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Uproar over new bungalow plans

Residents are in uproar over plans to build two new homes in their neighbourhood.

Developer Nicholas Shipley has put in a planning application to build two new dormer bungalows on Airmyn Road in Goole, following demolition of the bungalow called The Hollies at number 15.

Mr Shipley's bid - initially for outline planning permission - has sparked a voluble protest from residents, who have branded it a 'get-rich-quick' development and completely out of character with the rest of the area.

They claim the dormers - which would be built on The Hollies site, including its garden - would overlook some neighbouring homes and lead to a loss of privacy for residents.

On Monday a group of neighbours spoke out against the plans at a meeting of Goole Town Council's Planning Committee.

At least one resident broke down in tears as she described how the new development would affect her suburban idyll.

Rosemary Webster, of Chester Court, Park Avenue, which adjoins Airmyn Road, said: "It would cause blatant privacy infringements - it would look over my recreational area and private dwellings."

Mrs Webster added that the loss of The Hollies garden would also lead to the loss of "irreplaceable" wildlife.

She said it would also lead to increased traffic problems, ruin the tranquility of Park Avenue, and be totally out of character with the rest of Airmyn Road.

Mrs Webster has also taken exception to the fact that the two dormers will look very much like her own, which she designed herself.

She said that at present "not one (property on Airmyn Road) mimics the other".

Martin Wilson, of Airmyn Road, also took to the floor to speak out against the development.

In an emotional address to councillors, he claimed the dormer bungalows would ruin the look of the area, in which each of the properties had its own style.

Mr Wilson said the impact on his own property would be enormous, and that the dormers could increase the flood risk to his garden.

"It's our view that there is no need for additional housing in this area and it's not in keeping with the current properties on Airym Road," he said.

Councillors voted unanimously to object to the proposals on the grounds that the dormers would overlook existing homes.

Cllr Shirley Marhsall said: "I think it's a crying shame that they are going to demolish that house (The Hollies)."

Committee chairman Cllr Malcolm Boatman said the dormer bungalows would bring repetition to and spoil the character of the area.

Cllr Jane Marsden said: "I just think it will have a detrimental effect on the residents if it goes ahead. I think it's just another case of people wanting to build on any piece of land and get money for it. It's not in keeping with the area there, it just isn't."

Patrick Southcott, whose Thorne-based company RPM Draughting Ltd is acting as agent for Mr Shipley, denied that the dormer bungalows would overlook neighbouring properties or infringe residents' privacy.

He also claimed that The Hollies was already overlooking the existing properties but that the new homes would front onto Airmyn Road.

Mr Southcott stressed that the design for the dormers was still open to change should outline planning permission be granted.

He admitted, however, that the dormers were similar in design to Chester Court.

"They are alike but that can be changed," he said.

In response to accusations that the development would be a crude, 'get-rich-quick' scheme, he said: "Anybody who builds on a piece of land does so because it's valuable."

He added: "This is outline [planning permission] only. It hasn't been determined - that [the design] is something that can be conditioned with full planning permission.

"Their [the residents'] concerns will be addressed if planning permission is given in the reserved matters stage."

Published on 21st August 2008 in News.

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