A Cotswolds resident accused of “ruining the prettiest street in the UK” has infuriated the local council with his latest work.
The owner of Rosemary Cottage, Metin Dener, is pushing ahead with plans for a huge outdoor fireplace and underground car park.
This is despite fresh fury from neighbours and the local council regarding the home in Bibury, just over the Oxfordshire border.
The work has been dubbed a “flagrant disregard for the history and beauty of the area” and accusations it has turned a Grade II historic cottage into a ‘monstrosity.’
General view of Bibury in the Cotswolds. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Years of construction work at the cottage on Awkward Hill have been at the centre of an ongoing row as locals say it is still blighting their lives.
Despite hopes they had stopped the development, new plans have been submitted for materials to be used for an underground car park, which confirmed the work had begun and was still underway.
And fresh objections have now been made over a second live application, for an outdoor fireplace that is under consideration.
Bibury Parish Council said: “The fireplace is huge, not in keeping with its surroundings, especially as curtilage on a very important Grade II historic cottage.
The owners of a controversial home on ‘the UK’s prettiest street’ are again in a planning row with locals. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
“The whole area is recognised as an area of national importance and special character.
“From various angles, the chimney can be seen and changes the historic view.”
The parish council said the outdoor fireplace has been built “in a contrary position” to the local plan.
It added: “The parish council have serious concerns about the care and competency of the site advisors/architects allowing such construction to take place on this historically sensitive site without seeking planning permission.
General view of Bibury in the Cotswolds. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
“We again request that the planning officer monitor the site more regularly, as a whole site rather than individual projects.”
Local residents living on the street also expressed outrage this week about the ongoing development.
One said: “Nobody’s very happy about it. There’s somebody actually living there now.
“It will be three years in July, it was a tiny, tiny Cotswolds cottage, and now look. It’s become a monstrosity.
The owners of a controversial home on ‘the UK’s prettiest street’ are again in a planning row with locals. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
“Hopefully, there’s no more building work, but they don’t seem to be stopping. We have said everything there is to say.”
Previous plans for the cottage included stripping and replacing the Cotswold stone slate roof tiles as well as adding insulation to a utility room.
Applications were also submitted for an oak conservatory and a stone summerhouse.
Locals have previously stated that the works, which have been carried out since 2023, have caused constant noise and disruption.
The owners of a controversial home on ‘the UK’s prettiest street’ are again in a planning row with locals. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
Trucks that service the site churn up the verges and block their gates, said locals.
Residents of Arlington Row, Awkward Hill and Hawkers Hill say they are “horrified” by the damage that has been done.
Consultants working for the applicant had said the work had included replacing the failing roof on the utility room with new and reclaimed Cotswold stone slate.
The oak frame conservatory was described as a “modest” extension to the kitchen part of the building and would include fixed glazing, a natural Cotswold stone tile roof with oak French doors onto the upper patio area in the garden.
They said a “traditional understated” office/summerhouse in the upper garden was agreed in principle during the preapplication correspondence.
General view of Bibury in the Cotswolds. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
A spokesperson for Spirit Architecture Ltd said: “The Awkward Hill road was closed by Gloucestershire Highways in 2023 after they received comments from the Parish Council in regard to the condition of the retaining drystone boundary wall of Rosemary Cottage, and Highways then issued an enforcement notice to my client to make repairs.
“My client had to then pay for the rebuilding of this 3m+ high retaining wall to current safety standards.
“Closing the road obviously upset a lot of residents, but it was the Parish Council who initiated this and the highways authority who instructed this work; it was not initiated by my client.”
They added: “There is an underground garage being built, which has full planning approval.
General view of Bibury in the Cotswolds. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)
“This is instead of a previous above-ground garage, which has been removed and will be less obvious than the replacement one previously approved above ground.
“The access is a single-lane, narrow hill, so it is tricky.
“This work would be complete by now, but was delayed as additional flood risk assessments were required after a parish council comment. The report concluded that there was no flood risk.”
He added that some landscaping works that have approval have taken time with what he described as “limited site access, hillside site and being drystone faced”.