THE owner of a Grade II listed cottage has criticised planners for allowing a grain store he describes as “an eyesore” to be built a few yards from his front door.

Andy Waters has accused Wychavon District Council of failing in its planning duty by allowing a neighbouring farmer to build the 7.3m (24ft) high store so close to his Upton Snodsbury home.

He has asked the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate whether it is a case of maladministration by the council.

According to Mr Waters, of Moat Cottage, Owls End Lane, the new grain store replaced an old building but was built 3.8m (12ft 5ins) higher than the previous structure. Although the replacement store did not need planning permission, Wychavon District Council was told of the plan under a notification scheme and could have refused to accept details of its siting, design and external appearance.

Mr Waters believes officers rubber stamped the application without questioning an incorrect statement made within the documents that the replacement store would be “of approximately the same external dimensions” as the old building.

However, the council says that it made its decision based on accurate measurements, also given in the notification documents.

Mr Waters said: “It’s three times the size of what was there beforehand.

“No one knew what the old measurements were.

“Everybody went by the farmer’s statement and it all went through.

“We feel very aggrieved because it’s right outside our front door and there’s nothing we can do about it.

“It’s an eyesore.”

Mr Waters, who only bought the cottage last October, said: “It’s horrendous.

“We didn’t buy this place to have a grain store put right outside our front door.

“It’s a wonderful setting and it’s destroyed it,” said Mr Waters.

In line with the Ombudsman’s policy, he has already complained to the council’s head of planning and managing director but the council rejected both complaints and said that there was no evidence of maladministration.

A council spokeswoman said: “Wychavon’s determination on this matter took into account all the relevant planning considerations including the size of the building with the accurate measurements.”

Farmer John Tarrans, of Hollyoak Farm, where the grain store is situated, said: “I built it as per the dimensions I put on the application and I had an enforcement officer round and he approved it.”