HORRIFIED neighbours have claimed a seaside house now looks like a “morgue” for the storage of bodies after it was extended and given a massive makeover.
Locals have complained the new look house is totally out of keeping with the traditional red brick bungalows in their village cul-de-sac.
They say it looks nothing like plans which were approved for the property in The Paddock in Hemsby, Norfolk.
Retired sales manager and holiday camp worker Patricia Page, 82, who lives opposite, said: “The windows are too big and it is the wrong colour.
“It is totally different to what was proposed in the original plans which were given planning consent.
“I think it looks like a morgue. The bodies could be taken in the timber porch at the side and brought out through the large black windows to be loaded into a hearse.
“It just doesn’t make sense. We used to see the building inspector arrive at the house when it was being built, so how did it get done without him realising.
“We have had building work done in the past, and we had to follow the plans exactly.
“I did not say anything before because the couple who live there are really nice.”
Great Yarmouth Borough Council had originally given planning consent in 2021 for the home to get a large front-facing extension and a new entrance porch.
But builders deviated from the agreed plans by putting in a larger and taller set of darkened windows and glazed doors at the front of the house.
Residents complained to the council that the walls were also finished with an off-white render rather than the agreed red brick to match nearby properties.
The window frames, barge boards and other fittings were also slammed for being a battleship grey colour rather than traditional white.
The home owner Maxwell Seaton was ordered to apply for retrospective planning consent.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council turned down his new application after its planning officer stated the “cumulative appearance” of the changes created “an adverse discordance with the surrounding street scene”.
Mr Seaton who has lived in his house for 15 years appealed against the decision, but a planning inspector has now ruled that the council was correct to refuse consent.
He refused to comment to The Sun about the ruling, saying only that he did not want to jeopardise ongoing discussions with council officials about how to alter his home to their satisfaction.
All the bungalows in the small cul-de-sac are red brick. The current building material is significantly different and out of keeping with the style
Jo Cook
A council report said it might be acceptable if Mr Seaton changed the off-white render to “orange/brown brick”, and made the grey window and door frames, trims, soffits, facias and bargeboards appear white.
Jo Cook, who lives two doors down, wrote to planning officials to protest about the appearance of Mr Seaton’s home after the conversion was finished.
She said: “We have good relations with the neighbours so this is not a personal issue with the applicants.
“I’d like to ask how the building inspector didn’t notice the change in materials when inspecting?
“All the bungalows in the small cul-de-sac are red brick. The current building material is significantly different and out of keeping with the style.”
She refused to comment further to The Sun, saying only that she did not want to say anything outside of official channels.
THERE’S nothing worst than moving into a new home only to realise you’ve moved next door to the neighbours from hell.
These Brits found themselves in arguments with their street over anything from wildly decorated gardens to flouted planning rules.
Here’s a few of the best:
‘EYESORE’ DINOSAUR
A DAD’S efforts to keep his son happy left his neighbours fuming after he installed a 10ft T-Rex model in his front garden.
It was made worse by the luminous blue shipping container it was placed on top of.
“Why on earth can’t he plant a bed of daffs (daffodils) in his front garden, like anyone else would?” one neighbour asked.
“Even a few garden gnomes would look better.
“I mean, let’s be honest, it’s not really appropriate for a garden in Bristol.”
HELMET TREE
AN OAP has vowed to next chop down his 30ft tree even after neighbours slammed the helmet-shaped greenery.
Peter Davis, 72, says his massive cedar dubbed ‘The Big Fella’ has been the talking point of the Norfolk town for decades.
And while many love it – and tourists stop to snap pics – some think it’s an eyesore.
That’s because the tree in Wymondham has been chopped so vehicles driving by don’t hit it – and it now looks like a massive helmet.
Peter, a former company director, said: ”The tree has become part of the local landscape – everybody knows about it – especially bus drivers who have to avoid it.”
CHAPEL WINDOW
HOMEOWNERS were embroiled in a row over a “church-like” window included in a neighbours extension.
The 10ft high first-floor window looks straight into their neighbours’ properties.
