House extension appeal rejected

A homeowner will still not be allowed to build an extension on his house after a government inspector threw out an appeal.

Plans to build a two-storey side and rear extension to a house in Malvern Road in Worcester were rejected by the city council earlier this year.

Applicant Andrew Sayers unsuccessfully appealed to have the decision overturned with a government inspector backing the council’s planning department.

One neighbour in Malvern Road had objected to the extension saying it would block sunlight into his house and garden.

Government planning inspector Liam Page said the extension would “overbearing” for neighbours and dismissed the appeal.

“The proposal would provide a substantial side extension, which by reason of increased depth and height, would significantly detract from the outlook currently enjoyed from the habitable room in question,” he said in a report outlining the rejection of the appeal.

“Consequently, the side extension would dominate the outlook from the habitable room by comparison and replace a feeling of openness with an oppressive expanse of built form.

“It would therefore be overbearing on the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers. This would not appear to be mitigated by outlook from front or rear windows from this particular room, which does not have any such provision when interior doorways are closed.”

The plan was rejected by Worcester City Council in March with officers saying the proposed extension would be “overbearing” and cause too many problems for neighbours to be allowed to be built.

“In the opinion of the council the proposed extension would, particularly by reason of its siting and scale in terms of depth and height, result in a substantial side elevation that would be unduly overbearing,” a report outlining the objection said.

“Consequently, the proposed extension would have a harmful impact on the living conditions of [the neighbours].”