A Grand Designs-style home in view of Hampton Court has been rejected again with one councillor comparing the house to her having a “big bottom”.

The application for a house on The Island in Thames Ditton had been recommended for approval by officers but was refused by a five to four vote from councillors.

Elmbridge Borough Council’s east area planning sub-committee, which took place on Monday (February 28), heard from the applicant about the “cost to her family’s mental health” of the process, as she asked members to grant permission for them to build their family home.

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An application for the same site had been previously turned down in October, on grounds of its bulk and riverside location, with many councillors questioning if the latest designs had addressed issues of bulk and massing.

The applicant Nadia Dimeo said since the last application they had completely redesigned the home to take into account comments of the committee and the views of neighbours.

She said they had done “everything possible” to design a home which addressed the concerns of councillors and neighbours, and met all planning  requirements, designing a “chalet bungalow” after hearing from neighbours that this was what they wanted to see on the site.

She added: “This has not been an easy process.

“It has come at considerable cost in time, money and the mental health of my family and we respectfully ask the committee to finally grant permission for us to build our family home.”

Councillors were reminded by the meeting chair, Caroline James (Thames Ditton & Weston Green Residents’ Association, Thames Ditton) that they needed to look at the planning considerations in front of them.

She said she was concerned that this application was bigger than previous designs and they had to bear in mind the previous refusal was given on grounds of bulk and massing.

She added: “I’m just trying to be incredibly logical here and it is bigger and just because you’ve got windows or whatever, doesn’t stop it being big.

“I’ve got a big bottom. It’s still there. I can try and disguise it but it’s still there.”

Councillor Langham (Liberal Democrat, Long Ditton) said he was disappointed the previous design had been turned down, and pointed to the size of the house compared to Hampton Court Palace across the river, saying the palace was more likely to draw the eye than the proposed house.

He said: “Hampton Court Palace is quite big. When that was put down I’m sure Ratty and Moley were a bit disappointed.

“But it was put there and it has these huge, gaudy gates with gold all over them and all the rest of it.”

Councillor Coates said she could see why the applicant was trying to build a family home in a “spectacular location”.

She said she found it difficult to accept the design in front of them which she said did not address issues of bulk, being 12cm higher than the previous application.

To answer queries from councillors about what they were looking for on this site, she said she thought it would be “something which is more of a chalet bungalow”

She added: “I don’t feel that this is the chalet bungalow that perhaps the nearby residents were hoping might be designed second time around.”

ENDS

Agenda: http://mygov.elmbridge.gov.uk/documents/g3702/Public%20reports%20pack%2028th-Feb-2022%2019.00%20East%20Area%20Planning%20Sub-Committee.pdf?T=10

Previous story: https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/grand-designs-style-house-view-21841296