OWNERS of a renovated house in Cam, described as an abomination by one councillor, are appealing the decision that they must start again.

Tony and Teresea Cargill have been converting the old coach houses next to the listed Tilsdown House on Tilsdown since 2010 but the work has caused a dispute with Stroud District Council.

Planning officers for the local authority believe the conditions for planning permission were not adhered to as the render applied did not match the building’s previous red brick material.

Because the coach houses are so close to the listed Tilsdown House, they are also considered listed in planning matters.

The couple proposed applying brick slips, a material resembling real bricks, which they believed would help solve the issue, as well as the repositioning of windows, but this application was refused.

At SDC’s development control committee meeting on Tuesday, June 18 at Ebley Mill in Stroud, planning officers asked for the authority to impose an enforcement notice on the couple to rebuild the affected walls, which is expected to cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The decision was passed, with six councillors voting in favour, three against and one abstaining.

But Richard Mace, from Besley Hill estate agents, thinks the decision was too "heavy-handed" as some councillors said the end result looked fine.

"The drawings and plans were stamped and approved and the case officers gave virtually no conditions attached to the consent," he said.

"I saw the falling down condition of these buildings prior to the renovation and consider the works to be a fantastic job and commend the owners for taking on a massive project and a terrific result.

"The fact is the council should have specified exact conditions if they wanted the tatty brick and stone left, however the truth is the building would have fallen down had it not been saved by the current owners."

As part of their appeal to the Secretary of State, who will appoint an independent inspector to look at the case, the Cargills have said the brick slips would improve the property’s appearance.

"Advice has been taken which has concluded that removal of the existing rendering poses a significant risk that the original surfaces of the property could be damaged," they said.

"It is submitted that the brick slips are the most appropriate and best solution to maintain the historic fabric of the property."

A SDC spokesman said it had a duty to protect listed buildings.

"If the clear instructions which are there to help applicants avoid pitfalls are ignored, we will take enforcement action," he said.

"The applicant was fully aware that they were renovating a listed building and fully aware that they had to use appropriate building materials as part of the restoration. They deliberately ignored this, hence action was taken."

A decision is expected no earlier than the end of October this year.