Grimston cottage extension agreed despite objections

The Howling family have been granted permission by West Norfolk Council to add an extension to Rose Cottage, a small two-bed house in Grimston near King's Lynn.

But the proposed project has caused commotion among villagers and the parish council.

An aerial view of Rose Cottage in Grimston (Image: Google)

Their concerns centred around the lack of parking and access to the home for construction workers, fearing the tiny roads would become blocked.

At a planning committee meeting this week, neighbour Mark Dye told councillors: "Safety would be compromised as there is nowhere else to park apart from on the highway."

Currently, Rose Cottage can only be accessed via foot across Mr Dye and Ms Billingham's land, with the couple having preferential rights over the driveway adjacent to their house.

The property has one car parking space, meaning any additional vehicles would have to park on the very narrow road.

Anglian Water engineers and tankers are often sited outside the Grimston pumping station, which is a few metres away from the entry to Rose Cottage (Image: Gaywood River Revival)

Grimston Parish Council clerk, Alan Loy, added that Anglian Water tankers often visit the site when the sewage treatment plant close by becomes overloaded, adding to congestion.

This has caused banks of a nearby chalk stream to collapse.

READ MORE: Villagers in Grimston endure 20 years of sewage spills

But despite these worries, Norfolk County Council's Highways team failed to see an issue.

Mr Dye has described Highways' decision as being "based on flawed logic and unsafe assumptions."

"It is utterly baffling. Where would any construction traffic park?"

Rose Cottage is to the right of the neighbouring property and is accessible only by foot (Image: West Norfolk Council)

This view was backed by several members of the planning committee, including chairman Terry Parish and Grimston councillor Michael De Whalley.

Mr Parish said: "I would have thought any planning application would better provision, not make it any worse."

READ MORE: Council put former school back on market after less than a year

Terry Parish, chairman of West Norfolk Council's planning committee (Image: West Norfolk Council)

However, councillor Vivienne Spikings saw the situation differently and argued that if the application was refused on parking grounds, the council would likely lose if an appeal was lodged due to a lack of objection from Highways consultants.

"If you don't have support for your objections, then you are in for hammering," she said.

Mr Parish argued the council had gone against advice from Highways previously and refused applications.

READ MORE: Controversial 1,100-home development gets green light after DECADE in the pipeline

The entrance to Rose Cottage (Image: West Norfolk Council)

'COUNCIL WAS MISLED'

Mr Dye has also claimed the council was misled by a document which said the home was a permanent residence.

"The building has been left unfurnished for two years. They do not live there," he said.

Another key complaint by the neighbour was that the extension would result in Mr Dye and his partner Carolyn Billingham being overlooked.

While some councillors were sympathetic others were not and planning officers found no issue.

Vivienne Spikings, Conservative councillor for Upwell ward (Image: Newsquest)

Councillor Vivienne Spikings said: "The whole country up and down has got people overlooking into gardens, I have.

"I’m overlooked 24/7, so I’m sorry if I go out in my dressing gown, tough. That’s how I have to live and did it this morning when I hung the washing out. They’ll have to get used to it."

Rose Cottage, looking at the property from its rear garden (Image: West Norfolk Council)

CLOSE DECISION

A proposal to refuse the application due to overlooking issues went to a vote but this was lost seven votes for to nine votes against.

When a proposal to approve was made, it won by nine votes to seven. 

Following the result, Mr Dye has signalled he intends to complain about how the application has been handled.

“There are wider implications here and this decision sets a dangerous precedent going forward both in terms of Highways safety, allocated parking and planning considerations for other prospective applications, " he said.

"We will be raising these issues with North West Norfolk MP James Wild and the council’s standards committee on this matter.”