# 7A Saxon Drive, Acton

- **Decision:** dismissed, 20 August 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: John Morrison (on recommendation of Appeal Planning Officer E Street)
- **Authority:** Ealing (London)
- **Appeal reference:** 6009929
- **Application reference:** 253131FUL
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Conversion of a flat into two flats with roof extension and dormers
- **Homes:** 1
- **Site context:** inside-settlement
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** S4, DP3
- **Development plan policies:** London Plan 2021 D3, D4, D6, Ealing DM DPD 2013 3.5, 7.4, 7B, 7D
- **Main issues:** character and appearance, living conditions
- **Tags:** s4-within-settlement, s4-substantially-outweighed, design-refusal, living-conditions, old-wording-slip, transitional-no-consultation, appeal-planning-officer, tier-2

## Summary
Subdividing an upper flat in Acton with dormered roof accommodation was dismissed. The dormers cluttered the roofscape, and NDSS headroom for the new roof flat was not shown. Under S4 the limited benefit of one unit, with "no specific housing shortfall" advised, was substantially outweighed (DL ¶13-14).

## What made the difference
Without shortfall evidence, the APO treated efficient use of land as the baseline, not a benefit: "an efficient use of land would be expected to make a proposal acceptable in principle" (DL ¶13). The letter refers to the old NPPF's "section 12".

## Policy findings
- **S4: fail.** one unit, no specific shortfall advised - limited weight; enduring design and NDSS headroom harm significant weight - substantially outweighed (DL 13-14)

## Key facts
- Catslide dormers on outrigger clutter plain terrace roofscape; unproven 2.2 m headroom over 75% of the roof flat
- No re-consultation on the new Framework; "section 12" reference to the old NPPF chapter numbering (DL 14)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6009929
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/c094d2bf-827c-4575-9185-e4c6ceeed9c6

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6009929.html

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