New home on edge of row of Eastbourne terraced homes refused on appeal

In a decision notice published on Wednesday (February 8), a planning inspector has dismissed proposals to extend a terrace of houses in Constable Road with a new three-bedroom home.

The proposed building had been refused by Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning officers in June. Officers had raised several reasons for refusal, including highway safety and its impact on the character of the area, as the building would appear differently to the existing terrace.

A particular point of contention was the proposed building’s front porch, which would have been noticeably larger than the neighbouring homes.

During the appeal process, the developer said a new design for the porch could be secured through planning conditions. However, the inspector concluded that this would be a significant enough change to require a new planning application.

Officers had also concluded that the building would not provide adequate living space for future residents. This view was not shared by the planning inspector.

Ultimately, however, the planning inspector concluded that the scheme was not suitable for development.

The inspector said: “I conclude that the proposed development would harm the character and appearance of the host terrace and the wider area, contrary to … the Eastbourne Core Strategy Local Plan.

“Furthermore, it would conflict with … the National Planning Policy Framework 2021, which requires development to be visually attractive and sympathetic to the local character of the built environment, amongst other requirements.”

For further details on the decision see application reference 210815 on the Eastbourne Borough Council website.