A government inspector has turned down an appeal to knock down a ‘poor quality’ bungalow in a South Cumbrian village and build a low carbon home in its place.
The Planning Inspectorate has dismissed an appeal lodged by OMS Technical for the demolition of a bungalow in Great Urswick to be replaced with a modern, low carbon’ one.
According to a report issued by the Planning Inspectorate, the proposed single storey home would appear substantially at odds with the modest size of neighbouring buildings, resulting in an incongruous development that would be harmful to the street.
Planning documents submitted by the applicant said the proposed low carbon home would use sustainable construction methods, with environment and energy consumption at the forefront of the design philosophy.
Westmorland and Furness Council refused the application in October 2023 after ruling the proposed property would be unduly prominent on the street.
The council’s decision notice said: “The proposal is also considered to be overdevelopment of the site given the excessive scale of the proposal compared with surrounding buildings along the southern side of the road.
“The proposed replacement dwelling and the proposed boundary fence due to their height in close proximity to the neighbouring dwelling to the east, would result in unacceptable overbearance, overshadowing, and loss of daylighting to the neighbouring dwelling.”
Urswick, Bardsea and Stainton parish council objected to the proposed development due to the visual impact of the plans.
The parish council said: “We do not object in principle to the development of the site but continue to support the objections raised by a significant number of residents, being that the scale, design and visual impact of this proposed development is out of keeping with both the surrounding properties and character of the village.”
The original application said: “Historically The Willows was categorised as a building that has a damaging or detrimental impact on the special interest of the area, of poor architectural quality, in poor condition and constructed using unsympathetic construction materials.”
