‘Monster mansion’ that looks like an Amazon depot towers over us – ‘lazy’ WFH council is to blame for it being too tall

A COUPLE living next to a home they say looks like an Amazon depot claim their council has made a huge “mistake”.

Terry and Margaret Selby have blamed their council’s working from home culture for the blunder – and laid an official complaint.

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The Dorset couple have been watching the monster £350,000 mansion next door slowly gets taller and taller after their new neighbours were granted planning permission.

The four-bedroom home is being built in the village of Corfe Mullen, but the Selbys say it doesn’t fit in.

Terry says the house looks like “something out of Sandbanks” or an Amazon warehouse and that the old bungalow that was there beforehand should have stayed.

And he feels so strongly that Dorset Council have made a bad call that he’s gone to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Terry says the new home should have gone through a planning committee, but instead the council just gave it the green light.

He hopes that their new neighbours will be told the home is only allowed to be one-story – rather than its towering two.

The OAP said: “Our case to the Ombudsman is that Dorset Council made a massive mistake in making this decision.

“Our argument is that they couldn’t have looked at the plans properly, they just let it go through.

“They appear to be in disarray.”

Terry claims they have lost eight hours of sunlight a day, and that now the frost on their lawn just doesn’t thaw.

He said they’ve also had to replace their much-loved plants with ones that can live in the shade.

The OAP went onto say he thinks council staff working from home played a part in the plans being pushed through.

He continued: “When they granted permission the council report stated it wouldn’t be overbearing, it wouldn’t restrict the light and that it would enhance the area.

“All of the opposite has come true. It was a baffling decision.

“You only have to see it with your own eyes to know that a mistake has been made. What is there now is an outrageous construction that doesn’t fit in with the area.

“I have tried to complain to the council but quite frankly they don’t want to know. They have closed ranks and haven’t answered my questions.”

Planning permission was granted for the home early last year.

It came after the Selbys’ last neighbour passed away in 2022, and the house was bought for £350,000 by a couple who applied to build a four-bedroom modern home in its place.

The Sun has approached the council for comment.

In November, Dorset Council said: “In the light of concerns raised, the applicants submitted amended plans which reduced the scale of the proposed extensions.

“Re-consultation on the amended plans was undertaken with new site notices displayed on November 2, 2022, and further comments were received.

“The application was considered against local and national planning policies taking into account all material considerations raised by neighbours and the town council.  

“The application process followed all legislative and constitutional requirements.

“Officers judged that the revised extensions could be accommodated on the site and planning permission was granted on 11 April 2023.

“We have been in communication with Mr Selby to explain the council’s position. The council will be monitoring compliance with the approved plans.”

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk