PLANS for home office in a back garden in Goostrey have been given the go-ahead despite parish council concerns over its visual impact.

The home office would be positioned alongside the rear boundary of the Shearbrook Lane garden, next to Main Road.

Cheshire East Council approved the application for the timber-clad building, saying the outbuilding, by virtue of its single-storey nature, design and siting would not impact on neighbouring properties.

Goostrey Parish Council has objected to the plan, saying the building would be visible to pedestrians.

Council clerk Sharon Jones said in a letter to Cheshire East: “Goostrey Parish Council understands the potential need for a home office.

“However in this case the building would turn its back onto Main Road and be close to the boundary fence.

“Its back would therefore be quite visible by pedestrians and others travelling along the footpath/road and detract from the street scene through Goostrey. For this reason the parish council objects.”

Cheshire East said the back of the plot was two metres higher than Main Road, and its boundary with the road was well screened with mature planting and 1.8m close boarded fence.

A planning officer’s report said the building would be tucked into a corner area of the site adjacent to the house and road, and its timber construction would blend into the adjacent boundary treatment when viewed from Main Road below.

The officer said the building would be seen against a backdrop of residential roofs, be no more than 0.9 to 1.5 metres in height above the fence with Main Road and be inset from the boundary.

It would be built from timber boarding, which would help it to tie in with the timber boundary fence, and neighbouring mature vegetation would help reducing any visual impact.

The officer added: “The siting of the outbuilding is not considered out of keeping with the residential environment, and is not considered to be materially detrimental to the character and appearance of the Main Road street scene.

“The objection cannot therefore be sustained in planning terms.”