Garages adjacent to 161-163 Hoppers Road, Winchmore Hill, London, N21 3LP

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area
• Whether proposal would provide suitable living conditions to future occupiers of the dwellings
• The effect of the proposal on the living conditions of occupiers of No. 163 Hoppers Road
• Highway safety and provision of vehicle and cycle parking
• Whether the proposal includes suitable arrangements for surface water drainage

What decided it

The adverse impacts of the proposal on character and appearance, living conditions for future and neighbouring occupiers, highway safety, parking provision, and drainage arrangements significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of nine additional dwellings, even under the tilted balance applicable to a Council with insufficient housing land supply.

The benefits of nine dwellings on a brownfield site with a suitable mix of unit types, worthy of significant weight, were outweighed by the substantial harms to character and appearance, inadequate living conditions for future occupants, failure to maintain highway safety, unsuitable parking and cycle provision, and undemonstrated drainage management, such that the adverse impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits when assessed against the Framework as a whole.