Couple 'pleased' as house demolition plan rejected

The 87-year-old owner of a semi-detached house said she was "really pleased" after an application to demolish and rebuild her neighbour's house as a luxury home was rejected.

King's Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council refused plans to build a four-bedroom house in Burnham Market on grounds including "unacceptable risk to health, safety, and wellbeing" of the neighbours.

Ivy Wells, who has lived next door with her husband David, 92, for 60 years said: "I am really pleased, I just cannot believe it."

The applicant, Naomi Clark, who is from London, said: "We were surprised and disappointed by the committee's decision to overrule the advice of their planning officers who had recommended approval."

Some 451 objections were made against the plans, with many citing the impact the development could have on the neighbours on Creake Road.

The couple's grand-daughter Amy Nelligan said "they really need their home for peace and stability".

"It's not fair that a couple that have lived in their home for 60 years, have given so much to their community — for that to be torn away from them is not on," she said.

Burnham Market has been nicknamed Chelsea-on-Sea in some quarters because of the high number of second homes.

At a planning committee meeting, councillors had been asked by officers to accept the plan.

However, all but one, who abstained, voted against granting planning permission.

The meeting heard the work involved could cause "structural noise, dust and vibration" and affect the older couple's "ability to safely and comfortably occupy their home".

The planning committee said it was "not satisfied" these could be "mitigated or controlled".

Mrs Wells said she received a letter in the post informing her of the plans to demolish and rebuild the house on the other side of their party wall.

"Why didn't you come round and talk?" she asked.

"I wouldn't have been pleased, but no-one explained anything to me."

However, she was worried there would now be an appeal to the government's Planning Inspectorate.

Sam Sandell, Conservative ward councillor for Burnham Market and Docking, said: "I am really happy, and I think a lot of the members of the village and the community will be pleased."

During the council meeting, the applicant's representative, Thomas Faire, said: "I want to be absolutely clear the proposal before you fully accords to the development plan.

"If the committee were to refuse this application... the refusal would not be defensible to appeal and in such circumstances the Planning Inspectorate would be likely to award costs against the council."

The applicant has the right to appeal against the decision or to come back with an alternative design.

"We will reflect on the points raised before deciding whether to appeal the decision," Ms Clark added in a statement sent by her agent, Mr Faire.

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