Neighbours angry over extension plans for Chester vicarage

Dec 8 2008 by David Norbury, Chester Chronicle

NEIGHBOURS felt their rights to privacy and quality of life were being threatened by the Diocese of Chester when proposals were put forward to extend a vicarage.

They arose following an application by the diocese to build the single storey extension at the rear of the vicarage on Village Road in Waverton.

The application was called in to Chester's planning board by Waverton city councillor Jeff Clarke (Con).

The detached 1960s two storey dwelling is set back from the road by over 20m, according to a report.

The property is set in the Waverton Conservation Area and Chester's Green Belt.

Saighton based McCormick Architecture, agents for the diocese, told planning officers at the City Council the 12.75m wide extension would be built on the rear gable of the property.

It would extend a dining room and create a day room for everyday use by the vicar, the Rev Julian Beauchamp and his young family.

On occasion, it would also be used for meetings of up to 15 people although formal meetings would take place in the nearby Burley Hall.

Neighbours sent in four objections arguing the extension would constitute a change of use of the vicarage.

They raised concerns about highway safety, loss of privacy, noise and visual intrusion and the effect on their quality of life.

Objectors also believe the extension would be out of keeping in the conservation area.

At The Old Rectory, Village Road, immediate neighbours Roger and Janet Wilson describe themselves as “private individuals who feel their rights to privacy and quality of life are being threatened by the Diocese of Chester”.

They felt the existing study at the property was adequate for meetings and pointed to the Burley Hall nearby.

Waverton Parish Council supported the objectors' concerns and believed there was no case for a meeting room attached to the vicarage.

Parish councillors felt it could cause parking problems and highway safety issues and might also affect the conservation area and lead to loss of privacy for neighbours.

The agents accepted that wording in a design and access statement may have given rise to misunderstanding and assured the city council the diocese was not seeking a change of use of the property.

The vicarage would not be used in any other way than it had been by previous incumbents.

Meetings would happen from time to time and it would not be appropriate for the vicar to hold sometimes personal meetings with parishioners with a young family about.

The extension will be in keeping with the size and character of the property, planning officers suggest.

It will incorporate architectural details from the original dwelling and no objections have been raised by conservation officers.

There will be no unacceptable effect on neighbours and in one case the separation distance will significantly exceed the guideline.

Referring to concerns the extension will be a change of use, planning officers pointed out the diocese had submitted a householder application although it had referred to meetings of up to 15 people and a new access for parish fetes.

Recommending the application should be approved, they said the vicarage would remain in residential use.

Moving approval, deputy planning chairman Cllr Barbara Roberts (Con, Tarvin) said she could appreciate the concerns of Mr and Mrs. Wilson.

“I would like to see some landscaping,” she said.

The board agreed the application should have permission on a unanimous 13-0 vote after Elton Cllr Barry Cowper (Lab) had commented: “If this was a dwelling with an extension, anyone could use it for meetings anyway.”