🏠🚗 Big News from Freshwater East! 🚗🏠
It seems a garage conversion drama is unfolding in the picturesque seaside village of Freshwater East.
Imagine your cosy hideaway in what’s supposed to be a garage! Back in 2013, an ambitious makeover transformed this garage on Oaklands, Portclew Road, into a full-on living space. Fast forward to a recent twist, and the current owner, Anthony Parfitt, applied for a certificate of lawfulness to keep living there officially. However, the powers that be have said no.
Here’s the backstory: the previous owner decided to revamp the garage into a home while planning to build a new house on the site. Although their planning applications were turned down on more than one occasion, they didn’t give up on living in their garage-turned-home sweet home.
Anthony’s appeal rested on evidence showing the garage’s continuous domestic use. No stone was left unturned, with documents from past occupants backing his claim. However, inconsistencies in its historical use, alongside the fact that it wasn’t marketed as a rental property and no council tax was ever paid, led to the rejection of the appeal.
Official reports say there were instances of the garage being used for other purposes, like woodworking and crafting quirky cigar box guitars. Also, its previous role as a creative workshop didn’t exactly align with the expectations of continuous residential use.
Sadly for Anthony, the garage will remain just that, a garage, due to a lack of consistent evidence proving uninterrupted occupancy as a dwelling. Despite his efforts, the dream of official recognition for this unique residence hits a roadblock thanks to a planning condition from 2012.
What do you think about turning garages into living spaces? A clever use of space or a no-go without proper authorisation? Let us know below!🔑🔨 #GarageLife #HomeSweetHome #PlanningDrama #FreshwaterEast
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