Midlothian Council decision to reject Gorebridge home into flats bid overturned

The Gorebridge application had been rejected over garden space

A decision to refuse plans to turn a house into flats over the size of garden has been thrown out – after a councillor said not everyone wants the outdoor space.

Andrew Wesley was refused planning permission to turn the semi detached house on Glenview Road, Gorebridge into two one-bedroom flats. Midlothian Council planners said the garden space would be too small once it was split between the two new homes.

But Mr Wesley appealed to the local authority’s Local Review Body arguing that demand for smaller homes was high in the area. And the review body unanimously supported his appeal overturning officers decision and granting planning permission for the conversion.

The applicant had been refused planning permission to turn this semi detached house on Glenview Road, Gorebridge into two one-bedroom flats.

Councillor Russell Imrie, review body convenor, said: “I think if you have the opportunity , if you are in the rental sector, to make them (houses) smaller and help what is a growing list of people who can’t really afford to stay in the larger houses these days then it could go a long way to help.

“I have this debate all the time about garden space, some people like gardens, others are quite happy if they never saw a garden again. I know it is in the Local Development Plan and has to be a consideration but for the type of houses that are going to be there, and rentals are the worst as people tend not always to look after the garden.”

Objectors had argued there was not enough parking on the street to support two one bedroom flats and that flats were more likely to lead to anti-social behaviour. One objector said: “My experience of creating flats from houses is that it increases anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of the road which is normally quiet and relaxing.”