An elderly couple say they are at their ‘wits end’ over a wealthy fund manager’s plans to turn a former council house into luxury holiday home in Norfolk’s upmarket ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’.
Pensioners David Wells, 92, and wife Ivy, 87, live in a semi-detached house that is separated by just a nine-inch thick wall from their next door neighbour – city fund manager Naomi Clark.
Ms Clark, head of investment product management at USS, caused outcry in Burnham Market, Norfolk, over her plans to tear down part of the property and rebuild it.
West Norfolk Council has been recommended to approve the plans in ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’ – dubbed due to its popularity with wealthy Londoners making it their base for second homes.
Ivy Wells, 87, said: ‘We’re at our wits end, we simply can’t imagine a future where they’re tearing down half the building around us.
‘They told us they were going to refurbish and extend and that there would be a bit of banging and we were fine with that.
‘But this is unimaginable and why? There’s nothing wrong with these houses, they’ve been here since 1937 and we’ve been here for 60 years. It doesn’t make any sense.’
A report to West Norfolk’s planning committee has now concluded the demolition and rebuild would be the ‘preferred option to fully upgrade the property to modern building standards’.
David Wells, 92, and his wife Ivy, 87, who have lived for more than 60 years in their side of the 1930s semi in Burnham Market, Norfolk
The couple are in ourtage over their neighbour’s plans to tear down part of the property and rebuild it
The planning committee are set to make their final say on December 1.
But angry locals have lodged almost 450 objections to the plans.
One opponent said: ‘How would you feel if this was happening to your parents, grandparents, relatives?
‘David and Ivy should be allowed to live out their lives in their home, peacefully and stress free.’
And another added: ‘Please, please, please consider the impact on the lovely elderly couple who live in the adjoining property.’
David Wells, 92, added ‘We’re so grateful for all the support from the community, it’s the one good thing to come out of all of this.’
The officer’s report acknowledges Mr and Mrs Wells fear noise, vibration, and dust from demolition and their claims that rebuilding would severely affect their health, causing stress, anxiety, and sleep loss.
The couple fear ‘banging, drilling and demolishing’ would leave them feeling unsafe in their home.
Neighbour and developer Naomi Clark has pledged to do everything possible to reduce the impact on Mr and Mrs Wells, who say they fear feeling unsafe in their own home
Architects’ plans show how the new four-bedroom house would look when finished
Read More
EXCLUSIVE Wealthy City investor’s war with neighbours over plans to convert semi into luxury holiday home
But an engineer’s report has said Ms Clark’s home has ‘structural deficiencies including slight weaknesses to the roof, some bowing of walls and cracks’.
The Wells’ granddaughter Amy Nelligan said: ‘My grandparents are lifelong residents of this village. They were both born here, and have lived (in the house) for more than 60 years.
‘To them, it isn’t just a house. It is their home, a home where they have raised their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and every brick of that home holds the memory of a life deeply rooted in this community.
‘Much has been written in the press about locals versus holiday home owners but the truth is that we have no problem with non-locals buying and improving property in the area.
‘If (the house next door) had been bought by a local family and they had put in a similar planning application to demolish then we would have objected in exactly the same way.
‘Our sole concern is for the physical and mental wellbeing of Ivy and David in their twilight years and the very real danger of structural damage to their property if an attempt is made to demolish one half of a shared building with nothing but a nine-inch brick party wall separating them.’
Objectors say the work would ‘compromise the stability’ of their home.
But a statement from Ms Clark’s agent says Mr and Mrs Wells’ property has legal protections under the Party Wall Act, which provides ‘appropriate safeguards’ regarding structural stability.
The house bought by Ms Clark was on the market for about two years before it was purchased for a reported £300,000
Mr and Mrs Wells granddaughter, Amy Nelligan, 41, said her ‘sole concern is for the physical and mental wellbeing of Ivy and David’
The council’s neighbourhood nuisance officer Suzi Pimlott, who also cites the wall act, has raised no objections to the plans.
She adds: ‘It is clear that when carrying out building works you must avoid causing unnecessary inconvenience, protect your neighbours property from damage caused by the works, and fix or pay for any damage that is caused.’
The planner’s report concludes: ‘Subject to controls over the hours of work and method of demolition the impact of this development is not considered to pose an unacceptable impact upon neighbouring residents.’
Ms Clark, who hopes to replace the property with a four-bedroom house, has pledged to do all she can to minimise disruption to the Wellses.
Ms Clark said previously: ‘Whilst we have been upset by how this narrative has played out online, we look forward to engaging fully with the planning process and will do everything we can to minimise disruption to our neighbours over the nine months estimated build time.’
Burnham Market Parish Council has also objected, saying: ‘Demolishing one half of the building would pose a significant risk of damage to the neighbouring house.
‘An independent survey commissioned by the neighbours found no evidence of structural instability, indicating there is no structural necessity for demolition.’
The upmarket village on the coast near Wells had previously become a battleground over second homes and holiday lets, before locals voted in a neighbourhood plan stating any new development should be a permanent home.
