Appeal launched over controversial home plan (From Salisbury Journal)
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Appeal launched over controversial home plan
10:00am Sunday 2nd September 2012 in News By Miranda Robertson
AN appeal has been launched after an application to build a home on the site of a garage in Ringwood was turned down.
The application for a three-bedroom, semi-detached, two-storey house with single garage in North Poulner Road attracted eight letters of protest from neighbours, and Ringwood Town Council urged district planners to refuse permission.
Protestors said the plans would be out of character and overbearing, and the home would look squeezed in on the residential street near the infant and junior schools.
The planning team at New Forest District Council agreed the development would be “cramped and contrived” and would have a negative impact on the local area.
Neighbours feared the home, proposed by Kathryn Skeates, would add to congestion at school picking up and dropping off times, would overdevelop a small site and potentially cause flooding.
And the town council said it would be “seriously detrimental” to the residents next door.
But Christine McNulty, who is working as planning adviser to Mrs Skeates, told planners: “The amount of available sunlight and daylight available to the occupants of the neighbouring dwelling will not be reduced and given the council considers that a modest extension above the garage is acceptable, it therefore follows from this conclusion that a redevelopment that followed the same principle would not cause harm.”
The impact on number 34, next door, was an issue for both councils.
But Ms McNulty wrote: “The majority of the windows to the adjoining property are not affected.
“The most affected window is a ground floor dining room window. This window, however, serves only a small room and still retains its outlook to both sides and of the skyline. Therefore, while there may be an impact, it is only slight and certainly not to an unacceptable degree.”
She also says similar materials to existing buildings would be used in the development, so it would not look out of place in the street.
A planning inspector will decide the appeal in due course.
