Fareham couple ordered to take down garage they built without planning permission

Deborah Macdonald along with her husband started building a garage without planning permission but have tried to correct that error three times over the last three years. She said they’ve spent thousands of pounds on planning consultant’s fees since their builder pointed out they needed planning permission for the wooden structure in March 2021. She said they applied immediately but were then refused permission in December 2021.

Mrs Macdonald, of Funtley Road in Funtley, said the plans were turned down because the oak-framed outbuilding for storage on a brick base with timber shiplap cladding was ‘causing harm’.

She said: “Bearing in mind they are building 7,000 houses behind us, have 26 at the end of the village and are looking to build 150 more on the opposite side… how can they give permission for all this but not one wooden shed? This has caused us a lot of stress and cost a lot of money and now they want us to take it down by January 7 but we’ve been unable to do this due to the adverse weather we’ve been having. We believe they have a vendetta against us otherwise they would have given us permission.”

Planning was first refused by Fareham Borough Council (FBC) because it said the shed was too big for the front garden space it occupied and ‘the open character of the surrounding area’. At the last hearing which combined an enforcement notice and the third planning permission application, she said: “FBC said no to all of it. Three councillors supported me but permission was turned down from FBC because they said there was a blatant disregard to planning regulations because I’d already built it.”

Mrs McDonald, who has submitted three different sets of plans, said she has spent thousands on planning advice. She added: “This building will have been up for four years in March and we have had no complaints and seven of my neighbours have written letters of support but these weren’t even considered so my question is who is it harming? They did this to stop the clock because they knew after four years they couldn’t make us take it down.

Fareham Borough Council said: “Two previous appeal decisions dismissed the retention of the garage building, albeit with differing roof configurations. Those inspectors however concluded, amongst other things, that the building appeared excessively large, dominant and cramped, which was harmful to the open character of the street scene.”

The Macdonald’s made two further planning applications, but both were refused. The latest P22/1046/FP made in July 2022 took over a year and was dismissed in November 2023. The planning inspector agreed that the visual impact of the building was minimal but concluded it was ‘harmful to the character and appearance of the area’.