The town council has objected to plans to convert a barn near Kenilworth Castle into a two-bedroom house.

Members at last week's Kenilworth Town Council planning committee meeting said the Purlieu Lane scheme was inappropriate in the green belt and raised concerns about increased traffic along the narrow road.

Councillors also pointed out that the applicant had objected to a similar proposal - for a new farm workers dwelling - on the same road in 2016 "based on ensuring the castle and surrounding grounds are not compromised".

Speaking at the KTC meeting last week Cllr Michael Coker pointed to the "very funny" similarities between the two applications and said: "Some of the comments the applicant made previously are very applicable here."

Cllr John Dearing added: "They [the 2016 scheme] were actually applying for a new agricultural building on a plot of land that she owned adjacent - she wasn't looking to convert, as with this [2022].

"But there is an irony there, what goes for one doesn't go for another." 

The most recent application, submitted for High House Farm, states that the existing shed would need to be partially demolished before it is converted into a house.

"The building sits on a farm and is mainly hidden by trees and other buildings," the application says.

"The proposed development is to upgrade / rebuild the existing shed to form a two-bedroom house within the existing footprint of the existing shed. 

"The proposed development will look much nicer than what is currently there."

If approved, new windows, doors and walls would be built.

But councillors criticised the diagrams submitted and said it appeared that the building would be far bigger than the current one.

Cllr Rob Barry said: "The proposed floor plan just shows two bedrooms and a WC on the ground floor. 

"There is no other detail of anything else on the ground floor. 

"So if that is actually true it is not a house that will be for living."

Members said the scheme was not appropriate in the green belt and Cllr John Dearing, who lives on Purlieu Lane, said the plans looked like the first of many.

"The problem with this is that it is likely to be the first of many applications to convert all of the buildings into houses which would actually create a new hamlet as there are quite a lot of buildings - this is simply the smallest," he said. 

"That then becomes an issue for transport along Purlieu Lane which, although we live there, a lot of people would agree that it is already busy enough for an unmade track which lots of people use.

"I think on the transport issue alone, adding more traffic down this road is a reason why I would object."

Other councillors also commented on the suitability of the road for more traffic.

Cllr Coker added: "It is always very difficult for the council to say that this will create a precedent because of course we are supposed to look at each application in isolation. But it does. 

"The fact that it is in a conservation area, adjacent to a very important national monument, it is inappropriate in that respect. 

"And there is no necessity shown for a development in the green belt."

The application can be viewed here.