A furious Nottinghamshire couple claim an ‘intrusive’ neighbouring bungalow has slashed up to £30,000 off their house price. Roger Smith, 59, and Sharon Smith, 61, of Kirby Close, in Newthorpe near Eastwood, have been left distraught by the impact of a recently-built bungalow, which they say has a roof close enough to their garden to touch.
The bungalow is at the back of two properties in Mill Road, and backs onto the Smiths' garden. The bungalow itself was subject to a battle over planning permission which lasted for years.
The plans for the one-storey home had been rejected multiple times by Broxtowe Borough Council and once by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate when appealed by the applicant. But another appeal was allowed by the Planning Inspectorate in July 2018 - and planning permission was agreed so construction work could start.
The house was then built two years ago after the land, with planning permission, was sold to a new owner, according to the Smiths who say the bungalow has brought them misery ever since.
Mr Smith said: “It dwarfs our garden completely. We’ve had to put up blinds to keep our privacy and it’s ruined the light. It’s definitely devalued our home as well. I just can’t believe it was ever built to be honest.”
Mrs Smith added: “It’s so intrusive and close. You can reach out and touch the roof from our garden.” The couple said they had even attempted to buy the land to prevent the bungalow being built but were unsuccessful.
According to them, an independent property valuation has found the neighbouring property has cut 25k to 30k off their home since the construction of the bungalow. “We were told it may have knocked £25,000 to £30,000 off the house. Our neighbours aren’t happy either, one of them has put up conifers along their house to block it out," Mr Smith said.
Mrs Smith added: “We can’t do anything now, but we want to highlight the issue really. The applicant gets a right to appeal at that level but we do not.”
In a report outlining the Planning Inspectorate's decision, an inspector acknowledged a small proportion of the rear wall of the proposal and all of its roof would be visible from the Smiths' property. But the inspector said the "modest height and shallow pitch roof would mean it would not obstruct the outlook from this neighbouring property".
The Inspector added: "I have carefully considered the effect of this proposal on the occupiers of these two neighbouring dwellings and on other surrounding properties. However, overall, I do not consider the proposal in Appeal A would unacceptably harm the living conditions of the neighbouring residents."
Nottinghamshire Live attempted to contact the occupants of the new bungalow. Planning agent Steve Dance, speaking on behalf of applicant Mark Copeland who previously obtained permission and sold the land, said: "We had various appeals, and lost one and won one. Actually, the one we lost was designed to avoid going past their garden, so the bungalow that got consent does go past their garden - which we won on appeal.
"We fought long and hard to get a development on the site, it was totally appropriate for at least one dwelling. We had various designs refused and that we designed to avoid impact on neighbours. We won it fair and square on appeal, both neighbours were consulted and I'm sure objected to it."
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