At a quieter than usual meeting, Wandsworth Council’s Planning Applications Committee approved [pdf] a series of domestic developments in Putney this week — including a controversial multi-level extension at 40 Skeena Hill, despite neighbour concerns over light loss and visual dominance.
Skeena Hill scheme gets green light after redesign
The plans for 40 Skeena Hill — featuring a two-storey side extension, new rear terrace, roof alterations and a garden studio — had previously been rejected and dismissed on appeal. But after a redesign that reduced the scale and removed a pitched roof element, officers recommended approval, and the committee agreed unanimously.
Councillors debated whether the remaining flank wall facing No. 38 remained overbearing. But officers emphasised that the house sits further back due to the curve of the street, and that the north-facing gardens would limit sunlight impact. A last-minute letter from the neighbour hinting at a compromise arrived too late to influence the decision.
St Ann’s Hill outbuilding deferred
In contrast, an application for a basement-equipped outbuilding at 174 St Ann’s Hill was deferred, after officers found inconsistencies between submitted drawings and what had been built on site. The applicant must provide accurate ‘as built’ plans before a decision can be made.
St John’s Avenue pediment approved despite heritage pushback
Councillors also approved changes at 29 St John’s Avenue [pdf], including a side extension and decorative pediment that had been criticised by the borough’s Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee. The panel argued the classical detail detracted from the Victorian architecture, but the planning committee sided with officers, who felt the harm was limited and outweighed by design consistency.
Norroy Road enforcement backed
The committee also authorised enforcement at 76 Norroy Road, where a loft extension was used to create two flats without permission. Officers accepted a factual correction from a neighbour — who pointed out that similar extensions nearby were original to the 1880s — but insisted it made no difference to their view. The flats must now be reconfigured into single-bedroom units, with obscured windows to preserve neighbour privacy.
