Plans for a house to be built in the back of a garden in Urchfont were turned down by a single vote by Wiltshire Council’s Eastern area planning committee.

The application, by Stephen Cook, was recommended for refusal by Wiltshire Council’s planning officers who said the proposed three bedroom house and single garage in the rear garden of Carina, a Grade II listed thatched cottage in Uphill, would harm the setting.

An objection was received from neighbours Keith Ewart and Leanne Lewis of Fairview but a letter of support was sent in by Adrian and Frangelica Flook, who live at Gaddon House. Fairview was built in the garden of Gaddon House about 100 years ago.

Mr Ewart and Miss Lewis and Mr Flook were at odds over an application for a garage and two storey house extension at Fairview earlier this year. Wiltshire Council’s Eastern area planning committee rejected the garage but allowed the extension.

Wiltshire councillor for Urchfont Lionel Grundy told Wiltshire Council’s Eastern area planning committee: “There’s quite a lot of ill feeling among neighbours in the vicinity following a previous application.”

He added that Mr Cook had recently sold Carina and the new owner was continuing with the application.

Urchfont Parish Council supported the application and Coun Simon Holt said: “The proposed house will be over 30 metres from Fairview. We do not believe it would have an adverse effect on surrounding dwellings.”

But the committee voted four votes to three to refuse the application.