PLANS to replace a burnt-out bungalow in Old Basing with a four-bedroomed house have been shot down in flames by Basingstoke councillors.

The borough council's development control committee turned down an application to build a new house at 56 Linden Avenue.

Objecting to the proposal, Old Basing Parish Council told the committee: "This replacement dwelling is an over-development which will not be in keeping with the surrounding bungalows."

Basing councillor Alan Read said: "This application seeks to replace a modest bungalow with a four-bedroomed detached house.

"If approved, it will result in the loss of yet another bungalow, thus perpetuating the changing housing mix in Old Basing.

"The continual loss of smaller housing units is contrary to government planning guidance which seeks to increase the number of smaller housing units.

"This proposal will alter the character of the street scene and, by virtue of its increased roof height and bulk, will be an over-development and incompatible with the surrounding dwellings."

Fellow Basing borough councillor Sheila Knight told the committee: "We are getting to the stage where we are suddenly having houses appear where bungalows were.

"It would be quite wrong to a put a large house here. There is room for the bungalow to spread outwards on the site without going upwards."

Recommending approval, planning officers told the committee that the footprint of the house would be identical to the present bungalow and the roof would only be five feet higher.

In a report to the committee, the officers said: "Given the style and position of the proposed house in relation to the neighbouring properties, it is considered that the new dwelling would be of an appropriate design and scale.

"The proposal would not constitute an over-development of the site as it would adequately accommodate the proposal without affecting the amenities of the area.

"Similarly a refusal of planning permission on the grounds of another bungalow being lost cannot be justified under current planning policy."

But committee chairwoman Cllr Sally Jones proposed that planning permission be refused on the grounds that the large house would be out of character with the street scene, and the committee agreed.