Residents battle bungalows plan

The current house in Blackamoor Crescent, Dore, is a detached dormer bungalow in a "generous" garden. However, the applicant wants to demolish the present house and replace it with two new bungalows of "traditional" design, each with their own garage.

A final decision will be made on the plans at a meeting of Sheffield Council's planning board at 2pm today.

Six residents have written to the board objecting to the scheme, which they say will have a "detrimental effect" on the character of the area and an "adverse effect on the street scene".

Objectors also say that the new bungalows would involve chopping down trees, constitute over-development of the site and could affect the privacy of neighbouring homes.

Some opponents have objected to the proposals on grounds that cannot be taken into account by the planning board, such as that the building work would create noise and the new homes would affect existing neighbours' views.

Current planning policy in Sheffield gives priority to "safeguarding and enhancing" the character of the south-west of the city because of the "concentration of attractive and distinctive neighbourhoods" in the area.

Planning policy says that the south-west has a "strong concentration of features that are distinctive to Sheffield and which should be safeguarded and enhanced" such as "parks, open spaces, trees and mature gardens".

In a report to today's committee meeting, planning officers say the application complies with existing policies and should be approved, subject to certain conditions.

The report says: "The bungalows are of traditional design and construction. Whilst not of particular note architecturally, they are of sufficient quality and should have no adverse presence in the street scene."

Each bungalow will have a driveway and a garage, so should have sufficient off-street parking.

The additional home, meanwhile, should not create many additional vehicle movements so should not affect safety on Blackamoor Crescent, according to the planners' report.

The report adds: "It is accepted that the proposal would result in the loss of some shrubs and ornamental trees within the existing garden and. whilst this is regrettable it is not, of its own. considered an adequate reason for refusal."

Recommending that the application should be approved, the planners say: "The proposal undoubtedly raises the density of development on the site and would introduce two dwellings with smaller curtilages than is prevalent on Blackamoor Crescent itself.

"However, it is felt that the proposed density and curtilage afforded both plots is not so limited as to be considered unusual for the locality."

At the same meeting, councillors are set to rule that a satellite dish on a Grade Two-listed building in nearby Savage Lane, Dore, should be removed.

Planners say that the dish is an "inappropriate and incongruously modern feature" on the front of the house, and is "unduly prominent and out of character" in the Dore Conservation Area.

Councillors have been advised to refuse both planning and listed building consent for the satellite dish, which would give Sheffield Council permission to take all necessary steps, including enforcement action and legal proceedings, to ensure it is removed.

Today's planning committee meeting begins at 2pm at Sheffield Town Hall.

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