Appeal for Boston Street house plans in Norwich are rejected

Norwich City Council refused planning permission for a two-story property to be built next to 16 Boston Street, in Catton Grove.

The application would have seen an unusual six-sided home squeezed into the small triangular plot, featuring a kitchen and a living room downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs.

The project was planned for a disused garden area on Boston Street (Image: Google)

The plans proved controversial with some in the local area, who registered comments with the council including: "[There is] no need to build a house there, it's a garden for goodness sake."

Others had concerns about the impact on their home, writing: "The property is elevated to the properties in Rackham Road and will stop light to at least five properties (upstairs and down) and their gardens in both Rackham Road and number 16."

An aerial view of the site in Boston Street that was proposed for a new home (Image: Google Maps)

The city council's planners agreed, rejecting the scheme for reasons including: "The limited size and irregular shape of the proposed plot would result in an awkward form of development, which would appear incongruous to the prevailing character and pattern of development character of the street scene."

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The applicant, Sarah Bell, took the rejection to the Planning Inspectorate, which led to a site visit on Tuesday, March 12 - more than a year after the plans were refused.

The house was criticised for not being in keeping with the character of the rest of the houses on the street (Image: CIAT via Norwich City Council)

However, that was dismissed for reasons including the effect on the character and appearance of the area, the impact of the building on the neighbouring properties and issues surrounding the living conditions of the property's future occupants.

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The inspector said: "I have found harm to the character and appearance of the area would arise from the proposed development’s form, layout and visually prominent siting.

"The shadow study shows the proposed dwelling would overshadow gardens to the east during the afternoons, most notably at numbers 49, 51, and 53 [in Rackham Road]."

The agent for the applicant, One Planning Consultants, was contacted for comment.