UNCERTAINTY whether or not building work would affect protected trees has led to town planners postponing their ruling on plans for a Brixington home.

UNCERTAINTY whether or not building work would affect protected trees has led to town planners postponing their ruling on plans for a Brixington home.

The owners of 1 Cheriswood Avenue have applied to build a two-storey extension. However, the application has drawn concerns from neighbours, planners heard.

Mrs Fox, of Brixington Drive, said the extension would ‘look directly over my rear garden and would destroy my precious privacy’.

Mrs Crump, also of Brixington Drive, said the extension would be adjacent to her back garden and, if trees were removed, her home would be open to noise from the road. Mr and Mrs Cray, also of Brixington Drive, were concerned a new building would ‘adversely affect’ the roots of trees.

Councillors heard the application was further complicated because of a boundary dispute with neighbours.

Cllr Trevor Cope said: “Upstairs would certainly be overlooking neighbours and the building would be too close to a boundary fence.”

Councillors agreed they would be ‘minded to refuse’, but could not make a final decision until the district council’s tree officer determined if building work would affect trees.