A FAMILY whose plans for an Art Deco-style roof extension were deemed out of keeping with neighbouring homes have won their planning appeal.

Mark Knight applied three times to extend his bungalow in The Park in Rottingdean to accommodate his growing family.

The first application was rejected by a Brighton and Hove City Council planning officer and a second attempt was dropped after it became clear it would not succeed.

Then in November the planning committee voted to block the development.

Planners said the design for a two-storey home with a flat roof were out of keeping with the area, would be bulky and would invade their next-door neighbour’s privacy.

But Government planning inspector Christian Leigh dismissed these issues.

He said homes in The Park did not have a “uniform appearance”.

And he said the proposed extension would be lower than neighbouring houses so would not be too dominant and would not overlook them.

His report said: “There would be adequate room retained to the boundaries of the site and between properties to avoid any cramped appearance to the area, given the context within which the appeal property sits.

“The proposed development would therefore represent a high standard of design that is informed by the context of the site, and would enhance the character and appearance of the area.”

Councillor Mary Mears spoke in favour of the application in November 2018.

After the appeal decision, she said: “I feel delighted because they put a very good, considered application forward.

“I felt the decision on the chair’s casting vote was not helpful.

“I am delighted a family can stay here. Families grow and they need more space.

“It’s expensive to live in Brighton and Hove and people move outside, so children need to move schools.”

The Knight family could have created a larger extension to the side, back and into the roof of their home without planning permission using permitted development rights.

However their planning consultants Lewis and Co argued the proposed extensions were smaller and better designed.

Paul Burgess, director of planning consultants Lewis and Co, said: “The city council failed to acknowledge that much of the proposed accommodation could be achieved under permitted development rights.

“The appeal scheme, however, has allowed a higher standard of modernist design to be achieved.”