Saxon, Castle Grounds, Devizes, SN10 1HL

1. 1.The proposed dormer windows, by reason of their inappropriate siting, scale, massing, design and resulting visual dominance, would form an overly conspicuous and incongruous addition to the roofscape of the host dwelling. The development would fail to respond positively to the character, context and distinctiveness of the existing building and would appear visually intrusive from public vantage points. As a consequence, the proposal would fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area, and would fail to preserve the setting and significance of nearby listed buildings, contrary to the statutory duties under Sections 66(1) and 72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The proposal would therefore cause less-than-substantial harm to the significance of designated heritage assets. In accordance with paragraph 215 of the National Planning Policy Framework, this harm must be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal. No public benefits of sufficient weight have been demonstrated that would outweigh the identified heritage harm. The development is therefore contrary to Core Policies 57 (i and iii) and 58 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy (2015), the design principles set out in Appendix D of the Wiltshire Design Guide SPD, and Chapter 16 of the National Planning Policy Framework, which together require high-quality design that respects local character and conserves heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance.
2. 2.The submitted drawings contain clear inaccuracies and internal inconsistencies that create uncertainty regarding the extent, appearance and nature of the development proposed. Specifically: • The revised ground floor plan shows a side-elevation store with double doors which does not appear on the corresponding elevation drawings and was not present on the original submitted plans or included within the development description. It also does not appear in the officer’s site photographs of the existing building. • The revised plans also introduce an additional window, which is not shown on the original drawings, is not depicted on the corresponding floor plans, and does not appear in the officer’s site photographs of the existing building, resulting in further ambiguity over whether this element forms part of the proposal. These discrepancies mean the Local Planning Authority cannot be satisfied as to the precise form, scale or external appearance of the development applied for. The inconsistencies prevent a clear and accurate assessment of the scheme, contrary to the requirement for planning submissions to provide sufficiently detailed and internally consistent information to allow proper determination of the application. The application therefore fails to meet the basic assessment requirements of the planning system and cannot be supported.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

SN10 1HL

Application type

Householder planning permission

Scale / size

Small

Parish

Devizes CP

Date validated

14 January 2026

Consultation expiry

5 February 2026

Consultation end

5 February 2026

Target decision date

11 March 2026

Statutory period

56 days

Documents

14