Neighbours in the luxurious Sandbanks development are furious after becoming locked into a four-year planning battle with a developer who spent £600,000 on a Sandbanks garage and is ‘trying to turn it into a tiny home’.
Peter Mullins bought the 19ft wide garage on the exclusive peninsula in Poole, Dorset, in 2021, but is now attempting to turn it into a house by stealth, objectors have claimed.
He tried and failed to get permission to demolish it and cram two small homes on the narrow strip of land.
Mr Mullins has replaced the old flat roof of the garage with a pitched structure, which he claimed was because he wanted change the ‘poor condition’ of the leaking roof with an apex one to ‘lengthen the lifespan’ of the storage unit.
But he is now using the roof change as a reason for turning it from a garage into a dwelling.
Plans show a single house that will utilise the space in the new pitched roof – which doubled the height of the property from ten to 20ft.
The ground floor would have a small garage with space to park a car and three bikes at the front, with a narrow corridor leading to a bathroom and kitchen at the back.
The upstairs will have a double bedroom, a single bedroom and a dining/living room. The only windows on this floor would be four sky lights – one in each bedroom and two in the living space.
Peter Mullins bought the 19ft wide garage on the exclusive peninsula in Poole, Dorset, in 2021, but is now attempting to turn it into a house by stealth, objectors have claimed
Mr Mullins has replaced the old flat roof of the garage with a pitched structure, which he said was because he wanted change the ‘poor condition’ of the leaking roof
BEFORE: Local Reverend Andrew O’Brien is pictured in front of the garage in 2021, before the roof was modified
The application says BCP Council has no grounds to refuse it because the footprint of the building will remain the same.
But property experts say the diminutive property would be too small for a permanent home and will likely end up as a holiday bolthole or an AirBnb.
Due to Sandbanks’ exclusive nature and property value, its prized location it would still be worth more than £1m.
Among the celebrities to have owned homes in the area include Harry Redknapp, Liam Gallagher and Rick Stein.
The plans have come in for criticism from local residents, with neighbour Laurence Tucker objecting to the plans, claiming Mr Mullins is trying to turn the garage into a home by any means.
He said: ‘I am concerned the owner of this property has been trying to turn it into residential [use] for the last four years.
‘On the application, the box has been ticked stating no work had been carried out to make the property residential, which is not the case.’
He claimed water and electricity have been installed and that the building was no longer being used as a garage. He said the latest move is the pitched roof being added.
He said: ‘I am convinced the purpose of all these points has been for the owner to get planning permission to turn it into a residence.
The development would take place just a street away from the iconic Sandbanks beach
The new roof is now being used as a reason to turn the garage into a residential property, locals say
A previous planning proposal, which was rejected, saw Mr Mullins plan to construct two new homes (ringed in red) on the site of the garage
‘I’m concerned the proper space and light is not being considered in the planning application. It appears to me from the planning, there is very little light into the property.’
The Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum have described the plans as ‘unacceptable’.
In a letter of objection to the council it said: ‘Whilst we would not have an objection to a new house within the footprint and bulk and massing profile, the current proposal is unacceptable.
‘It does not make a suitable dwelling.
‘The visual appearance is unsatisfactory as it’s just a garage and has been given no thought as to external visual quality.
‘The proposal is therefore not [a] good design and would result in a substandard residential use.’
Next door to the garage is the only church on Sandbanks, the Chapel of St Nicholas. The church strongly objected to previous applications which they said would block out the light to the church.
But Reverend Andrew O’Brien said he was more accepting of the new plans.
The Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum have described the plans as ‘unacceptable’ and critics say no thought has been given to the appearance of the development
The property is already surrounded by houses and a local church
He said: ‘We assumed something was coming when we saw the pitched roof going on, why put a pitched roof on a garage?
‘What’s proposed seems like a more sensible development.
‘It’s inevitable with the area that people want to develop and make a lot of money. We just want to be careful what that development is. It’s not that big a site and it’s just a garage.
‘We’ll certainly keep an eye on it, if it went any higher we would be putting in an objection.’
The proposed home would have 839sq ft of internal floor space, which is above the national space standards minimum.
The planning application says it would have adequate daylight and it would not overlook neighbours or affect privacy as the only upstairs windows are skylights.
Mr Mullins has been approached for comment.
In a design and access statement, Mr Mullins’ planning agent said: ‘The proposed change of use has NO impact on neighbouring properties as no external extensions are proposed.
‘The proposed roof lights have no overlooking or privacy issues because they are high enough up the roof pitch, to provide only tree and sky views. The amenity of the neighbours is entirely preserved.
‘The proposed change of use will provide a 2 bedroom, 3 person house substantially larger than the NDSS (Nationally Described Space Standards).
‘The building has been deemed capable of conversion by architect and structural engineer.’
