Neighbours at war in bungalow land
RESIDENTS of a street dubbed “bungalow land” hit the roof when a neighbour successfully applied to raise his home – by just 15in.
There are only 24 dwellings in the cul- de- sac but Ferdinando Defeo’s plans triggered 57 objections.
Mr Defeo wants to raise the height of the roof of his £ 250,000 bungalow in Bournemouth to create a second storey.
Other homeowners fear the plan will set a worrying precedent on the street. But the furious response has left Mr Defeo, 55, perplexed as he simply wants to create a bedroom for his Royal Marine son when he is on leave and a sewing room for his wife, Vanessa.
Planners at Bournemouth Borough Council considered the con- cerns that the plans would “harmfully alter the character of the area” but granted father- of- three Mr Defeo planning permission.
Resident David Fields described the 1930s estate – which includes two other roads – “bungalow land” and said the original builder had taken “great pride in the design”. He said: “To build a first- floor development would be totally out of character with the area and adjacent bungalows.
“We are particularly concerned about lost privacy to our very private rear gardens. That’s why we moved here, where a 6ft fence is all you need for privacy.”
But Mr Defeo, who has lived in Hazell Avenue for five years, pointed to several loft conversions in the street. He said: “They say it will affect their privacy. But I was going to build a 6ft fence at end of my garden not long ago and the neighbour asked me not to, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to see me. It’s just silly.
“I’m not building a tower block; I’m just going up 15in. It’s sloped as well, so there is no way it can cast a shadow.”