WARRING neighbours employed property experts to fight their corner in a heated debate over plans to build a futuristic house in leafy Mapledurham.

Gary Head was granted permission to bulldoze a sprawling two storey house in Upper Warren Avenue and replace it with a vast, Grand Designs style family home - despite 12 objections from nearby families.

Mr Head’s visionary plans, which include a four car garage, two sitting rooms and a terrace, were given the green light by Reading Borough Council’s planning committee on Wednesday last week.

But they were hotly contested by Jon Bishop, speaking on behalf of Mr Head’s next door neighbour David Latter, who said the building would have an “overbearing impact” on his client’s home.

Mr Bishop added: “My client has no objection to the re-development of the house in question, but he’s concerned about the size of the development, its orientation and its closeness to the boundary with his own house.”

He said that although the new building will be built in the same place as the demolished house, it will be much bigger - sprawling further back into the site - meaning it would cut the amount of sunlight reaching Mr Latter’s house.

But architect James Shelton, representing Mr Head, said his client had made changes to the plans, including reducing the footprint of the house, in response to neighbours’ objections.

He added: “My clients were born and raised in Caversham and have lived there all their lives. They wish to build an aspirational house for an expanding family, which they will live in all their lives. It’s by no means a developer opportunity and will make a positive contribution to the area.”

Conservative Cllr Isobel Ballsdon, who represents Mapledurham Ward, compared the planned home to a “warehouse” and said it will have a “huge impact” on Mr Latter.

But the application was passed by the majority of the committee, and Labour Cllr Jan Gavin said there were no planning grounds for turning it down.