Neighbour unhappy with plan for outbuilding in garden

PLANS for an outbuilding and five car parking spaces at a property in Henley have been criticised by a neighbour.

Luke Butcher, of Greys Hill, wants to build a rear flat-roof dormer and an outbuilding at his home to serve as accommodation.

The build would include associated landscaping works for car parking spaces.

Plans submitted by Creative Design and Structure propose a separate property with one bedroom, shower room and landing space as well as a new patio, gravel drive, retaining wall and steps.

However, Kish Saraff, of Greys Hill, raised concerns about increased vehicle movements, the scale of the property and it being “out of keeping” with the character of the area.

In a written objection to South Oxfordshire District Council, he said: “The proposed driveway appears to accommodate up to five vehicles, yet the access point shown to the dwelling on the plans is notably narrow. This raises significant concerns regarding safe ingress and egress, particularly given the alignment of Greys Hill.

“Increased vehicle movements through such a restricted access are likely to lead to congestion and pose a hazard to pedestrians and other road users.”

Mr Saraff said that he had concerns the dwelling could be used for business purposes.

He said: “My additional thought, given the number of parking spaces advocated, is that potentially it may be used to operate some form of business.

“Greys Hill is one of the smallest streets in Henley and is already subjected to challenges with parking at drop-off and pick-up time from Sacred Heart Primary School. This will only exacerbate the issue.”

Mr Saraff said the scale of the development was “excessive” and could contribute to further flooding issues.

“It risks creating a visually intrusive feature that detracts from the established streetscape, effectively shoehorned into a relatively small area surrounded and overlooked by residential housing.

“The increase in impermeable surfaces may contribute to surface water run-off, with potential implications for drainage.

“The underground ducting for communications infrastructure has been in the past subjected to flooding with run-off from the adjacent Greys Road.”

He added that “clear measures” should be implemented to mitigate impacts of building work, including restrictions on working hours, traffic management plans and site access arrangements.

The Henley Society, a conservation group, also objected to the plans.

It said: “We consider this application to be total overdevelopment and out of character with the area. A neighbour has raised a number of concerns with which we have total sympathy.”

In a planning meeting of the town council, councillor Ian Reissmann said the application was “significantly flawed”.

He said: “In many ways, this application has merit but, unfortunately, it’s also quite significantly flawed in that it’s an overdevelopment.

“Why five parking spaces are needed, I can’t imagine. There are concerns about the access at Greys Hill and those five cars.

“On the ground of being unneighbourly overdevelopment and access, I propose refusal.”

The planning committee recommended the plans were refused on the grounds of it being a overdevelopment of the site.

It was also concerned about the impact of the increased traffic in and out of the property.

A full decision will be made by the district council by January 8.