Before changing the outside or structure of your property, please check whether you need written consent from Spofforth Park Management Company Ltd (SPMC).

The purpose of the consent process is not to prevent reasonable home improvements. It is to ensure that proposed changes comply with the property covenants, protect neighbours and preserve the safety, appearance and shared infrastructure of the estate.

Do I need SPMC’s consent?

You should contact Pure Block, SPMC’s managing agent, before ordering materials or starting work if you are considering:

• an extension, porch, conservatory, garden room, shed or other structure;
• a structural alteration to your house, garage or another building;
• a gate, railing, fence, wall, screen or hedge on a front or side boundary;
• solar panels, a heat pump, air-conditioning equipment or another external unit;
• work that may affect parking, access, drainage, services or a visibility splay; or
• substantial work to developer-planted trees or shrubs.

Internal non-structural work, routine garden maintenance and genuine like-for-like repairs will not normally require SPMC consent. If you are unsure, please ask Pure Block for written confirmation.

Isn’t council planning permission enough?

No. Council planning permission, permitted development rights, building regulations approval and SPMC consent are separate requirements.

Receiving planning permission from Leeds City Council does not automatically give you permission under your property’s TP1. Equally, SPMC consent does not remove the need to obtain any council or other statutory approval.

What is the Planning Sub-Committee?

The Planning Sub-Committee is appointed by SPMC to consider applications for alterations on behalf of the company under the authority delegated to it.

Despite its name, it is not part of Leeds City Council and does not determine planning applications. Its role is to consider whether a proposal complies with the covenants affecting the property and whether any required SPMC consent should be granted.

Panel members must consider applications fairly, consistently and on the evidence provided. A member should not take part where they have a personal interest or another conflict that could affect, or appear to affect, their impartiality.

What does the sub-committee consider?

Every application is considered on its own facts. The panel will normally consider:

• the relevant TP1 clauses and the plan for the individual property;
• the proposal’s size, position, height, materials, colour and design;
• its effect on the character and appearance of the estate;
• privacy, light, noise, security and the effect on neighbours;
• the safety of residents, children, pedestrians, drivers and pets;
• accessibility for wheelchair users, people with mobility aids, prams, deliveries and emergency access;
• parking, visibility, drainage, utilities, protected strips, trees and future maintenance;
• any relevant disability, mobility or other individual need;
• genuinely comparable developer-installed features or previously approved alterations; and
• whether an amended design or reasonable condition could resolve a concern.

Personal preferences are not enough to approve or refuse an application. Decisions must be connected to the covenants and the actual effect of the proposal.

Are front or side gates, fences and railings prohibited?

No. They are not automatically prohibited.

Clause 12.4.1(c) of the TP1 requires prior written consent for a gate, railing, fence, wall, screen, hedge or other boundary structure on a front or side boundary. Where the TP1 provides for consent, that consent must not be unreasonably withheld.

Low-level and visually open gates or railings may be acceptable where they complement the estate, protect sightlines and do not interfere with paths, parking, drainage, services or access. High, solid or visually dominant enclosures are less likely to be acceptable.

Privacy, home security, child safety and the need to contain a pet are all relevant considerations. However, they do not guarantee approval and must be balanced against the other circumstances of the property.

Does an alteration elsewhere on the estate create a precedent?

Not automatically.

Developer-installed features form part of the estate’s character but may have been included under different development arrangements. An alteration made by another homeowner is relevant only if it received consent and is genuinely comparable in its location, height, design and effect.

Unauthorised work elsewhere does not create a right for another homeowner to carry out similar work.

What should I include with my application?

Please provide enough information for the panel to understand exactly what is proposed. This will normally include:

• a clear description of the work;
• a site plan and drawings showing the existing and proposed position;
• measurements, including height and width;
• photographs of the property and proposed location;
• details of materials, colour and finish;
• relevant product information;
• contractor, access and material-storage arrangements; and
• details of any similar estate features on which you wish to rely.

Pure Block will advise you about the application form, current fee and any additional information required.

Please avoid including unnecessary photographs or personal information about neighbours, children or other residents.

What decisions can the sub-committee make?

The panel may:

• confirm that SPMC consent is not required;
• request further information;
• approve the application;
• approve it subject to reasonable conditions; or
• refuse the application.

Conditions might cover the approved dimensions and materials, inward opening of a gate, protection of drainage or services, construction arrangements, maintenance or preventing later infilling or enlargement.

If an application is refused, the written decision should explain the property-specific reasons, the relevant covenant or restriction and why an amended design or conditions would not adequately resolve the concern.

Will neighbours be consulted?

The panel may invite comments from an immediately affected neighbour where a proposal could materially affect privacy, light, noise, access, drainage or a shared boundary.

Neighbour comments are evidence for the panel to consider. They are not a vote and do not give a neighbour an automatic right to approve or veto an application.

What if I disagree with the decision?

You may ask SPMC to review a refusal or a condition. A review request should normally be made in writing within 28 days of the decision.

You should explain whether you believe there has been:

• a factual error;
• important evidence that was overlooked;
• inconsistent treatment;
• a procedural concern;
• relevant new information; or
• a possible compromise or amended design.

Where reasonably practical, the review will be undertaken by directors who were not involved in the original decision. The original decision remains in effect until the review has been completed.

Can I start work while my application is being considered?

No. You should wait until written consent has been issued and make sure that your contractors follow the approved plans and conditions.

Work carried out without the required prior consent may breach the TP1. SPMC cannot backdate consent or erase the original breach, although it may consider whether completed work can be allowed to remain subject to conditions, remedial work or further legal documentation.

Where can I get help?

Please contact Pure Block before starting work if you are unsure whether consent is required or what information you need to provide.

Further information is available in SPMC’s Making Changes to Your Home: Resident Guidance and the relevant TP1 for your property.