The 'Top Boy' actor claims the home needs extending as his children will soon be "banging heads on the ceiling" but has seen his plans rejected twice
Ashley Walters's plans to extend his bungalow have been blocked after planning permission was refused, which he claims could force his family to move(Image credit: Google Earth)
Ashley Walters, 41, has seen two planning applications rejected to extend his bungalow, which he claims his family has outgrown.
The former So Solid Crew member bought the home based in Kent in 2021 for £815,000 but has since sought planning permission to extend his family home, as well as other renovations.
However, Canterbury City Council have turned down the proposals with Walters now claiming he may be forced to leave the area entirely as the home no longer suits his family's needs.
What are the plans?
Mr Walters' attempts to secure extensions for his chalet bungalow have been rejected twice by planning officers at Canterbury City Council.
Additionally, Mr Walters aims to create a home cinema, and add a swimming pool and gym in his back garden.
Extension needed for growing family, Walters claims
Walters claims if his plans continue to be rejected he and his family could be forced to move as the home no longer meets the growing needs of his family(Image credit: Getty Images)
In the event his bungalow renovation plans are not approved, Walters said that he intends to search for a new residence for himself, his wife, and their two children.
Get the Homebuilding & Renovating Newsletter
Bring your dream home to life with expert advice, how to guides and design inspiration. Sign up for our newsletter and get two free tickets to a Homebuilding & Renovating Show near you.
He said: “It’s highly likely that if we can't get it the way we want to, we'll have to move out of this part of Kent.
"Our kids are settled in school here, so it's not like we'll be going back to London. We would just have to find somewhere else locally that suits our needs.”
He says the bungalow extension is needed due to his daughters growing. He added: "It’s about making it slightly bigger in height because it's a bungalow conversion.
“The top floor is essentially in the roof, which means you're kind of ducking and as the kids grow they'll be banging heads on the ceiling. So we are just trying to make that a bit higher.
“The swimming pool and stuff in the back is not the thing that's being contested. It’s the main property."
Extension rejected as it was deemed an 'incongruous addition'
Canterbury City Council rejected the planning permission for the extensions claiming it would be "overly prominent" for the area, which are "small-scale character" homes.
They stated: “The proposed extensions relate poorly with the existing property and as such the overall development would fail to have sufficient regard for the context and character of the site.”
A spokesperson for the council explained: “The most recent application was refused on the grounds that its scale, form, design, appearance and prominence would relate poorly to the design of the existing building and would appear as an incongruous addition to the host property.
“It would also harm the visual quality of the street scene and the character and appearance of the area contrary to policies DBE3 and DBE6 of the Canterbury District Local Plan 2017 and Paragraph 130 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
“The applicant has appealed this decision as is their right and this matter will now be considered by the independent Planning Inspectorate."
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
