Latest news with #LadyshoreHouse
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Our neighbour said she was building garage in garden but finished product is NOTHING of the sort… it must be pulled down
FUMING residents have demanded their neighbour "knock down" a structure in her garden which doesn't resemble the double garage she had planning permission for. The building lies in the grounds of the Grade-II listed Ladyshore House on a private road in Little Lever, Bolton, Greater Manchester. 3 Plans for a double garage were approved by Bolton Council in June 2019. But a single-storey home appeared instead, and calls have been made for it to be pulled down. Documents reveal that work on the home was completed in April 2022. However, a retrospective planning application for an alternative structure was only submitted in May, three years after it was finished. The retrospective changes to the structure included "subtle design adjustments" where the original plans for garage doors would be replaced by patio doors and three windows. Documents for the adjustments also stated the building would remain "of ostensibly the same size, design and position" as originally intended. The bungalow that has appeared is 130mm longer, 120mm higher and 210mm wider than what was approved in the garage designs. Positioning of the building is also different to what was agreed upon, re-oriented by two degrees, and placed 1.75 metres further south and 0.75 metres more west of initial plans. The applicant, Megan Dudley, is also seeking retrospective planning permission for a "hobby room" that was erected nearby on the site of a former stable block. Her property, which includes a four-bedroom Ladyshore House modernised from the former colliery offices it was built as in 1833, as well as a day spa and Jacuzzi, is currently on the market for £695,000. And neighbours are angry that initial permission was not sought to build another home on the land. One told the Mail Online: "It's a bit cheeky to be doing that. If you've applied to build a garage it should be a garage and not something else. "So the house should be knocked down. Everything should be above board, not done through the back door." Another resident in the area, Phil Amos, 59, said: "Planning regulations are planning regulations and should be stuck to. "This a lovely place to live but it's being spoilt by some developments which spoil the character of the area." He also had to go through the planning permissions process to add an extension to his home. Phil is concerned that if one person is able to get away with not following the rules others will too, and therefore the bungalow built instead of a garage should "come down". A female resident said there are fears developers have bought an adjacent field to just build more houses. Planning and architecture consultancy, Roman Summer Associates, produced a statement on behalf of Ms Dudley, which wrote: "In terms of appearance and materiality, the as-built building is very similar to that approved, but with subtle design adjustments. 'Those 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. 'The rear elevation is, to all intents and purposes, identical to that approved aside from the inclusion of one additional small roof-light. 'In addition to the above changes to the building itself, which we suggest are overwhelmingly superficial and not remotely harmful, a small outbuilding, 'hobby room' has been erected at the rear. 'Finally 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.' Some residents were not opposed to the building with one saying "it doesn't bother me". Another thought it did not have an impact on other residents, and that it was "reasonably sized". Planners at Bolton Council are expected to consider the application in coming weeks. Bolton Council have been contacted for comment. 3
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Owner of Grade II listed £800k estate at war with neighbours after building BUNGALOW in back garden without permission
A bungalow that was built instead of a double garage is at the centre of a planning controversy in a quiet neighbourhood that's led to calls for it to be pulled down. The home, within an area of green belt, lies within the grounds of the Grade II-listed Ladyshore House on a private road in Little Lever, Bolton. Plans for a double garage at the site were approved by Bolton Council in June 2019. But documents reveal that work on a single storey dwelling was completed in April 2022 and that a retrospective planning application for the alternative structure was submitted only in May – more than three years later. Retrospective planning permission is also being sought for an adjacent 'hobby room' which has been erected on the site of a former stable block. Four-bedroomed Ladyshore House, the former offices of a colliery built in 1833, has undergone extensive modernisation, which includes a day spa and a jacuzzi, and is currently on the market for £795,000. But some residents are angry that the applicant, Megan Dudley, did not seek initially seek permission to build another home on the site. One said: 'It's a bit cheeky to be doing that. If you've applied to build a garage it should be a garage and not something else. The approved plans which were submitted in 2019 show how the garage was supposed to look 'So the house should be knocked down.' 'Everything should be above board, not done through the back door.' The man added that as the home, which lies within the Irwell valley, is 'in a greenbelt area I understand why the council should fight it'. Phil Amos, 59, said: 'Planning regulations are planning regulations and should be stuck to. 'This a lovely place to live but it's being spoilt by some developments which spoil the character of the area. 'And if you allow one thing to be built then others will follow. 'I had to go the council for my extension even though it was permitted development 'I had to follow the rules carefully, so why should others get away with it'. Phil also said that as the home was built instead of garage it should 'come down', even if it led to a stand-off with the council. Other residents revealed how a group of them had bought an adjacent field that was put up for sale by the owner of Ladyshore House. 'They all clubbed together to buy the land,' said one woman. 'The feared a developer would but it and just build more houses on there. 'That would have been bad for everybody.' A planning heritage statement has been produced by planning and architecture consultancy Roman Summer Associates on behalf of Ms Dudley. It states that compared with the approved double garage plans, the house is 120mm higher, 130mm longer and 210mm wider and has been slightly re-orientated. The garage doors have been replaced by a pair of French windows and three widows, with four velux windows in the roof of the home. But the statement claims that the dwelling is 'largely identical' to the garage, which was acceptable as it was 'of a size and scale which is in proportion to the main house', 'respects the build form and pattern of existing development' and 'will not adversely affect the street scene'. The design 'would preserve the character' of the listed building and 'not have a detrimental impact on the adjoining neighbours', it says, and not compromise the greenbelt. Changes to the original plans are described as 'superficial' while the hobby-room is of similar isize and positioning to the stable block it replaced. The new building will be 'self-build home for the applicant', the statement continues, 'who wishes to reside close to her ageing parents (who reside in the adjacent Ladyshore House)'. It also adds that site should be considered 'grey belt' rather than green belt as there had been previous development. Some residents said the did not object to the bungalow, despite the retrospective planning application. 'It doesn't bother me,' one said. 'You can't really see it because of where it's located.' Another said that it was 'reasonably-sized' and didn't impact on other residents. When Mail Online visited the property, there was no-one home.
