FURIOUS neighbours have blasted a wealthy homeowner who is set to build a three-storey house in his front garden.
Phil Webb and wife Victoria have been given the green light to knock down their existing garage and build a whopping new property in its place.
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But locals say the “outrageous” plan will completely block their views – and many are planning to sell up and leave the area, fearing house prices will plummet.
The Webbs’ new second home in Barton Edge will face their £1.5million six-bed mansion in affluent Winchester, Hampshire.
Under the scheme, trees will be cut down and new landscaping for “parking and turning” will be installed.
Nicola Cornish, who lives in the closest semi-detached home to the Webbs, said the build will look directly into neighbours’ gardens.
The therapist, 48, said: “This is going to change everything.
“Our gardens are very private and aren’t overlooked from anywhere else.
“When I bought this property in 2010 I thought it was unlikely another building would be built so close.
“I think it could reduce our property values because our gardens have always been private and now – suddenly – we are going to have windows looking down into them.
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“They seem to let people build wherever in Winchester. I’m thinking of selling because this new house is going to change everything.”
Diana Burr lives in a £200,000 one-bedroom ground-floor flat in Dalzell House. Her kitchen window faces where the grand new house will stand.
The 55-year-old, who teaches online English lessons, said: “A lot of neighbours were upset and against it and it’s not surprising as it’s going to be massive and very high up.
“Because our flats will face the new house from down a slope it’s going to appear like a four-storey building.
“It’s amazing the plans have been passed. It just seems very unfair. My flat is quite dark already and this will just make it darker.
NEIGHBOURS’ FURY
“In the meeting there was a lot of time spent talking about the wildlife and the trees and people walking on the road, but what about us neighbours?”
Victoria Sara, 36, lives in an upstairs flat in Dalzell House and worries the Webbs could eventually rent out the new house as an Airbnb.
The railway control centre manager said: “It’s just overdevelopment, and there’s nothing to say that, in the future, they won’t rent it out as an Airbnb, which could lead to lots of noise and people coming and going.
“I don’t know why they need it – it’s outrageous. If these flats were a private residents’ property I think there would be more concern.”
Philip Glassborow, a writer and playwright who lives nearby, said the plans are “out of keeping”.
‘IT’S OUTRAGEOUS’
“I know you can’t object to a development on the grounds of neighbouring houses losing value, but what about the light the surrounding houses will lose?” he asked.
And Elaine Barrett, who lives in one of the properties downhill from the new build, said she and husband Geoff will see a reduction in sunlight.
The retired scientist said: “Because the proposed house is so high it will overlook all of our gardens, which will leave a real lack of privacy.
“It will block the sun from our gardens here and they will be looking right into our gardens.
“There’s also a worry that it could drive the prices of properties down – this new building is bound to effect that.”
The Webbs’ detached house was built between 1900 and 1929 and features six bedrooms and three reception areas.
When approached for comment on his neighbours’ complaints, Mr Webb, 56, who has three children and has lived in his home for more than a decade, said: “The application has gone ahead and I haven’t really got any comment to make.”
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