A final decision will be made this week on whether to allow a ‘mancave’ in the garden of a Castle Bromwich home. Abbas Yousuf put forward his plans for a garden outbuilding, described as “lounge space/mancave”, to Solihull Council last July.
But the building, which is already partly-built, has been objected to by neighbours who say it is “overbearing” and “out of character” for the area. The application for the building at the home in Woodford Avenue went before the December meeting of the authority’s planning committee when a statement from neighbour Elizabeth Watson was read out.
“The proximity and design of the building has significantly affected our ability to enjoy the privacy of our home and garden,” she said. “The placement of windows directly overlooks our property and private living space.”
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At the meeting, Solihull Council planning officer Jon Hallam noted the applicant had changed the original roof design to lessen the effect on nearby properties. And Coun Prish Sharma highlighted the applicant could put up a building with a flat roof which would not require permission from the committee.
But Coun Dave Pinwell raised concerns about the building being built on a raised bed in the garden of the property, despite the officer saying it was only raised by a “minimal amount”. Coun Pinwell said: “The building does seem significantly higher than you would expect.
(Image: Solihull Council)
“I’m struggling a bit to overcome the impression from photographs it does overlook a fair bit.” Committee members deferred the application so they could inspect the building and judge the impact on residents before making their decision.
The application is now on the agenda for the committee’s next meeting being held tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8. The meeting, which is open to the public, starts at 6pm and will also be available to watch live on the authority’s website solihull.gov.uk.