A GOVERNMENT inspector has allowed a first floor extension at a Charmouth home.

Planning inspector Simon Miles overturned a decision by West Dorset District Council to refuse the development at Uphill, The Street.

The district council said the first floor extension would result in a gap in the street scene being lost and obstruct views.

Allowing the appeal from owner Neil Skevington, Mr Miles said The Street contains many period buildings, but Uphill was not a period property and was among a variety of building styles.

He said: “The layout of the buildings is equally diverse, with irregular spacing.

“The appeal property, for example, has a significant gap on one side but not the other.

“I find the council’s concern about the loss of the existing gap to be unjustified, particularly as the existing gap does not provide important views of glimpses up side passages or lanes of the type described in the council’s Conservation Area appraisal.”

He added: “Overall, I find there are no compelling or overriding reasons why the appeal should not succeed.”