COUNCILORS in Marlborough agreed that a large modern house would look out of place next to a terrace of Victorian homes.

Several letters of objections from residents have been received by the town council's planning committee over plans to build the house at Cuckoopen at the east end of St Martins.

The site is adjacent to Welland in Stonebridge Lane where the applicant, Brian Ashley, lives.

Councillors were told on Monday there had been houses on the site many years ago, but they agreed with objectors that the house would be out of keeping in the conservation area and not blend well with the neighbouring terraced homes.

Catherine de Neumann, of St Martins, said that 15 years ago a plan for a bungalow at Cuckoopen had been refused because planners thought it would be over development of the site.

John Ware, of St Martins, said: "Tacking on a modern building to the end of an imposing and attractive terrace of spacious town houses would drastically alter its character and create an eyesore of the first magnitude."

Coun Joan Evans said a modern house would stick out like a sore thumb, but Coun Margaret Boulton said: "I regard this an an infill and I can see no objection."