A PROPOSAL to make changes to an extension built eight centimetres too tall has been rejected by a council.

A student landlord in Durham made the retrospective planning application for a single storey infill extension and to increase the main roof height of a property in Crossgate Peth.

Ian and Nicola Timlin were given planning permission for an extension to the house in 2016 but did not build it in accordance with the original plans.

Durham County Council planning officers raised concerns about the use of uPVC plastic instead of powdered aluminium as agreed, which they said detracted from the conservation area.

Neville’s Cross councillor Liz Brown said the build had been “botched” and added that it was not the first time similar work to properties in the conservation area had been carried out.

She said: “This developer has disregarded the plans originally agreed and this must not happen again.”

Next-door neighbour Lucille Butler objected to the proposal. She said: “All inappropriate materials and design in a Victorian house, in a conservation area destroys what’s so nice about this lovely street.

“The applicant was made well aware of the problems on site but continued regardless.”

Maria Ferguson, representing the applicant, told the committee that her client had not made a deliberate attempt to circumvent normal planning procedures and had been told by his builder that the council had agreed to the use of uPVC.

Councillors rejected the application unanimously.