A NEW house may have to be knocked down after councillors rejected an offer made by the family found to have breached planning permission.

The property in Plodder Lane, where construction ceased last year after an investigation by the council, was built with planning permission granted for extensions to a pair of houses, merging them into one dwelling.

But the local authority learnt that large parts of the original houses were demolished and the new property was larger than what had been agreed.

Neighbours described it as a “monstrosity” which has become “overpowering” and “intimidating”.

In December, the developer was asked by the planning committee to address concerns over a dormer window on the top floor which residents in Tig Fold Road feared would look into their children’s bedroom.

Applicant Amir Ali, who spoke at last week’s planning committee meeting, urged councillors to accept the compromises his family have made which include a smaller dormer and the removal of the Juliette balconies.

But councillors asked Mr Ali, who blamed his builders for the breaches in planning permission, why they should trust him.

He said: “As an owner of the property, I’m paying someone a wage so I’m leaving them to get on with the work, I turn up in the evening and expect the job to be done and just to watch the progress.

“Now, knowing the issues and knowing the complaints, I will stay on top of it.”

Garry Bryon, who spoke on behalf of neighbours at the meeting, said the house is not “in keeping” with other style of houses in the area.

He said: “The fact is the increase of length and depth adds some 17 square metres of area to both the ground and first floors, allowing what was originally planned and approved as a four to five bedroomed house to now become a six to seven bedroomed house.

“This makes what already would have been a very large building even larger with the visual impact of overpowering and intimidating those homes which surround it.

“The people who live to the side and rear can no longer enjoy sitting in their respective gardens.

“Thereby, the scale of this building diminishes their quality of life and anything that can be done to reduce this effect should be done.”

Harper Green councillor Sue Haworth, said the size and scale of the roof and dormer of the dwelling are the main concerns for residents she represents.

But her ward colleague, Cllr Champak Mistry said he wanted the matter to be dealt with so he supported the retrospective planning application fearing refusal would result in an appeal causing further delays to the development.

He said: “It’s been there for 12 months.

“I live in the ward, I’m in contact with people all the time, and this particular application needs to be resolved quickly.”

The votes were tied seven for and seven against refusing permission leaving Cllr John Walsh with the casting vote as chairman of the committee.

He decided to refuse retrospective planning permission for the property.

A council spokesman said there will now be a review into what needs to take place next.