COUNCILLORS have decided to make a site visit to one of Salcombe’s most prominent private houses to decide whether a replacement summerhouse should be permitted in the front garden.

The Grange on Cliff Road is Grade II* listed and adjacent to Cliff House. The two properties are particularly visible from the water and from the East Portlemouth side of the estuary, and The Grange itself is described as ’an imposing villa dating from the late 18th century’ by planning officer Matthew Jones.

However, in his report to South Hams Council’s development committee, Mr Jones also noted the property has ’a complex and chequered recent planning history owing to the degree of authorised and unauthorised work which has taken place at the site in the last four years’.

The committee decided on a site visit after a brief discussion on the proposal, and a presentation from architect Richard Atkinson.

The architect, employed by applicant Alasdair Nicholls set out the key issues involved, saying the proposed building was set much further back than the existing one, and had no visual impact on the frontage of The Grange. He said the roof level was lower than a plinth with ornate metalwork and colonnade at the front of the house, and the scale was ’wholly appropriate’.

Mr Atkinson also explained that Mr Nicholls has a close relationship with his builder, which explained why so much work had been done at the property without planning permission, against professional advice. This was in the process of being rectified.

Ward member Cllr Simon Wright said he had visited the site and been ’shocked’ by the amount of unauthorised work carried out. He called for a site visit before a decision was made. Fellow ward member Cllr Judy Pearce agreed, saying it was important for the proposed site to be viewed from all angles.

Cllr Rosemary Rowe said this application seemed to have ’opened a can of worms’ in that councillors had now been made aware of all the unauthorised work.

But head planning officer Patrick Whymer stressed to councillors that they should only consider the current application on any site visit, and not the range of work carried out without planning permission.

Cllr Julian Brazil representing Stokenham ward said The Grange was the dominant building seen when approaching from East Portlemouth. He said it looked like the new summerhouse would not be visible from that angle, but a site visit was needed for such an iconic building.

Asked what the council’s policy was on unauthorised development, and the sanctions for it, a spokesman for South Hams Council said: ’We are actively monitoring the works being undertaken at The Grange in accordance with Paragraph 207 of the National Planning Policy Framework and the council’s adopted Enforcement Policy.

’Enforcement action can lead to work being undertaken to physically remove breaches in planning. If work directly affects the setting of a listed building, and is unauthorised, this constitutes a legal offence which can leave relevant parties vulnerable to potential prosecution.

’There are currently unauthorised works and structures at The Grange but the council is proactively undertaking a series of enforcement investigations and procedures to remedy the works and the council continues to work with the landowner to do so.’

A Grade II* listed building is defined by Historic England as ‘particularly important buildings of more than special interest.’ Only 5.5 per cent of listed buildings are given a Grade II* listing. One resident in Salcombe, who didn’t wished to be named, asked: ‘How can a local authority, let alone a town council or a few individuals compete with the resources being pumped into this?’

Dr Susan Blackmore, whose family owned the property between 1979 and 2011, said: ‘To my mind, the owners have behaved extremely badly.

‘It seems that people have the impression that if they have money, they can do whatever they want - as long as they pay.

‘My view is that if you own a property, you’re a guardian, you merely take care of it for future generations - especially when your home is as impressive as The Grange.

‘It’s depressing that taxpayer’s money is being spent fighting this.’

Having made the site visit, councillors will be considering the application at South Hams Council’s development management committee on Wednesday, September 28.

Mr Nicholls has been approached for a comment.