Plans to extend a house near a city secondary school will go before a planning committee next week.

The owners of a detached house in Spetchley Road want to build a first-floor side extension and a single-storey extension at the back of the house.

But neighbours have complained and city councillor Pat Agar has referred the application to the council’s planning committee.

Planning officers have recommended the plans for approval but the final decision will rest with councillors on Thursday, June 20.

The property is next to the access road for Nunnery Wood High School and, according to planning documents, is linked “via the rear garden open corridor to Nunnery Wood and the open countryside beyond”.

Cllr Agar, in her ‘call in’ request, highlighted issues of overdevelopment and concern that the extension would affect a neighbour’s enjoyment of their amenity space.

Neighbour Julia McCreath said: “I oppose this application which detrimentally affects the character of the area and the amenity of surrounding properties, and sets the wrong precedent for future development in the area.

“While the houses in this part of Spetchley Road are of differing styles and sizes, they conform to a common pattern of development which is part of the character of the area.

“The front of the houses are all developed on a line parallel to Spetchley Road, and the back of the houses (at the north side) are at the first-floor level developed to the same parallel line to the north.”

Another neighbour, Mark Bevand, said: “From my rear patio and rear garden there would be an 11m wide, two-storey towering wall directly on the boundary line with the additional kitchen extension protruding beyond that.

“This would be an overbearing presence right on the boundary line, and would lead to the blocking of light to my property directly where I currently have plants and small trees in addition to overlooking of my garden.” 

Planning officers, in a report that will go before the committee, say: “The submitted scheme is considered well designed, appropriate to the character of the area and will not result in an adverse impact on neighbouring properties.”