A COUPLE who battled to get planning permission to build a specially adapted house for their severely disabled daughter are celebrating after it won a regional design award.

Rebecca and Damien Thursby met a number of obstacles when they decided to try and build on land in Patney so they could be close to the grandparents of Sophia, four.

They first had to persuade Wiltshire Council's eastern area planning committee the house should go-ahead despite officers recommending it was refused and then they feared that a condition on the permission would prevent them getting a mortgage.

But they eventually found a firm that would take them on and the finished house took first place in the Local Authority Building Control awards for best inclusive building. It will now go forward to the national finals to beheld in London in November.

Mrs Thursby said: "Everything about the house was designed with Sophia’s needs in mind and includes hoists, changing tables, a lift and specialist bath. At a more basic level, it also has level access with no steps, an open-plan area downstairs, wider doorways and landing corridor; all of which allows easy wheelchair access to any room in the home.

"By designing the house around her facilities it meant that we could ensure that ceilings, floors and walls were strengthened during the initial build, rather than being retro-fitted, which can be very expensive. Additionally, all of these bits had to be incorporated whilst maintaining a homely feel, and not making the house feel like a medical facility.

"Having this special home has made looking after Sophia so much easier and, even more importantly, safer for Sophia. Sophia is included everywhere and is not confined to certain areas of the house, as is so often the case for families with disabled people.

Mr and Mrs Thursby, who also have a son Harry, seven, originally lived in All Cannings but were desperate to move so they could have help from Sophia's grandparents who owned the land where their new house has been built.

Mrs Thursby, who is a surveyor designed the house herself but worked with architect Edwin Hill. Sophia has a number of medical problems and constantly needs resuscitation. Mrs Thursby said at the time the planning was granted: "Being allowed to build this house really could be the difference between life and death for Sophia. At the moment Sophia not only has seizures but she is also sick at the same time.

"So I have to try and resuscitate her and clear sick from her airways. You really need two people to be able to do that safely. If we lived next door to her grandparents they would always be just moments away.”

Back in 2016 Sophia was the face of the Gazette's appeal to raise £100,000 for the new Julia's House children's hospice in Devizes. Mrs Thursby worked on the building of the hospice at Browfort as a surveyor for main contractor Wates.

The family is supported by Julia's House carers and they visit the new centre.