LOCALS have been left furious and claim their council “let them down” by approving next door’s “skyscraper” extension.
Builder and homeowner Danny Dare is in the process of building what enraged neighbours have called a “monstrosity” on his home in Horwich, near Bolton.
Homeowners in a town near Bolton have called the extension a ‘skyscraper’[/caption]
Neighbours have complained the dormer will encroach on their privacy[/caption]
A birdseye view of the property to show the scale of the extension[/caption]
Despite being shockingly compared to a hotel, Danny’s dormer is only 9.4m wide and will give his two-storey property just one other level.
But the two extra bedrooms it adds for Danny and his family has left residents on the street fuming as they blast it spoils the road’s character.
Walter Gent, 64, who lives in a nearby bungalow, said he objected to the plans due to four criteria: the loss of privacy, it not keeping with the character of the road, over-development and the impact on parking.
He said: “I feel let down by Bolton Council.
“Initially, the plans were turned down by Horwich Council but they then passed into to Bolton, who took a complete different view.
“They approved it because other dormers had been built in the area – but how can they compare it to ones built three streets away.
“I’ve already had to put up a 14ft high hedge in my back garden, but the dormer will mean less privacy because it will overlook my house and bedroom.
“It’ll feel like were living next to a hotel or a skyscraper.”
Danny began building the dormer thinking it was a permitted development.
But he applied for retrospective planning permission soon after because the works would cover a side extension – and it was granted.
He told The Sun: “I’m a builder myself and build dormers all the time.
“I’ve never had any problems until I wanted to build one on my home.
“But at the end of day, the council have approved it. So I don’t see what the problem is.
“I can’t understand what people are complaining about.
“They say it’s a privacy issue and it’ll mean we can see through their windows. But that’s not the case.”
Councillor Ryan Bamforth however, slammed Bolton Council for their lack of “moral fibre”.
He said: “Another concerning aspect was the home-owner’s decision to start building and then seek retrospective planning permission.
“I was extremely upset it was granted.
“If councillors roll over to builders and developers every time there will be constant development because they will know retrospective applications will be approved.
“They should have the moral fibre to stand up for what is right and wrong.”
But other residents are less concerned about the dormer.
One woman said: “I know it’s upset some of my neighbours but I’ve got no objections to it at all.
“I can’t see there’s any loss of privacy because the top windows of the house already overlook our gardens anyway.
“And, as far I’m concerned, the house is some distance away from my home.”
A report by a council planning officer said the dormer extension is acceptable because the distance to other homes is in line with planning policy.
It claims it’s also not ‘out of place’ because there are others nearby.
As the dormer “is not readily visible from surrounding streets” it was considered it would “not harm the street scene”, the report said.
There would be “no undue overlooking, or loss of privacy”, it added.
Although parking wasn’t currently an issue, it noted that additional driveway space for vehicles could be considered.
Bolton Council has been contacted for comment.
What are my rights?
IF you’re not happy with your neighbour’s extension plans, there are some things you can do.
Once plans are submitted to the council, locals should be given a period where they can object or comment on the plans.
The plans for anything happening near you should be public once an application is submitted – so you can check on your local council website for these.
If you and a couple of neighbours complain for valid reasons, the council may decided to decline the homeowner the right to go ahead with their plans.
Valid reasons include:
- Loss of privacy
- The project would overshadow your home – blocking natural light
- Impact on the local area
- Traffic and parking
- Impact on neighbours
- Impact on trees and local wildlife
However, if plans have been approved there is little you can do.
You can challenge the decision but again, would need to have a valid reason for doing so with proof.
Neighbours complained it overlooked their bedrooms[/caption]
The works were approved by Bolton Council[/caption]
Owner Danny said you can’t even see into people’s windows from the extension[/caption]
