planning objection wargrave 280825

PLANS to extend a house in Wargrave have been criticised by neighbours.

Matthew Tucker wants to build a two-storey side, rear and front extension to his home in Dark Lane.

Other proposed alterations include a loft conversion with roof lights and the demolition of the existing side garage and rear extension.

Residents have objected to Wokingham Borough Council about the scale of the development and the impact on neighbouring properties.

Concerns were also raised about the extension being “out of keeping” with the other six houses in the road.

Jayne Trolley, who lives in Dark Lane, said the development would change the aesthetic of an “exceptional” row of houses in the community.

She said: “I was shocked to see the extent to which the proposed extension will change the nature and aesthetic of the area.

“More importantly for us, however, is the potential disruption that will be an inevitable consequence of such a building project.

“I cannot contemplate the noise, continuous mess and damage that building on this scale in an established, quiet enclave of our village will cause the residents across the entire row.

“Access will need to come from both ends of our private road as the turning is so tight immediately in front of the proposed site.

“As owners, we are responsible for the road surface in front of our respective properties and absolutely no consideration has been given for the damage and disrepair that will inevitably ensue.”

Mrs Trolley added the extension would “double” the size of the property making it unsuitable compared to the size of the other five houses.

Neighbour Julia Bishop raised concerns about privacy.

She said: “The proposed extension comes out into the back garden a further metre from the existing single-storey kitchen wall and goes up two storeys.

“This is an unnecessary increase in the footprint of the house into the back garden, therefore overshadowing [our property].

“An apple tree at the back of the garage currently provides some screening between the two houses.

“The extension into the back garden would necessitate the removal of this tree, reducing the privacy of the garden.”

Mrs Bishop also objected to a south-facing Velux window being planned in the games room roof.

She said: “This would overlook our garden and we object to this on the basis of privacy. We would propose that no new windows are placed in the south side of the property.”

Neighbour Danny Sheehan said that a proposed second-floor window would overlook his patio area.

He wrote: “This is the primary area of private space in the garden used by family, including grandchildren.”

Neil Taylor, also of Dark Lane, said he objected because the plans were disproportionate.

He said: “The proposed design is significantly different in style from the other houses and the area in general.

“We consider the design to be disproportionately large compared to the original house and surrounding properties.”

Mr Tucker told the Henley Standard: “The other houses in the road have put in loft extensions so we felt that this was in keeping with the local area.

“The plot that we’re on is much larger than the other plots in the road, hence why we’re going out to the side because a lot of them are squeezed in between other houses.”

He said a previous application for the site in 1972 was for an additional house on the plot behind the existing one.

Mr Tucker said: “So, we feel the size of the plot can accommodate the extension as we’ve got a big family, we need the space. It’s no larger than the bigger houses in the area.

“It is slightly bigger than the houses next to us but we have also got an additional garage to the left-hand side which the others don’t and we’re only going another three metres out.

“We’re not affecting any distance between the neighbour directly adjacent because we’re going out the left-hand side, not the right hand-side, where our immediate neighbour is.”

On installing the glass apex window, Mr Tucker said: “We are looking to put it in at the front which is different from the other houses but there are others in the area that have them and it’s to get the view of the river.”

He added that he hoped to agree an alternative access to the site and a plan to manage construction traffic during the work, if the plans are approved.

Wargrave Parish Council objected to the application due to the bulk and mass of the development, adding that it would be “out of keeping” with the street scene.

It said: “The proposal may impact on the residential amenity of the neighbouring property.”

Wokingham Borough Council, the planning authority, will make a final decision.