# Flat 1, 9 Chestnut Avenue, Bournemouth

- **Decision:** allowed, 23 September 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: S Sharp
- **Authority:** Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (South West)
- **Appeal reference:** 6008491
- **Application reference:** P/26/00457/FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Side roof-level terrace with obscure-glazed screens to a flat
- **Site context:** inside-settlement
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** P3, DP3
- **Development plan policies:** Bournemouth Core Strategy 2012 CS41
- **Main issues:** character and appearance, living conditions
- **Tags:** tier-2, roof-terrace, conservation-area-setting

## Summary
A small side roof terrace to a Bournemouth flat was allowed. It was a lightweight addition in an area that already has visible roof terraces, and with obscure screening the overlooking affected only non-habitable rooms. The Inspector checked local policy CS41 for consistency against L2, DP3 and P3, and applied HE4(2) to the adjoining conservation area (DL ¶¶19–20).

## What made the difference
The neighbour's facing windows served non-habitable spaces, and the terrace was too small for parties (DL ¶¶11–12, 15). The letter shows the pattern of testing local-plan consistency with the new codes (L2/DP3/P3) instead of applying them directly.

## Policy findings
- **DP3: pass.** lightweight minor addition; roof terraces already visible locally; CS41 consistent with L2 and DP3 (DL 6-8, 19)
- **P3: pass.** overlooking only of non-habitable rooms and a small part of garden; noise not harmful given small terrace and existing larger terrace (DL 12, 15, 19)
- **HE4(2): pass.** adjoining Southbourne Grove CA — no harm to significance (DL 20)

## Key facts
- 1.2 m obscure-glazed screen facing No 11; condition securing Privacy Level 3 glazing
- No 11's side glazing serves non-habitable spaces

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/f70d19fa-5c55-4e8f-b51f-4c9397aa2e1a
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6008491

---

Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6008491.html

A summary of a public planning decision, written from the decision letter. Not legal advice. © Planning Distilled. Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/): share and adapt freely, with credit to Planning Distilled. Quotations from decision letters, plans and the Framework remain the copyright of their publishers.