THE OWNERS of a Grade II Listed house have been allowed to continue using a swimming pool and tennis court built in its garden.
Permission to declare the continued use of the amenities lawful for another decade was approved by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on Monday, September 20.
Hill House Farm in Hook is Listed due to its heritage, as the building contains three parts each built in the 16th, 17th and 20th centuries respectively.
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The two-storey building contains Tudor fireplaces with plastered mouldings, timber frames, a red tile roof, English bond brickwork and more.
The property's swimming pool and tennis court, which are located to the rear of the house, were built in 1999 under it's newest owners, who acquired the building in 1990.
The application states that the family living in the residence has 'continued to enjoy both facilities to the present day' and consistently uses the pool 'during the summer months'.
Residents of the house asked the borough council for a Certificate of Lawfulness, a document from the council declaring that the previous and continued use of the swimming pool and tennis court are considered lawful.
To do this, the owners were required to provide proof that they had been using the amenities throughout the decade for 'residential purposes' rather than for storage or another use.
In the notice of approval, officers noted that the evidence provided of Google Earth images showing the pool was 'sufficiently precise and unambiguous tp demonstrate on the balance of probabilities 10 years of continuous use'.
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