A BUNGALOW is to be replaced with two houses.

The plan for the site in Kings Walk, Shoreham, was refused by Adur district planners and dismissed by a planning inspector when the decision went to appeal.

Now, with changes to the design of the two homes, councillors went against planning officers’ advice and approved the application, described as “new and different”.

Objectors had called the plans “overdeveloped, cramped and overbearing”.

The new homes will be a detached three-bedroom house and a detached four-bedroom house, set over three floors and with south-facing balconies on the first floor. The top floor of the houses will be in the roof space.

One speaker said the design was ‘contrived’ and the new buildings would ‘dominate the neighbouring properties with a massive loss of light’.

He added that there would be an ‘unacceptable loss of privacy, daylight, sunlight and outlook’ to all the neighbours if the new homes were built.

Applicant Richard Huxtable said he had been trying to get permission for the build for four years and intended to live in one of the homes, which would be specially designed to cater for his wife’s disability needs.

Planning officers had recommended the application be refused again, saying the design and form of the two houses were not sympathetic to the neighbouring properties or the character of Kings Walk.

But Pat Beresford (Con, Churchill) said he was struggling to see a problem with the design, particularly when compared to the one that was refused in 2016.

He added: “One has to always say about Shoreham Beach, if you drive around you can see practically anything you want to see in terms of design.

“I don’t think that this has any particular impact, it’s just new and it’s different.”

The application was approved unanimously.