A BACKYARD cabin with a hot tub and indoor gym has been approved by councillors after being labelled a “mini-Bannatyne’s”.

An eight to five vote saw retrospective permission for the plush wooden outbuilding granted on Fox Covert Close, in Wynyard, on Wednesday. But not before upset neighbours and Stockton councillors shared privacy worries with Stockton’s planning committee.

Householder Brian Edwards told the panel how he’d been made redundant during lockdown – and invested in a space his family could use all year round in all weathers. The father-of-one moved to Wynyard two years ago and decided to make lifestyle changes during covid restrictions to lose some weight.

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Mr Edwards said: “I decided providing a gym in my back garden would help as I was struggling to find time to keep fit as part of my daily routine along with childcare and working full time. It’s helped massively to promote good mental health in my immediate family.”

The outbuilding includes a raised decked area as well as a hot tub, gym, play area, bar and seating area. Members heard how a planning enforcement investigation found the timber cabin needed planning permission due to its use and its height.

Committee approval was also required as the applicant had a family link to the council’s planning department. Mr Edwards said the hot tub provided hydrotherapy to ease his early onset arthritis while the cabin playroom would offer a space for kids’ birthday parties in future.

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He added: “I’ve installed a mini-fridge for some beer and installed a dartboard. It’s not a full bar in the sense of the word.

“I use it as a place to relax at the weekend and, as we do not have immediate childcare in the area, we see it as a home away from home. It’s fair to say I’m in my mid-40s – and my socialising days are well and truly behind me.

“I’m not from the local area so I don’t have an immediate friend network. My life has moved on – I’m a hardworking guy just trying to do the best for his family.”

However, not everyone was enamoured with the outbuilding. Concerned neighbours Michael and Nicola Illingworth feared their privacy would be obliterated.

Mr Illingworth accused Mr Edwards of showing a “total disregard” for planning regulations, his neighbours, and the deeds to the house. He said: “The structure is oversized and brings shade to my garden and the sunlight once enjoyed on a morning.”

Mrs Illingworth said the cabin was built “right up to the boundary” of neighbouring properties – telling the committee water from the cabin had dripped into their garden. She added: “Anywhere else they stand in the garden, (the fence) is, at most, at the top of their heads.

“It doesn’t make an enormous difference. It’s a 6ft garden fence – and when people are at chest height to that, it results in the total removal of privacy and residential amenity, not only in our garden, but in our kitchen, dining room and family room.

“This complete removal of privacy has a hugely detrimental effect on our ability to enjoy our house and garden – and must not be allowed to remain.” Planning chief Simon Grundy said he understood frustrations about the plans being retrospective – but explained removing the cabin was “not an option”.

The committee was told they couldn’t “over enforce” as the outbuilding was only 6cm taller than the height limit which triggered the need for planning permission. Cllr Paul Kirton suggested the garden fence could be made taller to improve neighbours’ privacy.

But the idea was scotched over worries this would cause just as many problems as it was designed to solve. Cllr Eileen Johnson said the structure “did look extremely large” for a back garden.

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Former Thornaby mayor Cllr Steve Walmsley believed it was “back land development by another name”. He added: “Just looking at the pictures, you can see it does dominate the area and there is a lot of privacy there – there is no argument about that.

“This is a mini Bannatyne’s. A lot of people have built these kinds of things during covid and have turned them into bars and things.

“But this goes to the nth degree.” Conservative Cllr Dan Fagan believed the cabin’s size and height would have been curtailed if the bid had gone through the proper processes.

“To allow this to be approved retrospectively seems like a grave error to me,” he added.

After more than half an hour of debate, the cabin was approved. Mr Illingworth called the decision “an absolute disgrace” before leaving the meeting.

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