Kentish Express Ashford & District
Neighbours relish defeat of ‘intrusive’ home extension
Councillors ignore planning team’s advice and reject application
Neighbours protesting against an application for an ‘over-developed’ extension on a house in Park Farm sighed in relief when councillors voted against it.
A proposal for a two-storey extension to be added to a home in Conker Close, in Kingsnorth, was submitted to Ashford Borough Council (ABC) by the Ralph family.
The plans included an open car port, an additional bedroom, and a garage conversion.
Neighbour Joshua High spoke at the planning committee, held last Wednesday at the Civic Centre, on behalf of other families in Conker Close, who were sitting in the public area.
He described the plans as ‘intrusive’, and said the extension would lead to loss of privacy for other homes and parking problems in the close as the number of spaces would be reduced from five to two.
He added that the design did not fit with the street scene and that the house would overshadow existing properties.
Ward member for the area Cllr Tina Heyes (Con) agreed that the application was a concern.
She said: “There are several objections to this application – seven from residents and from the parish council.
“I’ve been to the close before to liaise with neighbours and I had trouble parking. So there are concerns.
“The issue is with the size. No other property has a carport, and it doesn’t keep within the street scene.
“This application has the second highest activity on ABC’s planning site, second only to Chilmington Green. This shows how important it is to residents.”
‘I feel uncomfortable with this application. It is unusually intrusive and overdeveloped’
Cllr Graham Galpin (Con) added: “This is quite a difficult one. It conforms with our parking standards, but doesn’t follow the street scene.
“I feel uncomfortable with this application. It is unusually intrusive and over-developed.”
The family’s architect, Tina McFadzean, also spoke at the meeting and defended the project, adding that it was a modest proposal, and that the extra space would prevent the family from having to move to a larger property.
However, despite officer’s recommendations that members of the committee permit the application, and Ms McFadzean’s plea, councillors opted to refuse consent.