A homeowner in Bournemouth, Dorset, is facing the possibility of having to demolish a garden annexe he constructed without planning permission after neighbours spotted it advertised for £1,300 a month on Facebook.
The Annex and Planning Application
Sandro Lechi erected the building at the bottom of his back garden without seeking prior approval from the local council. Following complaints, he was instructed to apply for retrospective consent. In his application, Mr Lechi insisted the annexe was not intended for use as residential accommodation.
However, eagle-eyed neighbours discovered the one-bedroom garden flat listed on Facebook for £1,300 per month, prompting them to report him to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council. The council has now refused the retrospective application, meaning Mr Lechi must either appeal or demolish the structure.
Neighbours' Reactions
According to neighbours, the Facebook advert described the annexe as a "beautiful, newly refurbished ground floor flat for rent," featuring one bedroom, a "spacious" kitchen diner, and a bathroom, partly furnished with all bills included.
Rico de Gallo, a neighbour, stated: "It is advertised on a Facebook account. This would seem to make it a separate planning unit. The ancillary building has been erected with all aspects needed to enable it to be rented out."
Another neighbour, Karen Shiels, added: "The applicant states that these changes do not result in 'independent residential accommodation.' This is patently untrue as the unit has been extensively advertised on social media as a property for rent." She also noted that the outbuilding has its own letterbox, making it easy to have a separate postal address.
Council's Decision
Planning documents show Mr Lechi added a living area and kitchenette to a small, existing outhouse that previously contained only a workshop and storage area. Diagrams indicate the new annexe occupies a significant portion of the back garden, surrounded by other residential properties.
Wendy Lane, director of planning, concluded that the building would create an "unsympathetic addition to the host dwelling," resulting in "poor design that would appear cramped and within the plot." She added that the "resulting intensification of the dwelling house would be contrary to the character of the area" and would create "unacceptable impacts on neighbouring amenity, with increased noise, more traffic movements and parking requirements."
Mr Lechi has 12 weeks to lodge an appeal against the council's decision. The Daily Mail has contacted BCP Council for comment.
