Scottish Daily Mail

Riddle of £800k renovation­s that planners refused

- By David Churchill

ROBERT Jenrick was mired in a fresh row yesterday after it emerged Tory councillor­s approved an extension to his £2.6million townhouse despite planning officials rejecting it three times.

Documents show the Housing Secretary, 38, submitted plans to turn a rear firstfloor roof terrace into an extra room as part of renovation­s costing £830,000. It was twice rejected by Westminste­r City Council’s planning officer in January and April 2014. This was on the grounds it would ‘harm’ the character and appearance of the building and surroundin­g conservati­on area. But in August 2014, two months after he became the Tory MP for Newark in Nottingham­shire, Mr Jenrick and his wife submitted plans for a third time. Although the planning officer ruled it should again be refused, Tory councillor Steve Summers intervened and requested it be referred to a committee to decide. Mr Summers lives in the same exclusive square, just a short walk from the Houses of Parliament, as Mr Jenrick,

The Times reported. In November 2014, three Tory councillor­s on the planning committee then voted to overturn the officer’s decision and approve it.

The first two applicatio­ns had been made in Mr Jenrick’s name, but the third was under his wife’s, although she was wrongly listed as ‘Mr Michal Berkner’ on documents.

The only councillor who voted against on the four-member planning committee was Labour’s Ruth Bush. Last night, she said it raises concerns about why fellow councillor­s approved the scheme. She said: ‘It is strange. There are clearly questions to be asked now.’

The documents show permission was given despite the structure under the third applicatio­n being 25cm (10in) higher. If it hadn’t been called into committee the officer’s refusal would have stood.

Mr Jenrick’s opposite number, Labour’s shadow communitie­s secretary Steve Reed, called on the minister to reveal details of any contact he had with Tory councillor­s in the run-up or during the process.

He said: ‘The public need reassuranc­e that there’s not one rule for Conservati­ve politician­s and another for everyone else.’

Paul Church, one of the Tory councillor­s who gave planning approval, said he could not remember why he had done so and did not know Mr Jenrick was the owner. Committee chairman Richard Beddoe did not respond to requests for comment.

The third Tory member, Robert Rigby, said he had no contact with Mr Jenrick or his wife in the run-up to approving the extension, did not know Mr Jenrick was the owner, does not consider the housing minister or his wife a ‘friend’ and that the applicatio­n was ‘judged on its merits and in planning terms’.

Mr Summers referred questions to the council’s press office. The council said the scheme had ‘support from neighbours and due process was followed at all times’.

A spokesman for Mr Jenrick said: ‘Normal planning process for a standard planning extension was followed.’

‘The public need reassuranc­e’

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom