Neil McMillan and Kirsten Jones took on a planning battle to get the picturesque house of their dreams, all inspired by a leisurely boat trip

WORDS HEATHER DIXON

The home is covered in cladding from Vincent Timber, giving it an attractive New England feel

PHOTOS DAVE BURTON

While they were on a narrowboat trip on the Regent’s Canal in London, Neil McMillan and his wife Dr Kirsten Jones had an idea about how they could build their future home. Their tour guide pointed out a grand mansion with a building site next to it, and explained to them that in the 18th century Royal permission had been given for the mansion to be built, along with four others that were never actually constructed. Intriguingly, as the mansion had been finished, it meant that the other four permissions still existed.

When home again in Nailsworth just a few days later, and quite by coincidence, the couple learned from a neighbour that a builder had once started constructing three houses in their home’s one-acre garden. “That was back in the 1970s. One was on the site of ours and the other two next to it,” says Neil. “Apparently they only got up to first floor level before the builder went bust. Then in 1987 the local Hamptons director bought the plot, demolished all three buildings and built herself a new house, which is the one we lived in.”

Although the couple loved their home and had been in it for six years, they began to wonder if they could build themselves a brand new house, exactly as they wanted it, next door. “We loved the idea of creating our perfect home and realised we could get even more stunning views across the valley,” says Kirsten. “Plus, we wanted something bigger.” Neil, a retired IT specialist, adds: “But we didn’t realise we would have such a lengthy battle, not only with the planners, but also with the National Trust!”

Intricacies of planning

Neil and Kirsten applied for planning permission in 2012 – and finally got it in 2018. “There were a number of problems,” says Neil. “To start with, we were outside the settlement area as deemed by the local council. So, we had to prove to them that planning had been given for the site – many years ago. Unfortunately, all the old planning approvals had been destroyed. We also had to prove that building work had actually begun on the houses. Amazingly, by contacting all the local aerial photography companies we found an old photo showing all three half-built properties!”