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Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'My neighbours hate me... but I don't care!': Woman at war with whole village over her 'HS2 tunnel' house wins bitter planning battle
A farmer whose controversial new Teletubby-style eco home caused her own tight-knit village to ostracize her for 'bringing HS2' to their idyll has finally won her planning battle, saying: 'It's a bit like Putin and Ukraine - we should have just had a talk.' Defiant June Titterton-Fox has been granted retrospective permission to continue building her dream house in an idyllic village in Rutland which juts out of a hill in much the same way a piece of tunneling from the cursed infrastructure project does. However this has come with the fury of some neighbours who say the 'out of place' property looks 'absolutely horrible' and should never have been allowed. During a recent council meeting - where planners voted in favour of the scheme with one objection and one abstention - it was revealed that Mrs Titterton-Fox had breached rules and built it bigger than she had been granted permission for. But instead of launching 'enforcing action against her,' officers from Rutland County Council - where the rare breeds farmer was a former councillor - worked with her to seek a resolution. This month jubilant Mrs Titterton-Fox, 65, speaking from her smallholding in posh Whitwell in The Midlands, told MailOnline: 'I've got retrospective planning permission and I am really pleased. 'But it could have been so much better if people in the village, who objected to what I am doing, had spoken directly to me instead of holding secret meetings and not inviting me.' She said the long-running fight with some of her neighbours, whom she had previously counted as close friends and socialised with and branded 'just vicious, horrible people,' had taken its toll on her health and she has lost two stone in weight because of 'all the stress.' As she was nursing a poorly lamb and awaiting a vet's visit, she said: 'It's victory for me but it's a shame it's has taken so long and caused so much aggravation. 'I've won the war but it should have been finished a lot sooner. It's a bit like Putin and Ukraine, if we had just sat down and talked, me and those objecting neighbours, we could have found a solution a lot quicker. 'There's only 25 houses here and half are on the warpath!' Fellow residents in the tiny village - which is twinned with Paris and has two dozen homes - have been divided over the £800,000 three-bedroom home set into a hillside of a six-acre field she owns. She had applied for planning content in 2020 and claimed her unique property Field House would be one of the most energy-efficient properties in Britain. But the plans faced opposition from villagers who said the 'garish Hobbit house' looked 'more like something from Teletubby Land', and planners refused the application for the single-storey home in 2021. Council officers said the development was 'unacceptable' and would be 'visually intrusive and impact adversely on the form and character of the area'. But Mrs Titterton-Fox appealed, and Planning Inspector Dominic Young, clearly impressed by her plans, ruled: 'The state-of-the-art property has been carefully and sensitively designed to the most exacting environmental standards.' He added: 'Given the dwelling would be built into the hillside with no part of its structure protruding above the natural topography - it would have very little impact,' adding that the design had the 'wow factor.' Having cleared one hurdle Mrs Titterton-Fox then faced further obstacles as locals complained she had breach regulations, building the property 1.2 metres higher than approved, adding two extra rooms at each end to be used as an ensuite bathroom and a plant room, and changing the frosted widows size and design, Councillor Kiloran told the recent meeting: 'Residents contacted enforcement because the building did not look like the plans approved on appeal. 'It had an impact on locals living nearby and has impact on heritage.' She urged: 'This application should be rejected for Rutland and for the country. It certainly lacks the wow factor and is in breach of planning.' Retired publican Julie Healey, who has lived in the desirable village for decades, believes the eco house - which is yet to be screened and landscaped - 'looks out of place' and is 'absolutely horrible.' The great grandmother added: 'I cannot believe this has been allowed to happen in a village like this. 'I can only see the house from one bedroom and my paddock so it is not too bad for me but a few of my neighbours overlook it directly and the occupants will be able to look into their bedrooms.' Widowed Mrs Healey, 86, who used to run the next Noel pub with her late husband for 18 years until 1997, told how the eco home had 'spilt the village.' She said: 'People on my side are against it because it is right ion front of them but those on the other side of the road are not so concerned.' She said she and fellow villagers 'always used to socialise' with Mrs Titterton-Fox and her husband Andrew but don't now, saying: 'It has caused a rift and I rarely see her now.' Simon and Beverley Jackson, whose home overlooks the distinctive build likened to the famous pre-school children's TV show, claims the windows face directly into their bedroom and bathroom, destroying their privacy. Mrs Jackson, a semi-retired MD of a legal services firm, said: 'It is an eyesore and when people move in it will be even more so! 