The Southern Area Planning Committee of Test Valley Borough Council met on 12 August 2025, and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. Councillors approved an application for a single-storey extension and alterations to a property in Romsey.

Planning Application for Ardbraccan, Bow Lane, Romsey

The committee approved planning permission for application 25/00790/FULLS for a single-storey flat roof extension to the side and rear of Ardbraccan, Bow Lane, Romsey, as well as alterations to the roof to create a second storey, dormer window and Juliet balcony.

The application was brought to the committee at the request of a local ward member.

Romsey Town Council objected to the plans, raising concerns about the location of the Juliet balcony and the provision of off-street parking. Three letters/emails were also received objecting to the plans, with concerns raised about the scale of the dormer window, overlooking, and the specification for the party wall in the attic/loft.

The planning officer's report considered the main issues to be:

• Principle of the development
• Impact on character and appearance of the local area
• Impact on biodiversity
• Impact on amenity
• Impact on parking standards

The officer's report noted that the application site is within the settlement boundary of Romsey, where development is acceptable in principle, subject to compliance with other policies.

The report stated that the proposed alterations to the roofline would alter the appearance of the property compared to its attached neighbour, but that this would not result in any harmful visual impact due to the unique position of the property at the end of a private road. The proposed ground floor side extension was also considered unlikely to be publicly visible, and the rear alterations are not publicly visible.

The proposal involved significant alterations to the existing roof, and was supported by a detailed Phase II Bat Survey completed by Ecosupport Ltd. This identified the presence of bats and the requirement for a European Protected Species (EPS) licence prior to the commencement of the proposed works.

The report concluded that the proposal was in accordance with the Test Valley Borough Council Revised Local Plan (2016).

The permission was granted subject to conditions, including that the development must begin within three years, and that it must be carried out in accordance with the submitted plans. The external materials used must match those specified in the application, and the development must proceed in accordance with the measures and recommendations set out in the Phase II Surveys Report (Ecosupport, September 2024), unless varied by a European Protected Species (EPS) license issued by Natural England.

Declarations of Interest

Councillor Mark Cooper, Chair of the Southern Area Planning Committee, declared a personal interest in application 25/00790/FULLS as he knew one of the speakers, but remained in the room and spoke but did not vote on the matter. Councillors Karen Dunleavey, Neil Gwynne and John Parker also declared a personal interest in the same application for the same reason, and remained in the room and spoke and voted on the matter.