Neighbours dispute plans for Grade II listed house

Neighbours are battling over a proposed house extension which would alter a Grade II listed building in south-east London.

Planned building work on the £1.5m house in Greenwich would see two floors added on top of the single-storey entrance which dates back to the Georgian period.

The homeowners claim the extension would not harm the listed building, while their next door neighbour fears it could mean the loss of the last remaining example of a unique architectural feature.

Greenwich Council's local planning committee is due to discuss the application, which received 24 objections and four letters of support, on Tuesday.

The house, 25 Gloucester Circus, was designed by Georgian architect Michael Searles in the late 18th Century.

The couple who own the property said the extension was "essential" to modernise the house and to make it their "dream family home".

However, those against the extension say it would "obscure the original design intent", and it would mean the last remaining one-storey double entrance would be lost.

The next door neighbour said it would be "very sad" to lose the joint entrance because it was "so unique, the last of its kind".

"It is a regular stop on guided walks of Greenwich. Groups of people stop outside and it's lovely," she said.

"People point at how beautiful the house is, particularly the gap, and they want to take photos of the two front doors."

The Georgian Group said the proposal "would cause harm to the significance of no 25 and no 26 Gloucester Circus, as well as the West Greenwich Conservation Area".

Eddie Waller, the group's senior conservation adviser for London and South East England, said: "The survival of the recessed single-storey double-fronted entrance to nos 25-26 contributes to the significance of the building and the group value with no 26.

"This element reflects the original design intentions of Michael Searles and is reflected in his drawings for the circus."

But Historic England said the proposal caused "less than substantial" harm to the historic significance of the listed terrace.

When Gloucester Circus was originally designed and built there were four examples of the one-storey twin entrances.

Extensions above other entrances are understood to have been built during the Victorian period, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The plans have been recommended for approval.

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