PLANS to knock down a home and replace it with a house more than twice its size have been rejected by Wiltshire Council.

The farming building at Paddocks Place on Silver Street Lane in Brokerswood, Westbury had been granted permission to be turned into a home in 2017 and new plans were recently submitted to knock down the building and create a larger home. But increasing a “modest” 92 m2 two bedroom homes to a 353m2 three bedroomed house and granny annex was too big a change to be considered a conversion, argued planners.

The house lies outside village boundaries and officers raised concerns over the distance to shops, schools and businesses.

Owner Emma Hibberd said: “The works will not affect the neighbouring property and will overall enhance the appearance of the whole area.”

However officers ruled: “The new development must be considered a new dwelling in the countryside, and in an isolated situation away from public services. No justification has been made that the proposal would enable workers to live at or in the immediate vicinity of their place of work.”