AN APPLICATION into a rooftop terrace in Newhall has been approved by the Harlow Council planning committee.

The site is a modern detached house on the corner of Brickcroft Hoppit and Honor Street, Newhall on the northern side of Brickcroft Hoppit.

The committee agreed the following.

The use of the terraced area hereby approved shall cease within six months of the date of this decision a 1.8 metre high screen, details of which have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority has been erected on the northern side of the terrace and the use shall not recommence until a screen approved under the terms of this condition has been erected. Once erected, the screen shall be permanently retained in position.

The property has a flat-roofed detached garage, approximately 5 metres x 5 metres, to the east between it and the neighbour, 10 Brickcroft Hoppit, an end-of-terrace house.

Details of the Proposal

The applicants have put a balustrade round the garage roof so it can be used for sitting out. There is a staircase up to it between the house and the garage and also a link at first-floor level to the house, though there is no door in the side of the house providing access to it. The application is a retrospective one to retain this roof terrace.

The applicant submitted a robust defence of their application (1 hr 34 mins).

Summary of Representations Received

A neighbour – Invasion of privacy of bedroom kitchen and garden, rules about obtaining permission in Newhall have been ignored, terrace has not been constructed to hold many people only for maintenance access, since construction there have been continuous late night noise, drinking, music playing and shouting, adjacent to a neighbouring family home and children’s bedrooms.

A neighbour (same address as previous comments) – Views into bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and garden, continuous gatherings on the terrace with loud music late into the night and being high up noise travels further, twinkiling lights, breach of covenants with Newhall developers, adjacent to bedrooms of a family which have a young family, allowing this will jeopardise the unique feel of the neighbourhood.

A neighbour – Have no discrepancy about the design, does not have a negative impact on the area, but complements unique architectural design, precedent has been set by nearby property having two roof terraces, does not block out light, raise privacy issues or appear overbearing, no impact on parking or traffic, environmental impact on the estate comes from outside people, not this terrace, most households have summer celebrations, there will always be noise on the estate.

An immediate neighbour – The objections are disappointing, the terrace brings a whole new look to ugly garages, terrace is not a privacy issue, experiences more overlooking from the house behind, have had no issues of loud noise or unsocial from the application property.

An immediate neighbour – No objection

You can follow the film from 1 hr 26 mins onwards.