More than 100 objection letters fail to stop UK council from approving oversized mansion

Residents sent more than 100 objection letters, but a developer in Bath, England, has secured permission to keep a mansion built larger than approved. The decision closes a planning dispute that lasted a decade.

Here's what to know

Bath and North East Somerset Council approved developer and homeowner Thomas Worrall's retrospective application by a 7-2 vote, SomersetLive reported.

The completed property includes seven bedrooms, a gym, and a cinema room, although the 2021 approval was for a five-bedroom home set into the hillside. The initial plans date to 2013.

Residents said the home is about 1,400 square feet (130 square meters) larger and up to 6.6 feet (two meters) taller than approved, with a different orientation. Council enforcement teams confirmed deviations in its height, size, and location.

Neighbors say the home dwarfs nearby cottages, raising concerns about whether planning rules are being applied equally.

At the meeting, neighbor Paul Raithby challenged the justification for approving the changes.

"The applicant, their surveyor, and your own case officer all acknowledge that what has been built is an intentional breach of planning control. There is zero demonstrated local need for a seven bedroom luxury mansion to justify overturning planning laws," he said, according to SomersetLive.

Planning officers recommended approval because they considered the finished development "policy compliant." Still, several councilors expressed reluctance to accept the changes.

More background

For next-door neighbor Tavis Hamilton, who has lived there for two decades, the dispute centers on preserving the character of a lane lined with traditional Georgian properties built from Bath stone, according to SomersetLive.

Hamilton said the home's raised position prevents it from sitting back into the hillside as intended. He also said builders encountered groundwater during excavation and backfilled the hole with concrete.

Worrall attributed the changes to water-table and ground conditions, saying the amendments were necessary for safer construction and that the basement expansion served structural purposes.

The site has changed hands three times since 2007 and has been the subject of multiple planning applications.

Hamilton, whose household includes his partner, Charlotte Bolton, and his daughter, said another large house on the opposite side has left his family between two exceptionally large residences.

What's being done?

In reaching their decision, councilors weighed concerns that rejecting the application could lead to an appeal or leave a derelict structure.

The council declined to comment.

Hamilton said residents had submitted objections, identified alleged breaches, supplied evidence, and pursued enforcement officers. He questioned why officials had not intervened while the foundations and footings were being laid, when changes could still have been prevented, according to SomersetLive.

Worrall said he had stopped work while dealing with planners.

"I just want an easy life. I want to get my house finished and move my family into it," he said.

Councilor Saskia Heijltjes contrasted the mansion with a neighboring owner's approach.

"Residents improving their homes must follow approved plans exactly. The owner of the tin church next door is doing everything by the planning book - however long it takes. If this is approved as built, many will conclude that B&NES has a two tier planning system: one set of rules for those who follow them, and one for those who build first and ask questions later," she said.

Where can I learn more?

The Bath dispute isn't the only case of homeowners clashing with developers or local planning rules. 

• A U.K. homeowner fears four 60-foot warehouses next door will prevent his home's sale.

• A U.K. homeowner questions conservation area solar rules, though panels may still be allowed.

• A Maine homeowner says a 30-unit development plan may encroach 100 feet onto their land.

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