separation of pavement crossover points:

13.89: (extracts) When applying for planning permission the following guidelines should be adhered to: -
>A drainage channel should be connected to the resident's private drainage system/soak away.
>Driver and pedestrian visibility should not be impeded'
>If an inspection cover or telephone pole is present then, should planning permission or LHA agreement be secured then the application will need to arrange with the utility companies for these to be moved/lowered.
>It will not be possible to construct a vehicle crossing where a BT or similar communications chamber is present. The levels of these covers cannot be changed:


The current proposal is contrary to the Councils best practice planning guidance, therefore and without prejudice, for the LHA to be able to support the proposal for off-street parking and a new vehicle access/egress, the proposal would need to be amended in accordance with the Councils SPD. Further details of the proposed driveway surfacing materials and any necessary surface water drainage would need to be provided. A new vehicle crossing would need to be provided (with the approval of the LHA). On the understanding that any new vehicle footway crossing would be restricted to no more than 2.7 meters wide and located next to the boundary of number 4. Which would also maximise forward visibility toward on-coming traffic to the right when a car was exiting the site. A wider vehicle footway crossing would be too close to the utility chamber/box and cover in the footway and fail to provide the minimum one metre clearance/off-set needed to protect the box. Some form of front boundary treatment would be needed to ensure that a car entering or leaving the property would be able to do so using only the approved vehicle footway crossing point. The streetlamp in the footway at the front of the property would (with the approval and as agreed by the LHA) need to be repositioned clear of the vehicle crossing point at the applicant's expense.

The LHA objects to: - The proposed vehicle access and vehicle footway crossing being constructed across the entire application property frontage ' The lack of enclosure along the frontage of the boundary adjacent to the street ' The lack of necessary details regarding the driveway surfacing materials and for the provision of any necessary driveway surface water drainage that may be needed to prevent surface water from flowing onto the public street.

SUMMARY:
The LHA objects in principle to the current proposed extensive vehicle access and parking that, as considered above, is contrary to Council best practice planning policy and also fails to provide necessary details, and therefore recommends that the application is refused:

Likely to Give Rise to Issues of Highway Safety and Damage to Amenity:
No satisfactory provision is proposed with unsatisfactory and lack of details for the front garden and drive layout, surfacing, drainage, access and egress vehicle footway crossing, boundary treatment, forward and inter visibility, public streetlamp and utilities. Giving rise to conditions is likely to cause: -
(a) Damage to amenity.
(b) Prejudice to highway safety and interference with the free flow of traffic on the highway.
Which is contrary to Policy DEV29 of the Plymouth & Southwest Devon Joint Local Plan 2014-2034. And contrary to The National Planning Policy Framework paragraphs, 109b & 115



Gary Lester
Transport Planning Officer
Officer authorised to sign on behalf of the Service
Director for Strategic Planning & Infrastructure