KINGSTON AND NORTH KINGSTON NEIGHBOURHOOD

Conservation Areas Advisory Committee

PLANNING APPLICATION COMMENT FORM DATE: 14 May 2025

CA13

RBK ref: 25/00952/HOU

Address: 12 Albany Park Road Kingston Upon Thames KT2 5SW Planning Officer: Carmellena Hickey

Description of proposed works: Erection of part front, part side and part rear hip to gable and rear and side dormer roof extensions with installation of front, side and rear rooflights to facilitate loft conversion. Replacement of uPVC sash windows with timber sash windows.

APPRAISAL

By full committee on …… 14 May 2025 …… with …… 7 …… members present

Issued on 14 May 2025

1. Positive support		2. No objection
3. Objection	X	4. Objection unless revised as below
5. No comment/neutral		6. Lack of detail
7. Decision already issued

Reason for objection:

Objection Although this PA has much to recommend it (eg new traditional clay tile roof in place of existing concrete tiles & new timber fenestration in place of existing UPVC) there are a number of issues viz:
a) most importantly, the new front gable would fundamentally alter the character & appearance of the existing/ original property & should be refused. The applicant’s brief DAS talks about aping the facade of its neighbour at #14. But this is unjustified. This run of large, detached Victorian villas was built in a variety of forms within a few years of each other & that character should be preserved. A more sympathetic development of an identical house has recently been completed at #32 APR & could be used as a blueprint for #12 APR;
b) the new front skylight, although specified as ‘flush’, would be out of character with neighbouring properties in this part of the CA;
c) the submitted plans do not show the retention of the existing period front garden wall & period finial to the existing front gable. They & all other existing period details should be retained as they are recorded in the CA designation report as features of townscape merit; &
d) no samples have been included of proposed materials, including the detailed design of new fenestration. Traditional-style items of high quality should be secured by condition.