THE chairman of a council planning committee has had his own planning application rejected.

Cllr Jocelyn Feilding, who has been chairman of Bradford on Avon Town Council's planning committee for about three years, hopes to build a terrace with a fountain and construct a wall to prevent children falling over a large drop into his neighbour's garden at his

listed house in Whiteheads Lane, Bradford on Avon.

He said: "At the moment I can't have children in that part of the garden because there is a direct drop 12ft into the neighbour's garden."

He wants to make it secure so his two-year-old grandson, his nieces and nephews and the children who live next door can play safely.

The 64-year-old's planning application was rejected by West Wiltshire District Council on July 9.

Cllr Feilding said: "It was rejected because the officers considered it to be inappropriate in design and materials.

"Part of the trouble was that the town council couldn't take any discussion on my application in the meeting.

"Therefore it arrived on the desks of the district council without a town council comment which means that it would have gone straight to the officers to make a decision."

A spokesman for West Wiltshire District Council said: "The application was refused as the proposals, by reason of the use of artificial materials and inappropriate architectural features, would be to the detriment of the character and setting of Manor House and to other listed buildings in the vicinity."

Cllr Feilding now plans to appeal against the decision.