Garden coach house plan hits a snag – site’s ownership is in question

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to build a home in the garden of a Victorian house have been put on hold after neighbours claimed to have shared ownership of the land.

Greenwich council has received plans to convert an outbuilding on the site of the 19th-century house into a flat in Woolwich.

The project would see a coach house on the site of the historic building being extended to create a one-bedroom flat, with an entrance facing Maryon Grove at the back of the land.

The home would include a double bedroom on the first floor and a kitchen, living room and bathroom on the ground floor.

The plans were discussed at a planning meeting for Greenwich council on Tuesday. David Cracknell, who lives in the house next door, said the main building dates back to 1840.

The neighbour said the outbuilding in the application was shared between the two properties, with his portion of the building being separated from the application site by only a single party wall. He also cited concerns about the plans for the new home to be facing Maryon Grove.

Mr Cracknell said at the meeting: “It fronts out on to this part of Maryon Grove which is actually a back alley. It’s sort of a drug den. It’s a dead end, 350 yards down the road there are a couple of houses that face that way, but up here it’s just basically somewhere where shopping trolleys and things get left.”

The resident said he had no issue with the outbuilding on the site being renovated, but requested that it be kept in character with the main house.

Planning documents from Proun Architects, on behalf of the applicant, said the semi-detached building on the site became Grade II listed in 1973 as a pair with the home next door.

Oluwa Mawa said he bought a flat in the Victorian house on the site in 2001 and has been renovating the property since. He said his solicitor had told him the land was under a shared freehold and that access to the garden was shared between the multiple flats on the site.

“He said he had concerns about losing the back garden from the project and has been unable to contact the applicant to clarify whether the space would be retained.

Peter Swain, designer at Proun Architects, said that neighbours would be served detailed information on how the building will be constructed. Mr Swain added the applicant had previously told him that he was the sole owner of the site.

He said at the meeting: “That’s the first I’ve heard of that this evening, other of course than the comments that came out of the officers’ report from objections that were raised.

“I haven’t seen the documents that the gentleman says he has. I’ll be pleased to speak with him afterwards and see what has gone on there and I’ll try and facilitate some sort of discussion between him and the applicant to resolve any issues that there may be.”

The planning committee voted to defer the decision on the outbuilding conversion. The committee suggested that the applicant and neighbours of the site send a copy of the land registry clarification to council officers when possible.

Pictured top: The front of the Victorian house on the site in Woolwich (Picture: Proun Architects)