A couple who replaced the “cracked and old” render on their home before being ordered to remove it by council officials after a neighbour complained have won their right to keep the improvement.
Sarah and Christopher Elston applied a new render to their semi-detached house on Fern Hill, off Cotman Road, Norwich. However they did not seek planning permission.
Officials from Norwich City Council swooped on the address, which is in the Thorpe Ridge Conservation Area, and felt the new render with a subtle yellow magnolia tinge was “detrimental” and “instantly visible”.
The BBC reports Ms Elston, who rents out the property, said the officer’s report was “misleading and at times incorrect” and “exaggerates” changes made to the property.
Now the council has been forced to back down on their demands after a planning committee voted to allow the new render by eight votes to three.
During the meeting on December 14 council officers “did not agree” the report on the Elston’s house was misleading but did accept the changes made by the couple amounted to “less than substantial harm”.
Speaking to the Mail Online Mr Elston said: “Our thanks go to the City Council planning committee for supporting us in voting for our application and against the planners.
“By adding external insulation when replacing the render we have upgraded a home, making it more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.”
Photographs of the property taken by the council show the older tired coating of the house is ever so slightly whiter compared to the new improved insulation that has a yellow hue.
Labour Councillor Mike Sands told the Eastern Daily Press the changes improved the “thermal performance” of the home and this should be encouraged.
He said: “I can see little visual difference between the before and after, if I treat the pictures as a spot the difference, I can come up with 10 differences.”
