Summerhouse owner in planning wrangle

Ahouseholder who extended a summer house in his garden has appealed to government inspectors after a council turned down his plan for being “overbearing and oppressive”.

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT

Michael Bowe asked for retrospective planning permission for extending the one-storey detached outbuilding on Low Gill View, Marton, Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough Council said the works, already completed in 2022, needed planning permission because the extended grey-painted summer house was less than two metres away from a boundary - 20cm from a neighbour's back garden - and more than 2.5m high, at just under 3m in height.

Two objections were received from neighbours on the cul de sac. One said the extension was directly on to their back fence and the height and design were “intrusive to the view from the living room’, out of character with existing properties and had a “negative visual impact”.