At last! Planning chiefs slap 'Stop' notice on unauthorised development

But residents claim work had all but finished

PLANNERS have finally served developers with a ‘stop’ notice at an unauthorised development in Hungerford.

But fed-up residents in Upper Eddington are not expecting to see it torn down any time soon.

And they could now face months of misery – because the building is all but complete and could now stay pending any appeal that may be lodged.

The enforcement order was demanded by West Berkshire Council’s western area planning committee on September 2 but has taken until Monday this week to be drawn up and delivered.

Permission for a two-house development at Upper Eddington was originally granted to Waddington Forbes Homes Ltd of Cookham, despite objections, in 2012.

But in June this year, angry residents claimed developers were making a mockery of the system by flouting planning conditions.

They claimed the development ignored height and boundary restrictions and introduced an intrusive stone wall. Meanwhile an extra storey has been added.

West Berkshire Council spokesman Martin Dunscombe said on Tuesday: “Yesterday afternoon we issued stop and enforcement notices to developers at a property at Upper Eddington.

“The stop notice requires that work ceases within three days and the enforcement notice requires that all unauthorised development is taken down and materials taken away from the site.”

However, he added: “The developers have the right to appeal the enforcement notice and, should they do so, enforcement action will be suspended pending the outcome of their appeal providing that the stop notice is not breached.”

At the council’s western area planning committee meeting, which ordered the stop notice against the council’s own planning officers’ advice, Hilary Cole (Con, Chieveley) said she was “absolutely staggered by how dominant these buildings are”.

Anthony Pick (Con, St John’s) agreed, saying: “I was astounded by the degree of dominance of these two buildings.”

And Clive Hooker (Con, Downlands) said: “I have never seen a construction that has been more offensive or overbearing.”

Affected residents live in Upper Eddington, Waram Close, Linden Lea and Hamblin Meadow.

Many fear that, because the developer has been allowed to virtually complete the homes during the weeks it took to produce the stop notice, a planning inspector may be reluctant to reject any subsequent appeal and to order compliance with the original conditions.

Developers have until December to decide whether to lodge an appeal against the stop and enforcement notices