My ‘nightmare’ neighbour looks RIGHT into my home – ‘Grand Designs’ mansion ruins village & sticks out like sore thumb
FUMING residents have blasted their neighbour's "Grand Designs" mansion for invading their privacy and being an eyesore which ruins the village.
The fierce row has divided the picturesque village of Old Hunstanton, near Kings Lynn on the North Norfolk coast, leading to rifts locals say will never be healed.
Opponents claim the new three-storey property, which is owned by a finance chief, is ugly, unsightly, totally out of character for the area and breaches planning rules.
But the seaside luxury home has also sparked fury after claims that the controversial building breached planning rules - and should never have been built.
And the village's parish council has been forced to tell critics to stop bombarding councillors with abusive calls and messages as anger over the £3million property continues to mount.
The unspoilt picturesque village - with a population of just 650 - has become a highly-desired hot-spot for people looking for a seaside holiday home.
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It has been dubbed "Millionaire's Row" by locals as wealthy second-home owners snap up any property that comes onto the market.
But many locals are angry that the new home just completed by a London financier has allegedly broken planning rules and is bigger than it should be.
The property - just a few hundred yards from the beach - replaces a chalet bungalow which was used as a guest house and was allegedly sold for £900,000 so the site could be redeveloped.
Neighbour Dawn Brooke said: "We have lost our privacy. We had to put up with builders looking in and are now overlooked by a balcony and barbeque area.
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"People there can see straight into my kitchen window. We have no privacy anymore.
"The new house looks awful. I haven't met anyone in the village who likes it.
"It is certainly not in keeping with other properties around it and sticks out like a very sore thumb."
And the couple living opposite have also criticised the new property.
Nigel and Anne Elgood, whose family have lived in the road for more than 70 years, said: "The council originally turned down planning permission for the new property on the grounds that its design was not comparable with the area and unacceptable.
"It may have had the same footprint but the height and mass of the new building is significantly larger than the demolished property.
"Originally the district council opposed the design and said it was not comparable with the immediate area.
"Concerns were raised about other properties nearby being overlooked and the plans were altered.
"But some of the work done was unapproved at the time and what we have now is a building that it three storeys with full room heights.
"We estimate the lifting of the ground and first floors to increase the room height of the lower ground floor has added at least six feet to the building's height and the impact of this unapproved construction work has been devastating."
Locals slam new property
Another neighbour said: "A lot of people around here are extremely unhappy that it has apparently breached planning rules by having a basement rather than an attic."
One resident commented: "This house is overbearing - and exceeds what is needed for a family home.
"And the building is far too large for the site."
Another said: "We weren't unhappy about the original design but what started out as a modest bungalow has turned into a large offensive eye-sore which has greatly compromised local people's privacy and enjoyment."
And another local argued: "Why make planning conditions if they can be easily varied or removed?
The new house looks awful. I haven't met anyone in the village who likes it.
Dawn Brooke
"All too often architects and builders take liberties with the planning process in order to give the clients what they want.
"Old Hunstanton is in danger of losing its identity but its character must be protected - and enforcement action must be taken if necessary."
Objector Michael Oldham said: "A culture of non-compliance and contempt for planning regulations and laws has been hanging over the site since the first application was made two years ago - and which was rejected on multiple grounds including size."
And a resident living in sight of the controversial new home said: "When we first saw it we thought it was block of flats going up. It really is an eyesore.";
Local Gill Colbeck-Tate added: "It has certainly been controversial and a lot of people around here have very strong feelings about the new house.
What to do if you want to complain about planning permission
- Head to the gov.uk website and click
- There you can make a complaint about an item from the list below
- Make sure your complaint is issued within a year
What you can complain about
- The standard of service they provide
- The conduct of their staff
- Any action or lack of action by staff affecting an individual or group
- Circumstances where you think their staff have not properly followed Government planning policy or guidance, relevant legislation and our procedural guidance
Outcome
- An apology, explanation and acknowledgement of responsibility
- Remedial action, such as reviewing or changing our service standards; revising published material; revising procedures or guidance; training or supervising staff; or any combination of these
If remain unhappy, you can ask your Member of Parliament to take your complaint to the independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
"Many thinks it's awful and I haven't met anyone who who likes it - critics say is is just not in keeping with the neighbourhood."
Other properties in and around Wodehouse Road - named after "Jeeves" writer PG Wodehouse - now change hands for a million pounds plus.
Wodehouse was often in the village staying with the local Lord of the Manor in the 1920s and 1930s.
Councillors bombarded with abuse
Parish council clerk Nick Eastwell said: "The council is very aware that the development on that site is causing much debate - there have even been some anonymous calls made to councillors.
"The original application was for a two-storey and there may have been breaches of the original planning permission which means the building that appears to be too big and high for its plot and surrounding dwellings.
"It directly impacts on the light and privacy of immediate neighbours and is generally seen as unsightly by people living in the neighbourhood."
The owner financier Mr Middleton, who is believed to run a financial service company, originally got permission to replace the existing modest house last year after it had been demolished.
A lot of people around here have very strong feelings about the new house.
Gill Colbeck-Tate
He admits that there have been some "slight" alterations to a balcony and windows and the addition of a basement room which were the subject of a retrospective planning application.
In the latest move the West Norfolk council's planning officer Connor Small has recommended the alterations from the original plan should be given the green light.
He said: "Contrary to the objections being raised, the original approved application was always for a three-storey building - lower ground level which would be partially submerged ground and first floors.
"The addition of the lower round room utilises an existing void that was already there as part of the property's footings.
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"There have been no changes in the configuration of the building and it has not made any difference to the external appearance of the overall building.
"Due to the submerged nature of the room there is no overlooking of any neighbouring properties."
