ILMINSTER NEWS: Town councillors oppose barn conversion plans

PLANS to convert a barn into two small homes at the back of an Ilminster pub have failed to win the support of local councillors.

Members of Ilminster Town Council’s planning, highways and transport committee last week voted against the proposals submitted by applicant Alan Holmes for the barn at the rear of the Royal Oak pub at The Cross.

Planning permission has already been granted the barn to be converted into one home and was previously supported by town councillors.

But they felt that putting two one-bedroom homes would be too much of an over-development of the site which is served by a narrow lane and would also cause parking problems.

“It is a tight lane down there,” said committee chairman Cllr Andrew Shearman at last Tuesday’s (February 9, 2016) meeting. “To have two houses down there would be over-crowding. We’ve already supported the applicants to have one house, but they now want to turn that into two.”

Cllr Rob Drayton added: “Each of these little homes could have two cars.”

But Cllr Stuart Shepherd said that he felt the application should go-ahead as it would ideal for people looking for “starter homes.”

Although Ilminster Town Council voted against the application, a final decision rests with South Somerset District Council.

Architect Brian Cocks, writing in a report submitted to the district council in support of the application, said: “The ownership of the access road to the barn at the rear of the Royal Oak is unknown, but the barn clearly has an established use as it is at present used as two garages.

“The proposal submitted is to convert the barn into two one-bedroom units. There is a need for a small starter homes in South Somerset which this proposal for two dwellings would help satisfy.”

A decision on the application is expected to be made by March 10, 2016.

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