Planning Appeal Win - Subdivision into 2 flats in Hackney

In 2012, I was instructed to appeal a planning refusal for the subdivision of a house into two flats in Hackney.

The work had already been carried out, so our first task was to negotiate with the London Borough of Hackney's enforcement department to ensure no enforcement action was taken.

After this, we prepared and submitted a written representation appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, focusing on demonstrating how the conversion met local housing needs and adhered to rigorous design and amenity standards.

The Planning Issue

The proposal sought to subdivide the existing dwelling into a two-bedroom basement flat and a three-bedroom maisonette.

A central planning issue involved amenity space; Hackney’s adopted planning policy required conversion schemes to provide family-sized units with garden access. We successfully argued that both units exceeded these requirements, with the basement flat enjoying a 64 sq m garden and the maisonette utilising a 13.5 sq m roof terrace.

To resolve concerns regarding design and residential amenity, we conducted a full appraisal of the local area.

We demonstrated that many neighboring properties featured similar subdivisions and roof terraces, ensuring the character of the street remained intact.

We also addressed potential "overlooking" by proposing sensitive screening for the terrace.

By highlighting that the existing 222 sq m floorspace comfortably exceeded the 120 sq m threshold for conversions, we proved the development provided much-needed, high-quality residential units.

Consequently, the appeal was allowed.

Planning Appeal Advice

If you have a development project and you have received a planning refusal, contact me for practical advice on whether an appeal is the right option and how to proceed.

Andrew Ransome MRTPI Email: andrew@adpltd.co.uk | Tel: 01206 242070

About me

Andrew Ransome is the planning director at ADP and is a chartered member of the RTPI, with over 22 years of town planning experience.

Andrew has extensive experience offering strategic planning solutions to challenging projects in both rural and urban settings. Follow him on Linkedin.

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