Plans show it will be for Mark Waddilove and Helen Fitt’s new master bedroom suite. Miss Fitt is said to have told neighbours in Colehill, Wimborne, Dorset, she plans to practice her yoga there.
But residents Rob and Margaret Langdown say they were blindsided by the development and have accused officials of failing to put up planning notices in their road ahead of granting it permission.
Other neighbours raised official objections about windows having been built above the bi-fold doors at the front of the property without planning consent being given.
Another said he wanted to “strongly object to the new extension” as it had “visibly not adhered to the original application” and was “not in keeping with surrounding dwellings”.
Hemsby parish council also objected, saying that the new bungalow did not match “design codes” for the village.
But mother-of-two Jenny Anchor, 69, and her husband Shaun, 58, were supportive of Mr Seaton’s home, describing complaints about it as “pettiness”.
Jenny told The Sun: “I think it looks fine. If it looked fluorescent pink, you might have cause to complain.”
Shaun added: “I don’t know what the fuss is about.”
An agent for Mr Seaton insisted in their appeal there were plenty of nearby homes which received similar modern makeovers including new-build lodges on the former Pontin’s holiday camp site in Hemsby.
A council planning officer dismissed the agent’s claims as “factually inaccurate” in a lengthy report.
The planning inspector concluded that “materials” used in the extension and porch had a “materially harmful effect on the character and appearance of the host dwelling and the street scene”.
But in a positive note for Mr Seaton, the inspector had no issue with the large windows that were a point of contention among neighbours.
EXTENSIONS are a great way to improve your home and save money – as building out is often cheaper than moving.
But any building works can quickly create problems with your neighbours if you don’t stick to the rules.
Andrew Cann, director of Planning Direct, a planning consultancy based in the East of England, said there are ways to appeal if your initial application for an extension is rejected.
Here’s what you need to know:
How do you actually appeal?
In order to appeal, you’ll need to prepare a Statement of Case.
This is a document setting out why you believe the extension should be granted in planning policy terms – an expert can help you with this, but they will charge.
This is sent along with an appeal form to the Planning Inspectorate.
This is a government body independent of your local council, which will check whether the planning authority which refused you was correct to do so.
There is normally no fee to submit a planning appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.
The main cost is the fee you’ll need to give a consultant or solicitor to prepare and manage it on your behalf – the amount will depend on the case.
How do I win my appeal?
The truth is, there is no guarantee to winning your appeal – and you should be wary of any solicitor or consultant that promises you a victory.
“Any one consultant who says an appeal will definitely be won should be avoided” said Andrew.
That said, there are some tips that can help you on your way to a win.
“Take a look around – if other nearby homeowners have made similar changes, the chances are you will win,” said Andrew.
Another thing to look out for is that your application may have been refused on a technicality or just because of a missing detail.
“Sometimes it is worth re-applying with a modified version if the council only wants small changes. A re-application is free within a year of the first refusal,” said Andrew.
But if an appeal is mishandled and refused this can “blight” the property and you will not get permission in future.
There are some challenges when you are looking to appeal.
You must establish that the extension complies with local planning policy and importantly does not harm others.
IF a new or existing structure is blocking light from entering your home, you have a right to challenge it.
The first thing you should do is have a word with your neighbour – they might not realise the impact it has on your home.
If they’re unwilling to reach an agreement, you have the right to take legal action – but bear in mind that this can be expensive.
First you could try a mediation service, which acts as a neutral third-party to help opposing sides find a compromise.
RICS has set up a Neighbour Disputes Service to negotiate agreements between homeowners.
If you decide to take further action, you’ll need to hire a professional right to light specialist who can assess the impact of the development.
If you raise the issue before construction starts, the need for natural light can be taken into account and avoid court action and solicitors.
But even if building work is finished, neighbouring homeowners can raise a right to light claim for compensation or alterations, so long as evidence is submitted.
If it gets as far as the courts judges can award either financial compensation or order alterations to restore natural light.
The amount of compensation available will vary depending on the situation.
