Browse Sections

• Education
• Roadworks
• Shipman
• Special reports

Martyn stays up on the roof

Sue Carr
3/12/2003

A HOMEOWNER is celebrating victory over planning chiefs after winning a two-year battle to keep a roof terrace.

Martyn Hudson built his rooftop oasis in 2001 after the pitched roof on the extension of his home became too dangerous.

The Mottram man checked with Tameside planning department and said he was told he did not need permission if the extension was under four metres.

But in February this year - more than two years after building the £7,000 terrace - officers told Mr Hudson he had been wrongly advised and must pull the structure down.

Bill Johnson, chairman of the Longdendale Heritage Trust, complained the terrace was "totally out of character with a Pennine village," claiming it was more like a Greek island and caused a nuisance because of the light and sound.

But Mr Hudson, of Market Place, Mottram, said: "I couldn't believe it. Everyone who has ever seen the terrace says it's great and I even got letters from all my immediate neighbours saying they had no problems with it."

"The money does come into it but I was more bothered about the use of it - we haven't got a garden so we use it to sit out on at evenings and weekends.

"I was seriously considering moving house if we had to pull it down although we've lived in Mottram for 16 years."

Mr Hudson and partner Anna Van-Colk took their case to the Secretary of State for the Environment and now an inquiry has ruled they can keep their rooftop getaway.

A spokesman for Tameside Council said its initial decision was made to protect the amenities of adjoining residents.

"Inspectors considered the case fully and found that any loss of privacy had been compensated by the removal of the pitched roof" he said.