Town councillor wins battle over servicemens' respite facility

Planning inspector overturns refusal by West Berkshire planners

TOWN councillor David Liddiard has won his battle to provide free accommodation for disabled servicemen.

He had lodged an appeal against the refusal by West Berkshire Council planners to allow such use of the facility at his Upper Denford home.

Now HM Planning Inspector Jessica Graham has overturned the refusal on appeal.

Mr Liddiard aims to provide temporary respite accommodation for up to six servicemen at a time, for one week each, at a specially converted and equipped barn, including a therapy pool, adjacent his home.

He said: “I had it built when I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease but until I need the facilities I thought I would put them to good use for disabled servicemen returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. It can also accommodate their families.”

West Berkshire planners refused permission for such use on the grounds that it could set a precedent for conversion of countryside buildings to residential use and that it would avdersely impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

However, the inspector ruled: “I do not share the council's view that (it) would have an ‘urbanising impact' upon the surrounding AONB.”

The inspector went on: “The appellant has strong connections with the military services but it seems to me that, in planning terms, if the building is suitable for letting as holiday accommodation at all, then there is no necessity to restrict that use to a specific type of occupier.”

She also pointed out that planners had already granted planning permission for the building for residential purposes, and added: “I see no reason why the impact of its use for holiday accommodation should differ appreciably from its permitted use for ancillary residential accommodation....the appeal is allowed.”

Mr Liddiard said: “It's a great relief. The building was just sitting there, empty for years, when it could have been put to good use all this time.”

He added that Hungerford Rotary Club had agreed to make arrangements for injured servicemen to use it and went on: “We've been busy getting it ready and hope to have our first guests soon.”

Both West Berkshire Council and Mr Liddiard have applied for the other side to pay costs and this will be determined at a later date.