43 St John's Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0PH

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

• Whether the proposed development would provide suitable living conditions for future occupiers, with regard to the provision of private amenity space
• Whether there are reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas at lower risk of flooding
• The effect of the proposed development on the living conditions of the occupiers of 44 St Johns Road (No.44), with particular reference to loss of sunlight/daylight
• Whether the proposed development would have access to suitable car parking and the effect of the use of the proposed development on the safety of pedestrians using St Johns Road
• The effect of the proposal on the integrity of the features of European nature conservation sites situated along the Suffolk coast

What decided it

The proposal has not demonstrated that there are reasonably available sites for the proposed development in areas at lower risk of flooding and provides an unacceptable risk to future occupants, combined with the lack of suitable private amenity space for future occupiers.

The benefits of housing delivery and visual improvement to the character of the area were outweighed by the strong reasons for refusal arising from flood risk (failure of the sequential test and lack of an Emergency Flood Plan) and inadequate private amenity space, such that the proposal failed to meet the exception test under NPPF paragraph 11(d)(ii).