Developer wins flats appeal

12:40pm Saturday 10th May 2008

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A DEVELOPER has won permission to convert a house into two flats.

The plans to spilt the house at 99 Clifton Road into two flats were initially refused by Darlington Borough Counci,l which felt it would cause loss of amenities to neighbours.

The proposal was initially refused last year after residents objected to the development on the grounds a large number of other properties in the area had been converted in this way and more would result in increased noise disturbance.

But developer Crighton Mather appealed against the decision and planning inspector J S Deakin overturned the councils decision and granted planning permission.

The inspectors report said there was no firm evidence to show there was an unduly large number of converted properties in the area and converting the house was unlikely to cause increased noise or anti-social behaviour.

While activity could be increased by having two families rather than one, it seems to me that the number of residents is not likely to increase significantly as there would be fewer bedrooms.

In my opinion, the conversion would not cause undue harm to the amenity of nearby residents.