Telford 'garden grabbing' plans thrown out
Plans to build two apartments in the back garden of a Telford house have been thrown out – after a councillor dubbed it the worst case of "garden-grabbing" he had ever seen.
Developer Micheron had applied to build a single property, which would house a couple of two-bed apartments, in the garden of a five-bed multi-occupancy house in the Rookery, Madeley.
Officers at Telford & Wrekin Council had recommended it should be given the go-ahead, despite objections from residents and Madeley Town Council.
Eighteen letters of objection were submitted by neighbours on the grounds of loss of light and privacy, inadequate parking, and extra noise and disturbance.
Madeley Town Council said it amounted to over development. Members of Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee ignored the recommendations of officers at a meeting to throw out the plans.
Ward councillor Paul Watling, speaking at the meeting at the Whitehouse Hotel in Wellington on behalf of residents, said: "This is a classic case of garden-grabbing.
"The landlord here has seen an opportunity to make a larger amount of money.
"I am at a loss as to why planning officers have even looked at this development. I would ask you to reject this application."
One of the objectors, Mark Hinshelwood, also spoke and said the development was "completely inappropriate and in an unsuitable location".
He said: "It is nothing more than a destructive, vulgar practice simply known as garden grabbing, and it will change and blight the character of our neighbourhood.
"It should be a garden, a safe place for children to play, and not as a car park. You can't fit a square peg into a round hole."
Councillor Peter Scott, a member of the planning committee, said it was "garden grabbing of the worst kind".
He added: "It's not suitable, it's the wrong development in the wrong place and I could never agree to this happening."
