Planning appeal lodged over bungalow fire escape (From Salisbury Journal)

Planning appeal lodged over bungalow fire escape

4:50am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News By Corey Ross

THE owner of a bungalow has lodged an appeal against Wiltshire Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for an external staircase.

Barrie Sutherland applied to build the staircase in order to provide an external fire escape from a bedroom in the roof space at Quercus on New Bridge Road.

But Wiltshire Council said the proposed staircase would be in a “prominent visual location” in relation to the neighbouring public house, out of keeping with the character of the bungalow and would adversely affect the surrounding area.

Mr Sutherland wants to build the fire escape for “peace of mind” when sleeping due to the lack of fire precautions at ground floor level.

He said only the top third would be visible as the rest would be hidden from view by a mature hedge and only seen from the pub car park.

A planning inspector will now decide whether permission should be allowed on the basis of written statements.