The personal needs of the appellant were given substantial weight following an illness diagnosed in 2015. The appellant required a purpose built contemporarily dwelling tailored specifically for wheelchair mobility. The dwelling was proposed within the garden of their existing home in a Hampshire conservation area and was designed to accommodate the needs of the appellant and his wife, who was now his full-time carer.
The option of securing a local housing association property had been considered but any property available would require extensive modification to allow them to live there.
There was no option for the appellant to live in a care home as this was not financially achievable. The only option available to the appellant and his wife was a self-build property financed through a bridging loan secured on their existing property.
The Inspector examined the impact of the dwelling within the conservation area and noted that the existing house sat within an area of low density houses, woodland and open fields adjacent to a river.
The new dwelling would replace two existing outbuildings and would be designed with a shallow vaulted and flat roof which made the development discrete. The Inspector concluded that the development would not undermine the low density character of the area and the overall the needs of the appellant outweighed the presumption against building housing outside of existing settlement boundaries.
The appeal was allowed and planning permission granted.
16 April 2019