- Decision
- dismissed, 18 September 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: S Burch
- Authority
- Croydon (London)
- Appeal reference
- 6010501
- Application reference
- 26/00540/FUL
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Extensions and conversion of a 2-bed maisonette to a studio and a 1-bed flat
- Homes
- 1
- Site context
- inside settlement
- Green Belt
- No
- Framework applied
- August 2026 NPPF
- Determinative policies
- S4(1), HO7, TR4, DP3
- Development plan policies
- Croydon Local Plan 2018 DM1, DM13, DM29, DM30, London Plan 2021 T5, T6
- Main issues
- loss of small homes; cycle storage; refuse storage; parking
Summary
Splitting a 2-bed maisonette in Thornton Heath into a studio and a 1-bed flat. Dismissed. The inspector found the loss of a home under 130 sq m (protected by Croydon DM1.2) contrary to HO7 as well, and found the remote cycle and refuse stores contrary to TR4 and DP3. With a five-year supply agreed, one net unit had limited weight and was substantially outweighed under S4 (DL ¶28-30).
What made the difference
The inspector read HO7 as supporting a local policy that protects existing mid-sized homes. Weak cycle and bin access added national-policy conflicts, which made the S4 balance straightforward. Parking was not a problem.
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HO7 | conflict | loss of a 74.85 sq m home, protected by local DM1.2 (under 130 sq m), also treated as contrary to HO7 (DL 8-11) | |
| TR4 | fail | cycle store reachable only via street and rear alley; discourages cycling (TR4, DP3) (DL 13-15) | |
| S4(1) | fail | net one extra unit (limited weight) substantially outweighed by loss of small home and poor cycle and refuse storage (substantial weight) (DL 27-30) |
Key facts
- Five-year supply agreed
- Existing 2-bed of 74.85 sq m lost to two smaller units
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.