Plans to make a Grade II listed cottage in Kenilworth "habitable" have been blocked by district councillors who said the impact on a local church was more important.

The scheme would have seen a first floor extension built at the back of a High Street cottage which overlooks the graveyard at St Nicholas Church.

The applicant said the extension was needed to provide a proper upstairs washroom, saying that the house had been unoccupied for three years because of the lack of facilities.

Speaking at this week's Warwick District Council planning committee meeting Mr Denis Secher said: "Surely it is in the public interest that this beautiful cottage, that has laid empty for at least three years, be brought back to life and preserved for the future." 

He added: "I believe this project to be firmly in the public interest, to be not alien and that it will fit seamlessly into the property seam when viewed from Abbey Fields or St Nicholas Church. 

"The plans do not cause substantial harm or loss. 

"After 20 rather frustrating months I would be absolutely delighted to start making a really positive contribution to the history of Kenilworth High Street."

With officers recommending that the application be refused, Cllr Richard Hales brought the plans before the committee for consideration.

"In essence this is bringing a property in a beautiful area of Kenilworth back into habitable use," the deputy leader said. 

"In essence they are trying to bring a toilet into an extension. 

"If you walk around the area there are previous applications that have been brought through that have fundamentally knocked down buildings and replaced them with new dwellings in the area."

Councillors were split over the decision, with an initial vote to grant permission blocked as the decision came down to the chair's casting vote.

Committee chair Cllr Alan Boad, who decided against giving permission, said he blocked the scheme "for the very simple reason that it well set too easy a precedent for others to come and follow up".

Other councillors agreed that the plans would have a detrimental impact on the local conservation area.

Cllr Colin Quinney said: "I do believe that the proposal on the first floor would be highly incongruous in a very sensitive area and it would be anomalous compared to the house next door."

He added: "The fact that this house has had a totally inadequate and poor washroom facility in the past doesn't mean that there are no other options and none of these options have been discussed or presented. 

"There is a very large ground floor, even larger than next door.

Cllr BIll Gifford said: "It is a very sensitive area, if it was just another house straight behind it we might take a different view but it is a very sensitive area."

Councillors voted to refuse the scheme, with the decision again coming down to the chair's casting vote.