“Your smoking gun is a water pistol” says Milton Keynes homeowner in neighbour-on-neighbour barn barney

“Your smoking gun is a water pistol” says homeowner in neighbour-on-neighbour conservation area barn barney

A homeowner at the centre of a neighbour-on-neighbour battle over a 150 year-old barn told objectors hunting for a smoking gun that they would find nothing more than a water pistol.

One of her neighbours argued that the council should have considered going for a prison sentence or a £20,000 fine over the loss of the historic building, which was dismantled when conversion work began.

In 2018 Dr Diane Soul and her husband David were controversially allowed by Milton Keynes Council to convert a 150 year old stone barn in the Emberton conservation area into a two bedroom home.

In the process of carrying out the work at their home in West Lane, Dr Soul said the builders found that the old barn was in danger of collapse and they started to take it down, brick by brick.

Thursday’s online meeting of MK Council’s development control committee was told that the council advised that a like-for-like rebuild would be appropriate.

The Souls were also advised that they needed to submit a retrospective planning application to set the record straight.

Next door neighbours Andy McGrandle and Susan Soul smelled a rat and believe that the council made errors in the way they handled the case.

Mr McGrandle, in a long submission to planners, argued that the council should have considered a £20,000 fine or a prison sentence against his neighbours over what had happened.

“There is no mention of an investigation into the criminal offence,” said Mr McGrandle during his online presentation. “This is about having confidence in th planning system.”

Neighbour Susan Soul (correct) said the council had a “lackadaisical attitude” and wanted councillors to “take responsibility” for the demolition of an historic building without consent in a conservation area.

They were backed by ward councillor David Hosking (Cons, Olney) who said: “It’s almost certain that a criminal act has taken place.

“The response of the council has been poor. It needs a forensic investigation.”

Homeowner Dr Soul hit back, accusing Mr McGrandle of “conflation, inaccuracy, and half-truths” in his objections.

“He quotes various case law,” she said, “but if I were inclined and had more than nine or 10 minutes I could easily counter those with other case law that he’s not included.”

And she added: “On the hunt for a smoking gun you may find nothing more than a plastic water pistol.”

Council officers told the committee that they could only consider the planning application before them.

And if they decided to refuse planning permission, enforcement action might have to mean the reconstructed barn being demolished and then rebuilt exactly the same.

“We would have to order the demolition of a building that has already been demolished and rebuilt,” said Cllr Rex Exon (Lib Dem, Bradwell).

The committee voted to agree with Cllr Andrew Geary (Cons, Newport North & Hanslope) that the application to rebuild the barn should be approved if the council’s conservation officer signs it off.

The committee also agreed to order a report into the background of the issue.