Sandbanks property developer’s plans for ‘soulless stack of boxes’ in luxury area are refused for a third time after neighbours said it would block the sun

Mark Perkins has been refused planning permission for a third time to replace a Sandbanks chalet bungalow with a three-storey, flat-roofed house. Councillors rejected the proposal despite planning officers recommending approval, citing concerns about its overbearing effect on neighbours Lesley and Robert Jefferies, including reduced light and privacy.

The Jefferies’ home shares a wall and driveway with the property, and they say the new building would overshadow them and affect access to their home. Perkins commissioned a sunlight assessment, which found the proposal met minimum sunlight requirements, but councillors unanimously opposed it. The bungalow cost £825,000, and Perkins said the replacement could be worth more than £2 million.