ENVIRONMENT Minister Freddie Cohen received Planning permission to build an extension to his Site of Special Interest home in the green zone on Thursday.

The Planning applications panel approved Senator Cohen’s application to demolish two stable blocks at Highcliff, Rue de la Mare, St John, so he can extend and rearrange an existing one bedroom flat to form a larger residential home for his dependent mother.

Assistant Planning director Peter Le Gresley, who recommended approval of the application, said that although the site was within the green zone and a Site of Special Interest, the proposal did not impact on the countryside.
He said: ‘Although there is a general presumption against development within the green zone, it is permissible to extend existing buildings.

‘The increase in height is in no way harmful. Broadly speaking it is acceptable. There is no planning history which is relevant to this current application.’ He said that Transport and Technical Services did not object to the extension but were concerned about an access point and suggested setting a fence back to allow for better visibility, which the minister was willing to do, he said.