'Ruined our area!' Neighbours slam couple's four-bedroom 'dream' after legal battle

The cliffside property is to be built on land the couple already own in Bay Hill, which boasts a stunning view of the English Channel and where average house prices are £907,000, according to Rightmove.

However, residents have slammed the move, fearing that it will be the “thin end of the wedge” for unsightly property in the area and that it could encourage an influx of "more oppressive" homes in the future.

St Margaret’s Parish Council has also voiced their disdain for the plans, submitting a written protestation: “We are concerned about harm to the landscape in the conservation area and therefore object to the application.”

Perry told a Dover District Council planning committee meeting on Thursday night that he and his wife have owned the land for 38 years.

“When we sold our previous house in 1991 we retained ownership of the garden in the hope that one day we would be able to build our dream home,” he explained.

He said that he had received 10 letters of support from people who live in the village, with many having lived in the area for multiple years.

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“We have had 10 letters of support, many of whom have lived in the village for several years.”

Those who have backed the bid said that they believed that the property’s appearance wouldn’t be an issue, and were assured that it would be well screened, modest in size and scale and within a residential site.

However, others protested the build, with nine letters of objection submitted to the committee.

Resident Cathy Spalding told the committee: “I fear that if this planning application is approved those could be the thin end of the wedge.

“It would make it difficult for the council to resist a larger and even more oppressive dwelling on this site or indeed to resist further dwellings on this site.”

In spite of this, eight out of nine councillors backed the application, with Cllr Pam Brivio saying: “It is a very tasteful design,” and Cllr Susan Hill commenting: “Mr Mercer has consulted all manner of agencies to protect trees and wildlife. The applicant has striven to accommodate all manner of concerns.”

The couple had commissioned reports from specialists such as arborists and experts on reptiles and badgers, and the officers’ report said: “The submitted surveys and reports demonstrate that the proposal has and will take the ecological sensitivities on and around the site fully into account.”