'But at the end of the day she's won and we have to live with it. I thought it would go that way, in her favour. 'She used to be a local councillor and she has a few friends there. 'We're not happy but we fought our case and she won. It is what it is and there's nothing we can really do. 'Getting retrospective planning permission is the final straw.' She said it was too early to say if residents would challenge the decision as they would need to spend 'lots more money' seeking a judicial review. Devastated Mrs Jackson, who now feels like selling up her beautiful £1.2 million home, a converted farm grain store, said: 'It is a massive intrusion. It was meant to be built into sunken hollow ground but it sticks out like a sore thumb, and it is farcical. 'I hate living here now. I wake up every morning and see that monstrosity staring back at me from my bed. 'I go to my ensuite to take a shower and I see it, I go to my dressing and make-up room to get ready for work and I see it. 'I go downstairs to my kitchen and lounge and I still see it. It is horrendous.' 'No one around here likes it.' She added: ''The building should be disguised by greenery, it should be covered, but most importantly it should be much lower in height. 'It makes a mockery of the planning system. 'There needs to be trees, evergreens, and landscaping put in pace, and the new gabion structure on the right side needs to mirror the other.' She said that the eco home owner, who like her has lived in the village for 20 years - a beauty spot near Oakhame village lies which boasts the first memorial statue to the late Queen, and historic Stamford in neighbouring Cambridgeshire - 'used to be a friend of mine but I don't speak to her now.' Her insurance broker husband Simon previously fumed: 'There is no getting away from it. When people are living there they will be able to see us in bed and see us in the shower. That is an invasion of our space and privacy, and is alarming. We feel sick.' Another neighbour, who declined to be named, said retrospective plans being given the green light was 'very sad. The woman, whose home overlooks it from a height, said: 'Is it an outstanding an innovative build, no, and it is certainly no Grand Designs building. 'It was a breach of planning law and she did not meet the criteria and there has since been seven rounds of consultation by planning officers who then recommend the council approved it. 'There were a lot of objections but locals have been ignored - our views have not been taken into account. 'It is not an attractive building and spoils the view in our pretty, historic village, which has some listed buildings. 'And now a tall black ugly chimney flue has gone up on the roof.' She added: 'But she got it, fair play, and what can we do apart from spending £30,000 on a judicial review.' The house, which is inhabitable, is still worked on and the owner hopes it will be completed and ready to move into by late summer. Mrs Titterton-Fox and her husband Andrew, 60, a civil engineer with Transport for London, are living in a caravan on site. She told our website: 'We've not done anything to it really because this planning row has dragged on, apart from putting flooring down and plastering and painting the walls. 'It still cannot be lived in, there's electricity but no water and not kitchen or bathrooms but they are no on order and we are hoping to move in by late August-September. 'The house is not any higher but a little bit wider and build into the wings. 'All this stress has been very traumatic and I've lost two stone in weight. 'There's been a lot of negativity and toxicity in the village and one resident has been harassing me, posting against me on social media and keeps videoing me because I'm building a new house.' 'There have been lots of negative posts by one individual and I have had to report it to police.' Mrs Titterton-Fox told how neighbours 'jealous of my dream home' had led her to halting her buildings work and has only made matters worse. But after working amicably with council officers to find a solution to meet planning rules, and make amendment, she assured fellow residents: 'Wait till you see the finished house! 'It will be all landscaped with trees and plants, and is even planted with wild flowed and white daisies on the roof, and you won't even know we're there! 'Complaints that our build is too high are ridiculous and in time it will be almost totally hidden from view, the house will disappear behind screening. 'I can the end of the light of the tunnel.' The couple own another £750,000 five-bed house in the village - their former family home - which they are renting out as an Airbnb and have recently sold. The twice-wed farmer said: 'We finally have a buyer but all the negativity about our new eco home has made it difficult to sell. 'Prospective buyers have said they've read all about me and the planning battle and commented: 'What terrible neighbours you have. 'I have lived in this beautiful village bedside Rutland Water for 24 years. I am a small holder with animals and livestock, and no one will speak to me anymore. I have done nothing wrong.' The Council's Development Manager Justin Johnson, who had previously taken members on a site visit of the property on land off Exton Road Whitwell Conservation Area, told the meeting: 'We investigated on behalf of out own enforcement team. 'The dwelling is larger that permitted with two additional rooms and a black flue has been erected to serve a wood burner. 'But there will be tree planting to provide further screening and the building will one earth covered and seeded.' He advised that the property did not impact in 'neighbours or amenities.' He said the retrospective amended plans included gabion walling, landscaping and excavation to the rear for car parking. 'It does not impact the setting of the Grade II listed Church of St Michael or the Home Farmhouse. 'Due to maintained separation distances, there will be no loss of privacy, or oppressive environment for neighbouring properties. 'It raises the design standards in the ares and has minimal visual impact, with only glimpsed views from nearby public roads and footpaths.' 'The development will not lead to increased flood risk in the area.
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Minister insists no ‘free pass' for builders who get planning permission extensions
Builders will not get a 'free pass' and there is a 'use it or lose it' provision in Government proposals to allow for planning permission extensions for delayed housing developments, Minister for Housing James Browne has insisted. Under the proposals for emergency legislation, approved by Cabinet on Tuesday, developers would be able to seek extensions to planning permissions in cases where building work has been delayed by judicial review proceedings or access to finance or infrastructure constraints. The measure is a bid to activate developments such as large-scale apartments that might otherwise go beyond their permission timeline and lapse. Mr Browne said almost 15,800 residential units have gone through judicial review and got the go ahead to proceed but have had the duration of their planning permission eroded as a result. READ MORE He said he believes that while judicial reviews are a legitimate part of Ireland's legal process, they have 'been weaponised by some people' in the hope that if a project is delayed long enough it will fail. Minister of State with responsibility for planning John Cummins said allowing extensions is a 'practical and common sense measure to ensure that sufficient time is given to activate planning permissions for much needed housing across the country'. Social Democrats housing spokesman Rory Hearne responded to the Government's plans by saying he is concerned that the measure will 'incentivise land and property speculation rather than actually getting homes built'. He added: 'We believe there should be a use it or lose it approach to planning permission rather than this extension.' Mr Browne later said there is a 'use it or lose it' element, with a requirement that developments commence within 18 months of the legislation passing. He said: 'This is not a free pass for people who have planning permissions.' Mr Browne said commencement notices are 'a legal step' where developers 'must notify the local authority that they're actually about to start that work' and that 'you actually should be putting shovels in the ground'. He also said: 'once you sign a commencement, it's actually very difficult to withdraw it'. He added: 'I'd expect developers here to act in good faith. If they don't commence, they won't get the extension of time.' He confirmed at a press conference that there will be no penalties for someone that gets the extension but does not develop the land. Mr Browne said bringing in penalties would be 'very challenging' legally given protections relating to land under the Constitution but also said this would be kept under review. The intention is for the legislation to be completed before the Dáil summer recess.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
We built a wheelchair ramp without planning permission and the council wants us to tear it down - it will cost us £20k
A beloved village shop hailed as a 'lifeline' by locals is under threat of closure after a single complaint about its new wheelchair-accessible entrance sparked a planning row – and now the owners are facing a £20,000 bill to rip it down. Kenga and Ajantha Kokulakumar, who run the Roos Village Store and Post Office in East Yorkshire, could be forced to undo accessibility improvements after council officials branded their shopfront 'characterless' and out of keeping with the historic area. The couple, who took over the store in July 2024, closed for two months to carry out much-needed renovations – including installing a wider entrance, wheelchair ramp and security shutter to better serve elderly and disabled residents. East Riding of Yorkshire Council has ordered the couple to reverse the modifications, claiming they were carried out without proper permissions and harm the appearance of the village's conservation area. Ms Kokulakumar, 40, said the returning the building to its original state could cost around £20,000, on top of the £10,000 the couple spent on the refurb. She said: 'We took over the shop last July. The old entrance had a huge stone step and our elderly and disabled customers really struggled to get in. 'People kept asking if we could make it accessible. 'So when we started renovations, we decided to move the door, add a ramp, and make it easier for everyone. 'We didn't realise we needed planning permission – it was a genuine mistake. We applied after the fact, but the council refused it twice. 'They said the changes didn't suit the conservation area. 'Only one person complained, but more than 400 people have supported us. They say this shop is a lifeline – and it is. There are lots of elderly residents here. 'They rely on us for shopping, banking, everything.' Ms Kokulakumar said removing the new door and reinstating the old one would force them to move their service counter and rearrange and refit the entire store. She added: 'The changes cost us nearly £10,000, and now they want us to undo all of it. To reverse everything would cost more than £20,000 – we simply can't afford it. 'We've followed the rules the best we can. We've run businesses for years without any trouble. 'This whole thing has caused so much stress. We're just asking for a little common sense and support.' More than 400 villagers have backed a petition to save the changes. Paul Sanderson, 76, who lives nearby and uses a mobility scooter, said: 'That's the only shop there is in the village – it's a lifeline for people like me. 'The council's being really petty if you ask me. You'd think having proper wheelchair access would be welcomed, not punished. 'Before, I had to hang onto the wall just to try and get in to the shop. It wasn't safe. 'Now it's easy to get inside – I come nearly every day. Without that new door and ramp, I'd struggle. 'I think the council are just being petty'. Among those to sign the petition in support of the shop was Dave Crum, 63. He added: 'Before the changes you'd have to climb up a massive stone step just to get in – it was ridiculous. 'This new setup is brilliant, especially for all the old folk here. 'Mobility scooters, wheelchairs – they can actually get in now. The shop's been transformed. 'I know the council has a job to do but it's a barmy decision. 'I get that it's a conservation area and all that – but come on, it's not like they've stuck massive neon signs up. It's just a welcoming little shopfront now. 'A bit of common sense wouldn't go amiss.' The shop owners received a letter from the council after reopening in September last year ordering them to submit a retrospective planning application – which was refused. The couple appealed, but the planning inspectorate backed the council at a hearing earlier this month. The sole complaint, from a resident named Willis Ainsley, reads: 'Roos Village Store and Post Office is a highly valued community amenity. 'However, the building alterations have significantly changed the character of, and, the street scene of Main Street. 'In my opinion it has caused harm to Roos Conservation Area North. 'I therefore register my objection to the application.' When MailOnline this week visited the tiny village, east of Hull, locals were united in support of the shop. Helen Seel, 56, said 'I understand it's an old village and the importance of conservation but I don't think there are many people who object to this, particularly the elderly. 'I don't have an issue with it at all. I think the frontage blends in well with the building. 'The ramp makes it so much easier for people with walking aids to get into the shop. I want to see the council show a bit of empathy for the people who struggle to walk. 'We're so lucky to have such a good shop and Post Office in the village. Losing the shop altogether would be the worst situation.' East Riding of Yorkshire council acknowledged the shop's 'central role' in the village's conservation area but criticised the new frontage as 'overtly modern' and out of step with its historic surroundings. Officials claimed the use of 'unsympathetic materials' had resulted in 'a prominent, unfamiliar and incongruous addition' to the traditional building, describing the ramp as 'alien'. A council officer concluded: 'Regrettably, the door surround and shopfront have now been lost and replaced with a modern, automated sliding door entrance. 'It is considered that the proposal does not preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. 'The existing building contributed positively towards the Conservation Area however the nature of the works is considered to be visually intrusive from the frontage of the site and detract from the overall character of the building.' The council said it hoped to 'work proactively with the applicant' to resolve the breach and 'address the concerns raised'.
