PLANNERS have allowed a house in Blue Anchor to be built nearly two feet taller than they agreed, despite being alerted by neighbours during construction.

Mark and Anne Wilson were given permission in December 2020, to rebuild a bungalow at The Paddock, in Carhampton Road, as a two-storey house with an attached garage.

But during construction neighbours complained to Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) that the new property appeared to be taller than approved.

Developers told the council the increase was a result of having to raise the ground floor height to allow the property to be connected to a mains sewer.

Carhampton Parish Council objected to an application to permit the extra height of the property and 12 letters were received from local residents who also opposed it.

But SWT planning officer Ben Gilpin told councillors the roof of the building was only ‘marginally higher’ and it was not ‘so injurious to neighbouring amenity as to support a refusal’.

Mr Gilpin said the principle of redeveloping the site had been established by the 2020 permission and this had also approved the design of the house.

He said despite objectors describing it now as an ‘eyesore’ and ‘carbuncle’ the only change to the previous plans had been the height, which in itself did not cause harm to the character and appearance of the area.