A DAD who thought he'd have to dismantle his £2,000 bike shed is "delighted" to be able to keep it after he was granted planning permission.

Nicholas Arnold applied three times for retrospective planning permission to allow him to keep a bike shed he had built onto the front of his house on Moberly Road in 2019.

Admitting neither he nor his wife Robyn fully understood the planning rules, Mr Arnold was told that his shed was built above the primary elevation and that he needed to apply for retrospective permission to keep it by a planning inspector.

He was taken to task by neighbours and Salisbury City Council which slammed the shed as "unsightly" after the first application was submitted on September 29, 2022.

Mr Arnold had combined the bike shed application with another retrospective garage conversion application and decided to withdraw it before Wiltshire Council could reject it.

But another application just for permission to keep the bike shed was refused by Wiltshire Council on April 7 however this time Salisbury City Council made no comment.

Salisbury Journal: The timber bike shed was initially disliked by neighbours.The timber bike shed was initially disliked by neighbours. (Image: Nicholas Arnold)

Mr Arnold resubmitted the application (PL/2023/08419) along with a document explaining why the shed should be approved, one year after his initial attempt.

He told Wiltshire Council that his family is "very ecologically aware" and regularly cycles as an alternative to using the car to keep healthy.

"Wooden cladding is a popular alternative to brick at present, and there are many examples nearby. Every house on Moberly Road is unique, and we believe that it would not therefore be out of character to use wooder cladding," he added.

The application was approved on November 13, leaving Mr Arnold feeling "delighted".

He told the Journal: "I'm really pleased that the application was successful. I was worried and didn't know how we were going to store the children's bikes.

"It would be physically difficult to get bikes round the back."

Salisbury Journal: The old garage was converted into a living space so the shed is used for storage.The old garage was converted into a living space so the shed is used for storage. (Image: Newsquest)

The successful application was not met with any comments from Mr Arnold's neighbours, who were initially adamant that the shed was "poorly integrated" and an "eyesore".

Wiltshire Council's planning officers said the bike shed had no significant impacts on neighbouring properties or living conditions.