Tempers fray over Hale Barns extension plans (From Messenger Newspapers)

Tempers fray over Hale Barns extension plans

4:00pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News By Kate Banks, Reporter

TEMPERS became frayed at a Trafford planning committee meeting, with councillors disagreeing about an application to extend a Hale Barns cottage.

Ms Anne Lloyd-Williams and her husband wanted to extend their property on Wellfield Lane, one of four ‘Leighs Cottages’ and the only one of the row that has not already been extended - but the committee rejected the proposal after a very narrow vote and at times heated debate.

Speaking at the meeting on February 14, Ms Lloyd-Williams said the extension was necessary as both she and her husband work from home and their elderly mother-in-law can no longer visit them, as they do not have a downstairs toilet and she cannot manage their stairs.

“Extensions on all the other cottages have been approved, we’re only asking for the same flexibility to be applied,” she said.

“Our cottage would still be the only cottage of the four to keep its original fronting.”

Hale Barns councillor, Dylan Butt, spoke on the behalf of the applicants, arguing that their ‘unique set of circumstances’ meant there were special circumstances for them to erect a single storey side and two storey rear extension.

Labour’s Cllr Dolores O’Sullivan and Conservative Ken Weston agreed that it would be unfair to refuse the application as neighbouring properties had already been extended and no residents’ had raised objections.

But Labour councillor, Phil Gratrix and Conservative member, Dan Bunting, argued that the proposal was inappropriate for the green belt, regardless of the fact that no one had raised objections.

In fact vice-chairman Cllr Bunting exchanged words with fellow Conservative, Cllr Michael Whetton, before committee chairman, Cllr Vivienne Ward, intervened and instructed her deputy to desist.

The application was refused after a close committee vote.