Neighbours, politicians and officials have put forward their cases to decide whether or not a house in Abbotts Ann should be demolished.

Steven and Catherine Pearce were granted planning permission back in 2016 to build a house adjacent to their house on Little Ann Road. However, once construction began, it was not built according to the plans, with the house being larger and closer to the plot boundary than was given permission for.

The couple applied for permission to amend the conditions, saying in a letter to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) at the time, the couple said that the changes had been made “with the best of intentions,” with changes intended to give neighbours “more privacy” and allow access for gas and electricity on the site.

TVBC subsequently refused permission to amend the conditions of the original planning permission, and served a demolition order on the house. The owners appealed, leading to the planning appeal heard yesterday, on November 24.

Abbotts Ann has its own designated conservation area, which was designated in 1981, which is designed to preserve the character of the area.

In its 2019 refusal, TVBC said that the building as constructed is “out of scale and unduly dominant in views within this part of the village.”

Samantha Owen, a senior planning officer for TVBC, told the appeal that the changes resulted in the site looking “cramped,” and that the changes had resulted in one side of the property being “incredibly close to the boundary which is not something you see in this part of Abbotts Ann.”

Kelly Futter, however, speaking for the Pearces, said that while “the new design creates a change,” they “don’t relate that to harm” of the conservation area.

One particular issue of contention were trees on the site, which provide a screen between the house and the road. One neighbour, Phillip Jones, accused the development of causing “stealthy deforestation,” with replacement trees for those removed not yet replanted.

New plans had been submitted, with Andy Sherlock, an arboricultural consultant acting on behalf of the Pearces, saying that the new tree plans “will enhance the conservation area more than the original.”

He said that the trees will grow out towards the road, but can be cut back from within the garden, so that the “impact won’t be visible.”

However, Dermot Cox, a senior arboricultural officer at TVBC, said that now the property was closer to the road, the trees “would not reach size and form of trees that were once there.”

He said that the appearance would “look like a large willy parked outside the house.”

A number of residents and politicians also made representations to the inspector. Parish Councillor Patrick Roberts said that along with flooding, the development was “the number one and number two issue on doorsteps” in Abbotts Ann during elections.

Borough Councillor Maureen Flood, who was part of the committee that rejected the plans, concurred, saying that “wide local interest in this application is still there.” She said that she was still being asked about this case by people in Abbotts Ann and beyond, and that she “fully supports” TVBC’s case.

After hearing the representations from those present, the Inspector decided that a site visit was required, which was due to take place on November 25. A decision will be made on the appeal in due course.