FIRST LOOK AT THAT GOWER EXTENSION
South Wales Evening Post - 12 July 2006
The most famous garage on Gower has had its first official visitors. However, the group who turned up to see former council top boss Tim Thorogood's extravagant garage appeared to be a little disappointed by the experience.
Seven months after hitting the headlines, a bus pulled up outside the former chief executive's two-storey garage in Rhossili yesterday afternoon.
However, instead of curious holidaymakers looking to have their picture taken outside Gower's most well-known garage, the bus was full of Swansea councillors.
Around a dozen members of the authority's area two planning committee wanted to see for themselves exactly how the garage has changed from the original plans that were submitted in September, 2004. A year later Mr Thorogood was asked to submit a second set of plans.
Both were approved, but new changes mean a third application is now being considered.The Gower Society lodged an official complaint about the garage in December last year.
It also commented on the latest application, saying: "The conversion to self-contained living accommodation, under any circumstances, must not be allowed either now or in the future."
Mr Thorogood, who quit his £120,000-a-year chief executive post in January, was not on hand to give a guided tour of the garage.
Instead councillors could only view the changes from the outside. Although none would speak officially, many were disappointed not be able to see the internal highlights of the conversion - including the sleeping area, the shower and toilet that have been added to the garage. It is not known what has happened to a kitchen area that was noted by planning inspector Ian Davies when he visited the property last December.
Although Mr Thorogood is now seeking approval for a third application, it does not include any mention of the garage's kitchen.
During building work on the garage Mr Thorogood's wife Alison, who works as a senior officer for Neath Port Talbot Council, made numerous inquiries about getting the garage listed on Swansea Council's tourism website.
However, the couple were keen for it to be used as a holiday home rather than a sightseeing destination.Councillors are expected to vote on the issue later this summer.
Following the visit Gower Councillor Richard Lewis spoke out against the Swansea planners' decision to recommend that the application be approved.
He said: "If this is agreed by my colleagues it will be a disaster for Swansea Council, because everyone is watching.
"This is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are celebrating its 50th anniversary and last week we had Prince Charles down here.
"I came for his visit and all the villagers were here too asking me what the council is going to do about Mr Thorogood's bungalow. If it is agreed it will make a mockery of the planning rules.
"A neighbour has had his garage extension refused, the coastguard was not allowed to build a small house.
"If this is allowed to stay there will be a lot of people saying 'what about my garage?
'"It could be the start of the rape of Gower."
The most famous garage on Gower has had its first official visitors. However, the group who turned up to see former council top boss Tim Thorogood's extravagant garage appeared to be a little disappointed by the experience.
Seven months after hitting the headlines, a bus pulled up outside the former chief executive's two-storey garage in Rhossili yesterday afternoon.
However, instead of curious holidaymakers looking to have their picture taken outside Gower's most well-known garage, the bus was full of Swansea councillors.
Around a dozen members of the authority's area two planning committee wanted to see for themselves exactly how the garage has changed from the original plans that were submitted in September, 2004. A year later Mr Thorogood was asked to submit a second set of plans.
Both were approved, but new changes mean a third application is now being considered.The Gower Society lodged an official complaint about the garage in December last year.
It also commented on the latest application, saying: "The conversion to self-contained living accommodation, under any circumstances, must not be allowed either now or in the future."
Mr Thorogood, who quit his £120,000-a-year chief executive post in January, was not on hand to give a guided tour of the garage.
Instead councillors could only view the changes from the outside. Although none would speak officially, many were disappointed not be able to see the internal highlights of the conversion - including the sleeping area, the shower and toilet that have been added to the garage. It is not known what has happened to a kitchen area that was noted by planning inspector Ian Davies when he visited the property last December.
Although Mr Thorogood is now seeking approval for a third application, it does not include any mention of the garage's kitchen.
During building work on the garage Mr Thorogood's wife Alison, who works as a senior officer for Neath Port Talbot Council, made numerous inquiries about getting the garage listed on Swansea Council's tourism website.
However, the couple were keen for it to be used as a holiday home rather than a sightseeing destination.Councillors are expected to vote on the issue later this summer.
Following the visit Gower Councillor Richard Lewis spoke out against the Swansea planners' decision to recommend that the application be approved.
He said: "If this is agreed by my colleagues it will be a disaster for Swansea Council, because everyone is watching.
"This is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are celebrating its 50th anniversary and last week we had Prince Charles down here.
"I came for his visit and all the villagers were here too asking me what the council is going to do about Mr Thorogood's bungalow. If it is agreed it will make a mockery of the planning rules.
"A neighbour has had his garage extension refused, the coastguard was not allowed to build a small house.
"If this is allowed to stay there will be a lot of people saying 'what about my garage?
'"It could be the start of the rape of Gower."
posted by Commentator at 10:00 AM
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