Investigation Reveals Unauthorised Loft Conversion at Cwmbran Home Built by Taylor Wimpey

AN office and gym loft conversion at a new build home was developed without planning permission. 
Homeowner Ryan O’Neill could now have to remove or alter the loft conversion at his two-storey home after council planning officers said the grey UPVC windows were of “poor design” and “inappropriate” and “harmful” to the character and appearance of the house and wider area. 
Council officials launched an investigation after being tipped off that dormer windows had been added to the back roof of the property at Clos Glas Y Dorlan which is part of a massive development by home builder Taylor Wimpey at Pontrhydyrun in Cwmbran. 
The probe concluded a breach of the planning condition from 2017, that prevented unauthorised extensions or roof enlargements, had occurred prompting Mr O’Neill to make a retrospective application. 
But that has been refused by Torfaen Borough Council with planning officer Simon Pritchard stating in a report: “It is considered that the dormers, by virtue of their siting, scale, mass and design, result in dominant, out of proportion and incongruous roof forms which are harmful to the character and appearance of the existing dwelling and surrounding area.” 
Other homes in the area do have dormers but Mr Pritchard said they are smaller in scale and “an integral part” of the original design while another back roof dormer nearby is also under investigation. 
He confirmed council officers are on the case and stated: “Another unauthorised rear dormer on a property in close proximity of the site is currently being investigated by the enforcement section.” 
Company director Mr O’Neill’s loft conversion was carried out between October last year and January and also included two rooflights to the front. 
But Mr Pritchard said the 2.3 metres tall, and 3.3m wide, rear dormers with the windows extending to the full height were inappropriate with their pitched roofs the same height as the main roof. 
“They are also unsympathetically wide with the expanse of glazing accentuating their poor design and inappropriateness in the rear roof plane,” Mr Pritchard stated in his report and added the house is “highly visible” from the open spaces and a footpath to the west and surrounding homes. 
No neighbours objected to Mr O’Neill’s planning application and the report also said the dormers did comply with the policy on “overlooking” due to the way they are angled and distance from neighbouring homes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​