Policy information sourced from Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan
LP 39 Infill, Backland and Backgarden Development
Infill and Backland Development
- All infill and backland development must reflect the character of the surrounding area and protect the amenity and living conditions of neighbours. In considering applications for infill and backland development the following factors should be addressed:
- Retain plots of sufficient width for adequate separation between dwellings;
- Retain similar spacing between new buildings to any established spacing;
- Retain appropriate garden space for adjacent dwellings;
- Respect the local context, in accordance with policy LP 2 Building Heights;
- Enhance the street frontage (where applicable) taking account of local character;
- Incorporate or reflect materials and detailing on existing dwellings, in accordance with policy LP 1 Local Character and Design Quality;
- Retain or re-provide features important to character, appearance or wildlife, in accordance with policy LP 16 Trees and Landscape;
- Result in no unacceptable adverse impact on neighbours, including loss of privacy to existing homes or gardens, in accordance with policy LP 8 Amenity and Living Conditions;
- Provide adequate servicing, recycling and refuse storage as well as cycle parking;
- Result in no unacceptable impact on neighbours in terms of visual impact, noise or light from vehicular access or car parking.
Backgarden Development
- There is a presumption against loss of back gardens due to the need to maintain local character, amenity space and biodiversity. Back garden land which contributes either individually or as part of a larger swathe of green space to amenity of residents or provides wildlife habitats must be retained. In some cases a limited scale of backgarden development may be considered acceptable if it complies with the factors set out in A above. Development on backgarden sites must be more intimate in scale and lower than frontage properties.
For more information please see the Local Plan