Thursday, January 15, 2009

House could be torn down over 20-inch discrepancy in position

A £500,000 house in Wiltshire could be torn down after planners ruled it had been built 20 inches out of position.
The four-bedroom detached house in Devizes was set to go on the market later this month after building work was completed.
However, a whistle-blower discovered the property had been built outside the original plans and contacted Kennet District Council to complain.
When planning officials investigated they ruled the house had been built 20 inches out of position. The district council claimed the property was "too close to a byway" and was "oppressive and harmful" to residents.
Developer Danish Homes UK put forward a retrospective planning application - but this was also rejected after planners branded the changes "unacceptable".
Kennet District Council is now taking enforcement proceedings - which could result in the house being torn down.
Councillor Philip Brown said: "We could put a full enforcement order on them to pull the whole house down. We could order them to demolish it, or we could tell them to take it back to the original footprint of the house.
"They must have known the house was built in the wrong place. The house must be built as in the original application."
The mistake came to light when three objectors sent in letters of complaint to the district council.
The Trail Riders Fellowship and the Wiltshire Bridleways Association both objected to the plans - claiming the building encroaches into the public byway running past the house.
Keith Bennett, of agents for the site Bennett Architectural Designs, said: "I do not know how the mistake happened. They could order us to demolish it, in theory they could."
He said even if the council agreed to pull the house back by the required distance of it would be forced to take a huge chunk off a bedroom and the lounge.
"That would cost us up to £30,000 and it would knock thousands of pounds off the value of the house," Mr Bennett said.
Mr Bennett added that he is now set to appeal to the Secretary of State for Communities and Amenities Hazel Blears in a bid to keep the house as it is.
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