Adolescence star Ashley Walters given approval for swimming pool and gym at home in row with neighbours

ADOLESCENCE star Ashley Walters has been given approval for a controversial swimming pool and gym despite objections from neighbours.

The actor, who plays DI Luke Bascombe in the Netflix show, angered locals near Herne Bay, Kent, with his plans for a detached outbuilding at his home.

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He applied for a single storey detached outbuilding which would house a pool, gym, games room and changing facilities.

His plans were objected to on multiple grounds – including it being out of character in a rural area.

But planners at Kent County Council gave Walters the green light after he previously spoke about needing to extend the chalet bungalow as his children were “getting taller”.

The decision marked the second recent planning victory for Walters, who also starred in Top Boy and made his name as a member of the So Solid Crew.

In August last year he was given planning permission after a two year long battle to build a two-storey front and rear extension and a single-storey rear extension with balcony the home in Herne Bay, Kent.

In approving the latest decision, council planners wrote: “The proposal is considered to be acceptable in terms of mass and scale in relation to the overall size of the plot.

“The outbuilding will be finished under a flat roofed design and in a mixture of slatted cladding and render. Given its position to the rear of the property it would not be visible form public vantage points so would have a neutral impact on the streetscene and landscape.”

“Given the above, the proposed development would have sufficient regard for the context and character of the site.

After a site notice was placed in the area and neighbouring properties were informed, one objection was raised three concerns.

They argued there are no buildings of this size and type at the rear of these properties, it was out of character with the rural area, and there is access to the rear and this would represent an unreasonable breach.

But in response, planning officials stated: “The outbuilding will be positioned to the rear of the plot which results in the development being in excess of 50m from any neighbouring property.

“As such, given its single-storey nature it is considered that there would be no unacceptable overlooking, overbearing impact, sense of enclosure or loss of light as a result of the development.”

Walters, 42, previously said he would consider moving away if he could not secure permission for extending his home.

He said: “It is highly likely if we cannot get it the way we want to, we will have to move out of this part of Kent.

“We would just have to find somewhere else locally that suits our needs.”

Walters stressed he was a “big fan” of the area, and his children were settled in school, so he did not intend to move his family back to London.

Speaking of his extension plans, he added: “It’s about making it slightly bigger in height because it’s a bungalow conversion.

“The top floor is essentially in the roof, which means you’re kind of ducking, and as the kids grow they’ll be banging heads on the ceiling.

“So we are just trying to make that a bit higher.”

According to Rightmove, the dad-of-eight, originally from Peckham, purchased the home for £815,000 in 2021.

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