A couple facing the prospect of having to demolish their "odd looking" new extension are appealing against the council's decision
Paul and Rachelle Horridge, from Haslingden in Lancashire, had until the end of January to take action to remove the extension, which includes a first-floor child's bedroom, Lancs Live reports.
Last month, Rossendale Council heard from locals who claimed the extension - which features wooden cladding and stone walls - was out of keeping with the area.
Claims were also made that the extension encroaches onto a neighbour's property and could have damaged tree roots in a park next to the house. The couple have been in a planning dispute about the unauthorised extension for some time with Rossendale Council and the national Planning Inspectorate in Bristol A planning inspector has also visited the site.
In December last year at a Rossendale Council planning meeting, Rachelle Horridge spoke in favour of the couple’s retrospective application to keep the two-storey extension, albeit with some changes made such as adding a stone-pitched roof. The current extension has a flat roof, some wooden cladding and some stone walls. The upper floor is a different width to the ground floor.
At the December planning meeting, Mrs Horridge was crying and told Rossendale councillors: “We find ourselves in this extremely stressful situation because we trusted a builder who said the extension did not need a planning application. He showed us a few examples of extensions including one nearby. We were within a few inches of regularity. I now see we were foolish.”
She said they had a young family. The first floor extension was for one child, so she did not need to share a bedroom. The prospect of having to demolish the extension was having a ‘catastrophic impact’ and she added: “We are terrified for our future."
Rachelle Horridge insisted that no tree roots were harmed and felt many of the objections made were unfair.
However, neighbour Graham Lowthion spoke against the application in December, saying that it was turned down twice before by Rossendale Council and the council had been backed up by a national inspector. Mr Lowthion said locals agreed it was out-of-character with other houses but that a single-storey extension might be acceptable.
Some Rossendale councillors also expressed concern about the extension.
This week, a Rossendale Council spokesperson said: “Prior to the decision at December’s planning committee to refuse Mr and Mrs Horridge’s latest application, a previous decision by the Planning Inspectorate on their enforcement appeal meant they had to remove the unlawful extension this month, January.
“However, in respect of the refusal of their latest planning application in December, Mr and Mrs Horridge have confirmed their intention to exercise their rights to a planning appeal. This is expected to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate imminently.
“We have told the applicants that any enforcement action will be put on-hold pending the outcome of their appeal. They have also been advised to submit a further planning application for a scheme that may be acceptable in planning terms."
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