Sandbanks residents are fighting back against a ‘greedy’ developer’s plans to covert a £825,000 beachside bungalow into a ‘soulless stack of boxes’.
Businessman Mark Perkins has enraged his neighbours after submitting plans to transform the property on the edge of the millionaire’s row in Poole, Dorset, into a three storey, flat-roofed mansion.
Mr Perkins, who lives in Ascot, 80 miles away, submitted plans to transform the home in August last year, claiming it would be worth over £2million if approved.
The property shares a double-length plot with another bungalow behind it and its owners, Lesley and Robert Jefferies, feared the proposed box house shroud their home in a ‘near permanent shadow’.
Other locals were similarly outraged by the plans and sent objection letters to the local planning authority urging officials to stand up developers who were ‘rapidly turning our beautiful beachfront location into a soulless ghost town.’
BCP Council planning officers initially recommended the plans be approved. But, to the residents’ relief, councillors went against that advice and refused the application.
While celebrating victory for now, the Jefferies don’t believe that will be the end of the matter and expect Mr Perkins to appeal or draw up new plans to try again.
Mrs Jefferies, 71, said: ‘We moved here for the peace and quiet because I have Parkinson’s. The garden is my enjoyment. If I lost the light from there because of this three-storey box in front, it would be life-changing.’
A developer has sparked fury after setting out plans to renovate a beachside bungalow (red) which would supposedly overshadow the neighbours’ house around the back (blue)
Lesley and Robert Jefferies, live behind the home on Sandbanks’ millionaire’s row. They feared the proposed box house shroud their home in a ‘near permanent shadow’.
Sandbanks (pictured) is the UK’s most expensive coastal location
‘This overbearing box-like house is yet another chance for an over-zealous developer to make money with absolutely no inconvenience to himself or consideration to us,’ she continued.
‘This has caused us a lot of stress. We are happy with the committee’s decision, but I know this won’t be the end of it. I’m sure he will appeal or come back with another plan because he wants to make money.’
The properties are in Chaddesley Wood Road, a private, gated address just yards from Sandbanks beach.
When the Jefferies moved into their bungalow four years ago an elderly lady had lived next door for 30 years.
After she died the frontal property was sold to Mr Perkins who lives in Ascot, 80 miles away. He unveiled plans to transform it into a three bedroom home that would dwarf the bungalow behind.
The new property would have a large open plan living space on the first floor with a balcony facing the beach.
The Jefferies, who share a driveway with the house and are attached by a wall, said Mr Perkins never consulted them over his plans and failed to explain how the two properties would be separated.
The Jefferies’ said there had been a lot of development in the street in recent years, turning the quiet cul-de-sac into ‘one large noisy building site’.
The property (pictured) was purchased by Mark Perkins after its previous owner died. He submitted plans to transform it into a three storey, flat-roofed mansion last year
A blue outline of the existing property and an outline of the planned new home, which has been criticised by locals for looking like a ‘soulless stack of boxes’
Mrs Jefferies said: ‘Residents have been subjected to unsightly scaffolding and building works and noise in what should be a safe, beautiful walkway for residents and holiday makers on their way down to the beach.
‘Instead they encounter lorries reversing in and out delivering skips, tradesmen parking on the pavement and blocking the road.
‘It is becoming one large noisy building site. Developers only wishing to extend properties for financial gain with no thought of helping the environment.
‘I’m most upset that [Mr Perkins] didn’t even try to speak to us, he just put this plan in without any discussion.’
Neighbour Anna Collins added: ‘The Sandbanks community is being destroyed by an endless stream of developers and second home owners, that are rapidly turning our beautiful beachfront location into a soulless ghost town – it is killing the community, and turning it into a summer-only area, which is absolutely killing local businesses.
‘This only serves to make property even more inaccessible to year-round BCP residents and the area already suffers from a surplus of unaffordable homes.
‘This building is not well designed, its three boxes atop each other, it is neither innovative nor particularly attractive, it’s a soulless stack of boxes.’
Planning officer Elisher Brown recommended approving the plans despite acknowledging that the changes would ‘significantly alter the relationship between the two properties’ and be ‘imposing’.
But the council planning committee did not agree.
A concept design of what the new home would’ve looked like. Mr Perkins claimed the property would have been valued at £2million if the plans went ahead
Cllr John Challinor said: ‘This undoubtedly matches the architectural design of other properties there, but they do not have subservient properties behind them that are going to be impacted.
‘This really is quite harmful to the immediate surrounding properties. It’s visually imposing, it’s going to be really overbearing.
‘At what point do we say enough is enough in terms of people losing light?
‘We really shouldn’t be supporting any application that negatively impacts the lives of people in such close proximity. This is absolutely something we should say no to.’
The committee voted unanimously in favour to refuse Mr Perkins’ application.