Bolton: Vote held on High Street disability home extension

Bolton Council planning officers had originally recommended that plans for a first floor extension and dormer to a house on High Street in Deane be rejected.

They claimed that it would “harm the appearance and characteristics” of the nearby area, but this was questioned by elected committee members.

Cllr David Wilkinson, of Westhoughton South, said: “We live in the bizarre world of planning, one minute we’re saying no, one minute we’re saying yes.”

The plans were approved by Bolton Council (Image: Bolton Council)

He added: “I sometimes think we’re in two councils to be honest, us and them.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way but that’s the way things have been going.”

Cllr Wilkinson said he knew the street well from previous site visits and that most of the dormers had been built in the area because of the need for disability access.

He said that the proposed extension was “not an architectural beauty” but that “the worst thing would be that this family may not have the space for care” and moved that the scheme be approved.

High Street (Image: Google Maps)

A previous council report accepted that the plan had been proposed to support a disabled family member but still expressed doubts about the extension.

It said: “An Occupational Therapy Home Assessment Summary Report has been submitted which outlines that the proposals are to support a family member with a significant learning difficulty.

“However, it has not been sufficiently demonstrated that the rear dormer is required.”

It added: “The proposed rear dormer, by virtue of its visual bulk, scale, and design, would materially harm the character and appearance of the host building and the local area.”

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 But other councillors felt that the needs of the family outweighed concerns like these.

Cllr David Grant, of Horwich South, said: “That’s for residents to decide, how to utilise their homes to best fit their circumstances.”

Turing to the extension itself, he added: “Whilst it is larger than usual, its there to assist the family with their home.”

The members ultimately voted unanimously with the exception of chairman Cllr John Walsh to approve the plan.