“Deep concern” over planning enforcement as councillors grant Milton Keynes house transformation plan

The concern centred on a developer’s plan to turn one house into two, which residents fear will set a precedent and allow anyone else to do the same, changing the character of neighbourhoods.

“I am deeply concerned with planning enforcement,” said Cllr Terry Baines (Cons, Campbell Park & old Woughton). “I doubt whether this building will stay as it is.”

The house in Rylstone Close, Heelands, has a long history of planning issues, including the rejection of a plan by Christopher Bride to turn it into a house in multiple occupation.

Next door neighbour Ben Whitlock said the changes meant he now regretted moving from Bristol to MK two years ago.

“It has been transformed into a commercial development,” he said.

Mr Whitlock added that people could just “keep resubmitting applications until they get it”.

Councillors at Thursday’s meeting of the development control panel were told that the council’s legal advice is that it could not refuse to consider multiple applications or an application made after work had been carried out.

And even though the enforcement team is looking into other issues there was no action currently being taken which would have stopped the application being considered.

The committee was also told by the time Milton Keynes Council got to know that a garage had been converted into a flat it was far too late.

Mr Bride was able to prove that the flat had been used for four years and therefore qualified as lawful development.

And the bricking up of the garage door, plus the addition of a new window, classified as “permitted development.”

Cllr Robin Bradburn (Lib Dem, Bradwell) said the site had seen eight planning applications and nine enforcement actions over the years.

“A history of non-compliance would be ratified by granting permission,” he said. “It would be pure folly for the panel to approve this with actions pending.”

Councillors were left straining to reject the application to convert the garage into part of the flat but could not find the policies to do so, even though a similar earlier application had been thrown out.

Cllr John Bint (Cons, Broughton) said: “There are a whole bunch of problems that we have to look into. But I come to the conclusion that I agree with the officers’ recommendation to grant permission..”

And Cllr Pauline Wallis (Lab, Central MK) said: “The whole development is taking the mick and I don’t want to approve it.

“It will mean that anyone can do what they like.”

Of the five councillors, only Cllr Paul Trendall (Lib Dem, Campbell Park & Old Woughton) voted against.

Mr Bride had declined to use his right of reply.

After the meeting, objector Dr Michael Devine said: “The builder’s planning application was refused last year because his housing block was an eyesore. Nothing has changed though. It is still out of place in the cul-de-sac.”