A COUPLE in their 80s have been forced to live in a tent after the council evicted them from the annexe they built in the grounds of their old farmhouse.
Eric Goodman and Penelope Blake built a wooden lodge in the garden of their home in Itteringham, Aylsham.
But becoming homeless and at the centre of a decade-long planning dispute for the next eight years was not what they had in mind.
Eric and Penelope decided to set up camp outside their property instead.[/caption]
The North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) said that when they sold the farmhouse in 2016 the property could no longer be considered an annexe[/caption]
The couple built the wooden annexe in 2008 – which they called the Muster – to rent out as holiday accommodation[/caption]
The couple have since moved to a temporary home in North Walsham[/caption]
The couple built the wooden annexe – a single building detached from the main house which they named Muster – in 2008 to rent out as holiday accommodation.
Despite gaining planning permission at the time of building they have since been told they are in breach of regulations because they no longer own the original house, which they sold in 2016.
The North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) said that when they sold the farmhouse in 2016 the property could no longer be considered an annexe, making the planning permission void.
With no where to go, Eric, a former antiques dealer and property developer and Penelope, an artist, decided to set up camp outside their property instead.
Talking to the Eastern Daily Press, Eric said: “We both have health issues now which have not been helped by what we have had to endure. We are British so have a stiff upper lip, we have just had to go along with it.“
What are the rules on garden annexes?
With so many people struggling to buy their first home, you might be wondering what the rules are on annexes.
Most local authorities will require you to have planning permission if you want to build an annexe or convert a garage into a living space.
While there are some grey areas, it’s always best to check – even if your annexe exisited before you owned the property.
Homeowners should also be mindful about keeping within the boundaries of your property, the function of the annexe and ownership over the dweeling.
The couple have since moved to a temporary home in North Walsham but it is believed they make frequent returns to the property, often staying overnight.
The ordeal has cost the couple tens of thousands of pounds in their quest to gain planning permission. They are now on their ninth attempt.
These include three appeals to the Planning Inspectorate and one High Court battle, which the judge concluded had no “arguable grounds”.
According to the NNDC, the property’s remote location is in conflict with local plans to reduce car travel but the couple insist it is only a few miles away from town.
The new owners of Robin Farm, who bought the main house from the couple in 2016, told Eastern Daily News: “This long-term dispute and this latest appeal now seems a waste of a lot of people’s energy and effort.
“Can they keep rewriting and appealing their own story every year or so with all the associated effort and legal /council/ government costs etc in perpetuity?”
Another neighbour told the paper: “Villagers have observed smoke coming from the chimney. They are basically putting two fingers up to the authority.”
Government officials from the Planning Inspectorate have now been called to adjudicate and the couple are expected to be issued a ruling later this year on whether they can stay in their annexe.
A spokesperson for the North Norfolk District Council said: “The Council is confident that due process has been followed and notes that it has successfully defended its position on previous appeals relating to the site.
“We await to the decision of the Planning Inspectorate on the latest appeal that was submitted in June 2024.”
This comes after one woman broke the internet after revealing the incredible annexe home her mum built for her at the bottom of their garden.
In a now-viral video of the posh pad, she explained: “So today I moved my things into the coach house.
“This is like an extra building at my mum’s house and it was just being used for if we had friends round….I am absolutely so happy to be all settled in.”
