Controversial plans to extend a bungalow in Chlafont St Peter were given the go-ahead last week, despite fears the development would block sunlight from an elderly neighbour’s home.

Plans for a single-storey extension at Dorleigh in Deancroft Road were presented to Chiltern District Council’s (CDC) planning committee on April 26 – after previous proposals were thrown out due to potential size of the development.

However Rob Borwick, speaking on behalf of his grandmother, argued minimal changes had been made to the plans and it would be an overdevelopment of the “modest” plot of land.

He also fears the increased height of the bungalow would limit the flow of natural sunlight into the neighbouring home - where his grandmother has lived for 22 years.

Addressing the planning committee, Mr Borwick said: “Firstly this application is not in keeping with the street scene of other properties in the road. It is an attempt to shoehorn a four bedroom, four bathroom house into a modest plot which houses a three-bedroom bungalow.

“The increase of the double-storey extension beyond the rear of number 16 will impact on privacy and sunlight.

“One of life’s pleasures, particularly for somebody elderly, is natural sunlight in the morning, illuminating the patio and lounge area.

“This two-storey structure will significantly impact on this. My grandmother should be able to enjoy this as she currently does.”

However owner, Deirdre Kriel, said the 1950s home needs to be renovated in order to bring it up to acceptable standards for her family to live in, and added all concerns initially raised following the first application have been addressed.

She said: “As our property, build in the 1950s has never been extended, or upgraded it urgently requires an upgrade to all electrics, plumbing, central heating and insulation to meet residential building standards.

“It also requires the removal of hazardous building materials for the safety and wellbeing of our family.”

Vice-chairman of the committee, Mark Titterington, argued it would be difficult to turn the plans down due to the size of the extended bungalows on the same road.

Councillor Caroline Jones added: “I don’t like it, I wouldn’t like it next door to me, because I always try to think how I would like it, and I would certainly fight it.

“But I think it terms of planning a regulations, and the officer’s recommendation, and the tests that have been carried out, it would be very hard to refuse.”

Councillors agreed to give conditional permission to the plans.