- Decision
- dismissed, 8 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: R C Shrimplin
- Authority
- Basildon (East of England)
- Appeal reference
- 6009787
- Application reference
- 25/01268/FULL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Extension and conversion of detached double garage to a two-storey annexe
- Site context
- inside settlement
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- S4
- Development plan policies
- Basildon Local Plan Saved Policies 2007 BE12
- Main issues
- character and appearance
Summary
A proposal to turn a rear double garage in Billericay into a large dormered "annexe" was dismissed. It would function as a backland dwelling out of keeping with the street's pattern. The inspector noted that the revised Framework "places an additional emphasis on the need to make good use of land within settlements (for example at Policy S4)" (DL ¶10), but found the character harm "substantially outweighs the benefits" (DL ¶14).
What made the difference
The building's scale and layout meant it would work as an independent dwelling, not an ancillary annexe. Conditions to keep it ancillary would be "so complex and onerous as to be unreasonable" (DL ¶16).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| S4 | fail | new emphasis on making good use of land within settlements acknowledged, but backland form out of character - harm "substantially outweighs" benefits (DL 10-14) |
Key facts
- Converted garage would in practice function as a separate chalet-bungalow dwelling behind the house, served from Frithwood Lane
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.