PERMISSION has been granted for a two-bedroom bungalow to be built despite concerns it will impact a nearby Grade II Listed building.

The application was submitted by Mr and Mrs P James to allow for a two-bedroom single-story house to be built on land adjacent to Pear Tree Cottage on Aldermaston Road.

The proposed development would be close to the Grade II Listed building Pear Tree Cottage. Concerns were raised during Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s development control committee on Wednesday, November 9 that the character of the area would be changed.

Speaking on behalf of the applicant Steven Cottrell said: “Originally there were three reasons for refusal.

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“The first is the setting of the listing building but the views of the listed building have already been altered because the owners of a nearby dwelling have already installed large hedges and gates which have removed all the views of the listed building from the public domain.

“This site being current residential land is for a proposed bungalow which does outweigh in our view any identified harm in terms of the listed building at a time when the borough needs not only bungalows but housing in general.”

Cllr Onnalee Cubitt said: “I am struggling to understand how the harm outweighs the benefit with the five-year housing supply comment and the state of the site when we visited it. It is clearly a building site.”

Cllr Ken Rhatigan also agreed the Grade II Listed Building has already been affected.

Despite concerns, the application was approved.