Man who spent £5,000 on driveway loses bid for planning permission

Nicholas Thomas – Local democracy reporter

A homeowner’s plans to support an unwell family member by converting their front garden into a driveway have failed to persuade council planners.

Members of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee heard how Stephen Price had spent £5,000 hiring a digger and excavating part of his property because on-street parking is so difficult.

“I dug it all out and then the council got in touch and said [I] might need to put it all back,” said Mr Price, of Heol Uchaf in Hengoed.

“At the moment I’m £5,000 into this build”, he explained. “To put it all back – we haven’t got the money to do it anyway.”

Speaking to the committee on Wednesday August 13, he said his wife has “multiple” health issues and the driveway was designed to make it easier for them to access their home.

Permission

“We have to park out of the street, we desperately need extra parking,” he said. “At times, there are 25 to 30 cars.”

Mr Price also said it would take “a long time” to restore the previous garden area if the committee didn’t grant partially-retrospective permission for the works.

However, council planning officers recommended refusal of the application for “the extensive excavation and loss of the raised front garden” typical to Heol Uchaf.

They said approving this one case meant “it would be difficult… to resist other similar developments, with cumulative adverse effects on the distinctive character of the area”.

No neighbours had filed objections to the plans, and speaking in support of the applicant, Hengoed ward councillor Donna Cushing said Mr Price had been “unaware planning permission would be required”.

‘Compassion’

Parking in another street made it “difficult” for Mr Price’s wife to get home, added Cllr Cushing.

There was support for the applicant from committee member Cllr Nigel Dix, who urged his colleagues to “show a bit of compassion” and overrule the officers’ recommendation.

“I think in this case we should allow the residents to have their parking bay,” he said.

Cllr Shane Williams said he “sympathised” with the applicant’s case, but added he was “not sure I agree” with Cllr Dix, and “if every homeowner decided to do this, that would totally undermine” the street.

Cllr Mansell Powell called the case “a bit untidy” with Mr Price “caught in the middle” of planning rules.

He claimed the presence of a dropped kerb outside the property suggested one could “drive in” to it.

The case divided members of the committee, with chairman Cllr Roy Saralis having to second the officers’ recommendation because no other member would.

The committee voted to refuse the application by eight votes to four, with two abstentions.

Cllr Saralis said he had a “tremendous amount of sympathy” for Mr Price’s case, and told the meeting the applicant had the right to appeal the decision.

“Obviously it’s a sad situation, but planning is planning,” the chairman added.