{"id":213896,"date":"2025-06-25T19:10:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T19:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/213896\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T19:10:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T19:10:12","slug":"they-had-planning-permission-to-build-a-garage-but-built-a-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/213896\/","title":{"rendered":"They had planning permission to build a garage – but built a house"},"content":{"rendered":"

The finished building was also taller, longer and wider that the permitted plans according to a fresh planning applicationThe planning application relates to a property in Little Lever(Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

A bungalow has been built despite the site only having planning permission for a double garage. The single-storey home was built in the grounds of the Grade II-listed Ladyshore House, which lies on a private road in Little Lever, Bolton<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A retrospective application has been submitted to change the use of the building, which is within the green belt, to a home. Plans for a double garage at the site were approved by Bolton council in 2019.<\/p>\n

But according to documents published by the town hall, work on a single storey home was completed instead in April, 2022.<\/p>\n

Documents lodged in support of the change of use state that \u2018subtle design adjustments\u2019 meant the garage doors on the original plans were replaced with patio doors and three windows.<\/p>\n

The retrospective plans state the building is \u2018of ostensibly the same size, design and positioning\u2019 as the original proposals but adds that the \u2018as-built\u2019 bungalow is higher, longer and wider than the approved garage plans.<\/p>\n

In addition, an outbuilding referred to as a \u2018hobby room\u2019 has been erected nearby at the site of a former stable block. Retrospective permission is also being sought for that structure.<\/p>\n

Plans published by Bolton Council show the original 2019 garage plans next to what was actually built(Image: Bolton council planning portal\/Roman Summer Associates)<\/p>\n

A planning heritage statement has been produced by Bury-based planning and architecture consultancy Roman Summer Associates on behalf of the applicant, Megan Dudley.<\/p>\n

The report states that compared with the approved double garage plans, the house is 120mm higher, 130mm longer and 210mm wider.<\/p>\n

The building\u2019s positioning also differs in that it has been re-orientated by circa two degrees and it is 1.75 metres further south and 0.75 metres west of the approved position.<\/p>\n

It states: \u201cIn terms of appearance and materiality, the as-built building is very similar to that approved, but with subtle design adjustments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose include the lack of garage doors on the front elevation, which have been replaced with a pair of French windows and the replacement of one garage door with three small windows.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rear elevation is, to all intents and purposes, identical to that approved aside from the inclusion of one additional small roof-light.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition to the above changes to the building itself, which we suggest are overwhelmingly superficial and not remotely harmful. A small outbuilding, \u2018hobby room\u2019 has been erected at the rear.\u201d<\/p>\n

A retrospective application has been submitted to change the use of the building (Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

The report adds that a \u2018modest\u2019 garden has also been created, using an existing area of grass, along with a dedicated parking space, enclosed by brick walls.<\/p>\n

The statement adds: \u201cFinally and fundamentally, this retrospective application proposes the use of the building as a self-build home for the applicant, who wishes to reside close to her ageing parents, who reside in the adjacent Ladyshore House.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement claims that the principle of development on green belt and any effect on neighbours had already been established by the 2019 double garage approval.<\/p>\n

At the time of that approval, planning officers stated that it \u2018would not have a detrimental impact on the adjoining neighbours\u2019 and \u2018as the proposed extension is within the curtilage of the existing dwelling it does not compromise the purposes of the green belt\u2019.<\/p>\n

The grade II listed Ladyshore House, the main dwelling at the site, dates from 1833. That property is currently for sale and listed on property sales websites at \u00a3695,000.<\/p>\n

That listing does not include the building subject to the retrospective planning application. When the Local Democracy Reporting Service visited the property there was no answer.<\/p>\n

Planners at Bolton council will consider the application in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The finished building was also taller, longer and wider that the permitted plans according to a fresh planning…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":213897,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[279,748,393,4884,2465,285,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-213896","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-bolton","9":"tag-britain","10":"tag-england","11":"tag-great-britain","12":"tag-manchester","13":"tag-politics","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114745589450286404","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=213896"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213896\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/213897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=213896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=213896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=213896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}