Family stunned by Turton 'granny flat' fury

10:00pm Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter

A BUSINESSMAN has told how his plan to build a £50,000 granny flat for his wife’s parents in the grounds of his home turned into an ordeal.

David Lightbown was astonished at the level of hostility to the proposal from neighbours in Turton.

He told councillors that someone even told nearby residents he was really intending to build holiday lets when he appeared before them.

At Blackburn with Darwen planning committee the 53-year-old storage company owner spoke of how he and wife Angela had decided that her elderly parents needed to come and live with the family at their Chapeltown Road home.

Mrs Lightbrown’s 82-year-old Jack Tonge, already registered blind, had suffered a heart attack and his 83-year-old wife Dorothea could no longer cope.

He said: “We wanted to stay as family. We were amazed at the level of hostility in the village.

“There was even a petition where someone went round claiming we were building a holiday let. They were misled. We only wanted to provide a temporary granny flat in the garden. This has all been a bit emotional for us.”

The committee was told by officers that five of the people who signed the two petitions opposing the plan had withdrawn their signatures because the information they had been told was wrong.

Councillors approved Mr Lightbown’s proposal to erect a timber clad granny flat in the garden for five years.

Labour councillor Suleman Khonat said: “I think we all approve of keeping families together.”

His views were echoed by Liberal Democrat Paul Browne and committee chairman Jim Smith.

After the meeting Mr Lightbown said: “We spent £10,000 lowering the ground level and £40,000 on the single storey building so that it could not be seen by neighbours. It was very distressing.”

Next door neighbour Sandra Crowe told the committee in a letter of objection: “This application for planning permission of a granny annex is disgusting.”

Comments (7)

11:20pm Tue 25 Sep 12

dwdarwen says...

If the hardly call them neighbours if they would act like that,wonder if they would expect any compassion from you if they suffered a break in
If the hardly call them neighbours if they would act like that,wonder if they would expect any compassion from you if they suffered a break in dwdarwen

11:23pm Tue 25 Sep 12

accy lad and proud says...

Nimby jealous loosers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nimby jealous loosers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! accy lad and proud

9:14am Wed 26 Sep 12

Johnnyboy09 says...

Sandra Crowe you should be ashamed of yourself! The only point that is 'disgusting' here is your revolting objection to a man trying to aid his wife and her parents. Your pathetic opinion and lies have been disregarded by the opinions of those whom clearly have a heart.

Named and shamed! Good Stuff!
Sandra Crowe you should be ashamed of yourself! The only point that is 'disgusting' here is your revolting objection to a man trying to aid his wife and her parents. Your pathetic opinion and lies have been disregarded by the opinions of those whom clearly have a heart. Named and shamed! Good Stuff! Johnnyboy09

9:35am Wed 26 Sep 12

jonesy01 says...

Well congratulations Mr Lightbown!

I am one of the individuals who signed the initial petition and I can only apologise.

I feel that i must make people aware that Mrs Crowe sent her young daughter to my home with a sob story including the 'holiday let' point. How a mother could send her young daughter to do her dirty work and spread her lies is beyond me! This is discusting!

Well said Johnnyboy - named and shamed!
Well congratulations Mr Lightbown! I am one of the individuals who signed the initial petition and I can only apologise. I feel that i must make people aware that Mrs Crowe sent her young daughter to my home with a sob story including the 'holiday let' point. How a mother could send her young daughter to do her dirty work and spread her lies is beyond me! This is discusting! Well said Johnnyboy - named and shamed! jonesy01

9:49am Thu 27 Sep 12

lightbown says...

For the record.... there was "no level of hostility in the village" just 100 plus people who signed a petition in "good faith" many, given misleading information.
I would like to thank the 20 families from the Edgworth/Turton areas, who took their valuable time to write a letter retracting their signatures from the petition and stating their reasons why.
These letters were presented to the committee at the planning meeting.
Thank-you.
A.Lightbown.
For the record.... there was "no level of hostility in the village" just 100 plus people who signed a petition in "good faith" many, given misleading information. I would like to thank the 20 families from the Edgworth/Turton areas, who took their valuable time to write a letter retracting their signatures from the petition and stating their reasons why. These letters were presented to the committee at the planning meeting. Thank-you. A.Lightbown. lightbown

12:42pm Thu 27 Sep 12

Kelly3 says...

How ridiculous. People are so petty.
How ridiculous. People are so petty. Kelly3

8:08am Sat 29 Sep 12

Algy18 says...

Well done, the Lightbowns. I have to say I'm astonished that anyone could object to an arrangement like this when the family is clearly doing everything it can to look after its older members. We'll all be old one day. This approach to caring for elderly parents should definitely be encouraged.
Well done, the Lightbowns. I have to say I'm astonished that anyone could object to an arrangement like this when the family is clearly doing everything it can to look after its older members. We'll all be old one day. This approach to caring for elderly parents should definitely be encouraged. Algy18

Comments are closed on this article.

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree