WINCHESTER City Council approved plans to convert an annex in Waltham Chase into a holiday let as long as a new fence is not installed.
The proposal to change the use of the annex, by the Grade II listed building in Spencer Place, Sandy Lane, was generally supported by the planning committee despite Shedfield Parish Council’s objections.
Parish councillor David Ogden, who announced he is retiring from Shedfield’s planning committee, said: “I know the applicant, who is my friend. However, on this occasion, we are miles apart.
“It’s the duty of local bodies like Winchester City Council to protect our heritage. No one will be visiting to make sure conditions are applied.
“Removing section 52 is the first stage of creating a separate dwelling.”
READ MORE: Shedfield Parish Council objects to holiday let plan
The approval means the Section 52 agreement will be removed, enabling the building to be used as holiday accommodation.
The site will continue to be served by the existing access and parking space.
Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith argued that whoever was staying in the holiday accommodation, whether it be an elderly woman or a family, would not make any “material difference”.
Although the physical appearance of the annex will not be changed, the plans included a fence to isolate the annex from the garage and main house also in Spencer Place.
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Cllr Michael Read said: “The fence is the crucial part. The design of that fence is crucial. The fencing would be detrimental to the setting of the listed structure. It looks very much like it’s going to become a stand alone building. It will look and act as if it's an individual structure. It could be detrimental to the character of the other buildings.”
Cllr Danny Lee said: “The fencing would be a step too far, changing the character would be totally incompatible with the surroundings.”
Meeting chair Cllr Jane Rutter raised that the no fencing could be included as a condition for approval, which the committee members agreed to.
Lorna Hutchings, planning delivery and implementation manager, said: “The main part of this application is to change the use of the building so we can omit the fence.”
Councillors voted in favour of the conditional plan, with one abstention made by Cllr Michael Read.
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