The owner of a garden room built within the grounds of a 200-year-old listed cottage has been ordered to tear it down. Homeowner Kenneth Walker did not get planning permission for the building first and has been told by the council that it has to go because it is blocking neighbours' views and light.
The council has rejected his appeal against the decision to refuse retrospective planning permission after hearing complaints from neighbours who were concerned about a loss of privacy, its size and plans to use the cottage and garden room as a holiday let. Mr Walker said he bought the cottage a few years ago in a state of disrepair and had not realised he needed planning permission for the garden room because it replaced a previous one which had to be taken down
He insisted it was within the height measurements allowed denying claims it was intrusive or blocking light from neighbour’s homes. Councillors in East Lothian were told at a recent review meeting that five objections had been raised by local residents, with one neighbour telling officers she had to shut her blinds when caring for her baby because it overlooked her windows, EdinburghLive reports.
