Warsash: Bungalow to be built in home's garden despite neighbours' protests

Plans for a new chalet bungalow have been approved despite objections from neighbours.

Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee gave the green light on Wednesday to the development on land within the garden of 6 Church Road in Warsash.

The decision followed accusations from objectors that developers are “cramming houses into too small a space”.

The applicant, Paul Davies from Clarendon Property, described it as a “sustainable development” in plans first submitted in March this year.

The land sits on the western side of Church Road and is currently part of the garden of an existing semi-detached house.

Now approved, the scheme will deliver a two-bedroom chalet bungalow with two dedicated parking spaces.

Councillors heard that the house will be finished in “timber cladding” alongside a “brick plinth and a tiled roof.”

A total of eight objections were submitted, including six during the initial consultation period and two further letters from the same household.

Residents raised concerns about the impact on the character of the area, loss of privacy, highway safety and the potential effect of construction on a nearby retaining wall.

Additional concerns included the building appearing overbearing near the boundary, overshadowing and loss of light, insufficient parking provision and fears over the depth of foundations affecting neighbouring properties.

One objector cited a loss of privacy, writing: “This building is not a bungalow but a house with windows overlooking both my back garden into my conservatory, causing loss of privacy in my living space. Due to the loss of privacy, I would ask the planning office to turn down this application.”

The meeting heard that the application was amended several times during its consideration in response to concerns raised by planning officers. Originally proposed as a three-bedroom dwelling, the scheme was scaled back.

These changes saw the first-floor bedroom scrapped, instead replaced with one bedroom at the ground floor and a second within the roof space.

Planning officers concluded the revised design would not result in an unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity or the character and appearance of the area.

The proposal was also found to comply with policies set out in the Fareham Local Plan 2037.

Committee members voted to approve the application.