BreakingNews.ie
24-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Plans for Mayo data centre opposed by Sally Rooney stalled after appeal
Contentious plans to proceed with a data centre in Co Mayo opposed by international best-selling author, Sally Rooney have been stalled. This follows a third party appeal lodged with An Bord Pleanála against Mayo County Council's decision to grant planning permission last month to Mayo Data Hub Ltd for a data centre at Mullafarry and Tawnaghmore Upper, Killala. Advertisement One of the objectors to the data centre, Colin Doyle from Station Rd, Ennis, Co Clare has lodged the third party appeal. The data centre for a site, located 1.8km to the south of Killala and 10.5km to the north of Ballina, will require 50MW average electrical power to operate. A planning report lodged with the application by John Spain Associates states that proposed development "will attract complementary technology-based companies within the ICT sector and complementary industries to the west of Ireland which will provide for higher paying jobs and activate the local economy'. The planning report also states that the electricity grid in the west of Ireland is currently unconstrained with sufficient capacity to accommodate the required connection for the data centre. Advertisement The report states that the project 'was in fact situated in this part of Ireland after consultation with Eirgrid because this location is outside grid constrained areas and in a region with a surplus of renewable power'. In his original objection with the Council, Mr Doyle stated that his main concern was indirect greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) generated by the data centre and the resulting impact on climate. In her own objection to the centre, Sally Rooney told the Council that 'I urge you in the strongest possible terms to refuse planning permission for this wasteful, unnecessary and environmentally toxic proposal'. Ms Rooney said that she was making this submission 'as a resident of Co Mayo and a concerned citizen.' Advertisement The Normal People and Intermezzo author said: "Climate change represents an immediate and unprecedented threat to our way of life here in Mayo and to the future of human life around the world'. She said: "Unless we act now to stop runaway overheating, children born today are likely to witness a catastrophic breakdown of global civilisation.' Ms Rooney said that in 2023, 'private corporate data centres accounted for 21 per cent of Ireland's total electricity usage – more than all urban households combined'. Ms Rooney said: 'The truth is that these data centres exist largely to support online advertising. Some estimates suggest that online ads account for 50 per cent of internet data usage; others put the figure between 60 per cent and 80 per cent. Advertisement She said: 'Whatever the specific figure, online advertising is extremely energy-intensive and is increasing in scale all the time, requiring more data centres, more energy, and more fossil fuels. Ms Rooney said: 'Advertising, needless to say, is pointless. It adds no value to the real economy. It does not improve the overall quality of life for anyone. It is an utter waste of resources. At the best of times, this seems a shame; at a time of urgent global crisis, it is a catastrophe.' "Wasteful consumption of electricity is a disaster. Not only does it drive energy prices upward for ordinary consumers; it also increases the total demand for energy and thus the total demand for fossil fuels' Ms Rooney said that as the applicants have conceded that the project will result in the emission of more carbon dioxide" into our already overheated atmosphere". Advertisement She said: 'This additional atmospheric carbon will contribute to climate change not only here in County Mayo, but everywhere on the earth, as part of the catastrophic planetary crisis that is global warming.' Ms Rooney further contended that 'Carbon credits' and 'offsetting programmes' deployed by operators of data centres 'act only as a smokescreen for corporations that want to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere for profit'. She said: "These gases have already been responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people, and in the coming years we can be confident they will claim the lives of thousands more. No complicated EU policy instrument can wave that fact away.' In her six page submission, Ms Rooney further states that 'Not only would this proposed data centre represent a wasteful use of precious and limited electricity; it could also endanger that vital resource for other users, including hospitals and homes.' A decision is due on the appeal in September.
