Planning appeal decision
Street Cafe, 13-13A Catherine Street, St Albans, AL3 5BJ
Planning appeal 6005757 at Street Cafe, 13-13A Catherine Street, St Albans, AL3 5BJ (St Albans City Council) was dismissed on 15 July 2026 by Inspector E Catcheside, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether conditions 2 and 4 are necessary, having regard to the privacy of the occupants of May Clarke House.
Alteration to front door, part first floor, part two storey rear extension, new flue extraction and alteration to openings without complying with conditions attached to planning permission Ref 5/22/2095
- Authority
- St Albans City Council
- Appeal type
- Planning
- Procedure
- Written
- Development
- other
- Inspector
- E Catcheside
- Postcode
- AL3 5BJ
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether conditions 2 and 4 are necessary, having regard to the privacy of the occupants of May Clarke House
What decided it
The proposal would cause a clear reduction in the privacy of residents of May Clarke House through direct overlooking and eavesdropping from the openable window, with no sufficient evidence that this is the only way to meet fire safety requirements.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Saved Policy 72 of the City and District of St Albans District Local Plan Review
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
Town Planner Pro holds this letter. The Appeals plan opens it and every other letter we hold, all of them searchable, with the main issues and what decided each case picked out. We do not show letters on the free site because they carry people’s names and addresses.
With an account
What an account adds to this decision


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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.
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