Frustrated residents in Tetbury say ‘overpowering height’ of new building would be intrusion to homes

An application for a two-storey block, containing six flats, has been submitted by David Pearce to Cotswold District Council for planning permission.

The proposal concerns a site in Northfield Road which is surrounded by residential properties and currently has several industrial and commercial units.

Neighbours have complained that the proposed development would be overbearing to nearby bungalows and intrusive to the gardens of other houses.

Mr Pearce, from Malmesbury, however said that he had been “quite sympathetic” to neighbours’ concerns and that the development would be a “considerable improvement looks-wise” to the residential area.

One couple, Di and Mont Bryan, of Northfield Road, said the new build would intrude on their back garden, which includes a memorial garden for their son.

The couple,who are in their 70s, lost their 37-year-old son Dan Marks-Bryan in April last year when he died of a heart attack.

(Di and Mont Bryan in the memorial garden for their son Dan at their home in Northfield Road in Tetbury)

Mr Bryan said: “Our garden means so much to us. The memorial garden is at the top but it is going to impact on whole of our garden as it stands.

“It’s going to be halfway up our garden. I cannot put it into words how devastating by all those who surround it.

“Our concerns are over the new building’s position and it’s overpowering height. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

He added that the build would be out of character to the neighbourhood and would add to the traffic and parking problems.

Mrs Bryan said: “The proximity and impact of the building will be extremely distressing on everyone living around it.

“We have no objection to a new low building as long as it is in keeping with the surroundings in which it will sit, in this case the bungalows of Northleaze Close.

“In the late 60’s the sheds which are at the site now were erected one by one, an eyesore for which the council of the time turned a blind eye to.

“With careful planting over the years we have camouflaged the impact of the buildings, which for many years have been light industrial units. In doing so we have created a garden to encourage wildlife and we now have many different species of birds, frogs and toads.

"Our garden has also become quite a haven for endangered species of hedgehogs.  Mary Hinton the Hedgehog warden for Tetbury, often uses our garden to release over wintered and sick hogs that she has cared for, which then need returning to the wild.

“Due to the large amount of new homes including many first time buyer properties being built in Tetbury, we feel the plans submitted to cram six flats into such a small space, extremely inappropriate.”

David Brown, who lives in a bungalow in Northleaze, claimed that the planned building would block the view from windows facing the back of his house, including his bedroom window.

Mr Brown, 90, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, has trouble breathing and said the new block of flats would significantly impact his life as he does not leave his house very often.

(David Brown looking out of his bedroom window at his home in Northleaze in Tetbury)

He said: “All windows at the south side, in the bedroom, conservatory and living room, it will be put totally in the shade. The building will also cover the entire length of my garden.

“It’s an inappropriate development. It doesn’t fit in with the surroundings and the value of my property is going to drop significantly.”

He also cited concerns about a boundary wall being knocked down and parking problems in Northleaze, which he said would worsen.

Former town councillor Lynn Harris, who also lives in the area, shared her neighbours’ concerns: “The sheer enormity of this building is totally out of keeping with the area and the effect on the residents’ amenities surrounding the site would be truly life changing.

“Unfortunately, developers take their profit and walk away leaving residents to deal with the aftermath of their greed. Communities need to fight inappropriate developments which can irreversibly change lives.”

(David Brown and his neighbour Pam Neely in David's garden at his home in Northleaze in Tetbury. The pole represents the height of the proposed construction)

Landlord Mr Pearce responded to residents’ opposition: “We’ve been quite sympathetic with what we plan to put there. It will be a considerable improvement looks-wise.

“At the moment, it is industrial and commercial units, and there is a concrete wall towards the bungalows. It’s quite ugly and our new building is going to be quite attractive.

“It’s not going to be that high, it will not be as high as the other buildings around it. The upstairs floor will be built into the roof.

“The roof is also sloping away from the bungalows, so it’s not going to be that high and the windows are too high to look down into the houses.

“We are going to considerably reduce traffic up and down the site. In theory, there should be six cars with the flats. At the moment, there’s 10 vans going in and out before 8am in the morning.

“From our point of view, we will be improving what’s there at the moment and I think those opposing the application are being quite short-sighted.

“I’m not trying to upset the community. I’m trying to do it as sympathetically as I can.”