The application sought permission for extension and alterations to a detached bungalow at St Andrews, Wheal Leisure, Perranporth TR6 0EY, including raising the roof level, the formation of a first-floor balcony and terrace, and access and parking improvements. The site is located on the north side of Wheal Leisure in a low-density residential area comprising predominantly detached bungalows in medium-sized plots with scenic views to the north.
The key planning challenge in this case was the combination of the existing ground level differential — the site sits higher than some adjacent properties — and the substantial increase in height that the proposed roof raise would introduce. The applicant sought to justify the scheme by reference to comparable extensions at Nos. 3 and 13 Wheal Leisure, but our objection demonstrated that this comparison was fundamentally flawed.
The client contacted Planning Voice after their next-door neighbour submitted a planning application for major alterations to the adjacent property. The proposed works included a significant increase in the height and width of the neighbouring gable end, the addition of a balcony that would directly overlook the client's rear garden, and windows that were not obscured to the standard 1.7-metre height. The client was deeply concerned about the severe loss of privacy that these changes would cause, particularly from the proposed balcony which would provide unobstructed views into their private outdoor space. They were also worried that the increased height and bulk of the adjacent gable wall would compromise the right to light enjoyed by a bedroom in their property. The client sought professional assistance to articulate these concerns in a formal planning objection.
The existing bungalow had no windows or doors at first-floor level. The proposed balcony and first-floor rear doors would introduce, for the first time, elevated viewpoints with direct sightlines into the adjacent gardens and habitable rooms of neighbouring properties. Cornwall Local Plan Policy 12 specifically requires development proposals to protect individuals and property from overlooking and unreasonable loss of privacy.
The applicant suggested that obscured glazing could mitigate the privacy impact of the balcony. We challenged this argument directly: obscured glazing is appropriate for bathrooms and utility rooms where the primary concern is privacy rather than light, but is wholly unsuitable for main habitable rooms. The noise generated by people using an outdoor balcony — particularly during evenings and into the night in a quiet residential area — would not be mitigated by any glazing treatment. The mitigation proposed was therefore inadequate for the actual harm caused.
The adjacent properties are small in scale — bungalows of modest proportions. The existing ridge height of St Andrews was already substantially higher than these neighbours. Raising the roof further would create an even greater height differential — one that the adjacent properties would experience as a dominating and overbearing presence, reducing their access to sky, light, and a sense of openness that characterised the area.
The applicant's comparisons with extensions at Nos. 3 and 13 Wheal Leisure were misplaced. At both those properties, the existing ridge heights were much lower, meaning the extended buildings remained broadly in keeping with the surrounding context. At St Andrews, the existing roof was already at the upper end of the local height range — any further increase produced a disproportionate and out-of-character result.
The area is characterised by single-storey bungalows of similar scale and modest proportions. The conversion of one bungalow to an effectively two-storey dwelling — with a substantially raised roofline, vertical side walls visible from neighbouring gardens, and a first-floor balcony — would introduce a form and scale inconsistent with the established character of Wheal Leisure. Policy 12 requires development to be of a high quality that respects the character of the area and does not cause overbearing or overshadowing impacts.
The applicant withdrew the application following Planning Voice's objection. The arguments around the inadequacy of the obscured glazing mitigation for the balcony, the height differential and overbearing impact on neighbouring bungalows, and the failure of the comparators cited in the Design and Access Statement were difficult to answer. No amended scheme was submitted.
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