RESIDENTS urged planners to protect their privacy and forbid one of their neighbours from having easy access to his roof.

Members of Winchester City Council's planning committee were called upon last week to sort out the neighbourhood dispute. Back in 2004, they gave permission for an extension behind a modern house in St Faith's Road, St Cross.

When they did so, they ordered that there should be no access door between the existing property and the flat roof of the extension, which is currently being built.

The decision was taken to deter the applicant, John Alexander, from using it as a terrace or roof garden. However, he subsequently asked the planners if he could still have easy access to the roof to carry out any maintenance.

Council officers argued that the request was reasonable, but the final decision rested with elected members. They met last Thursday to discuss the dispute, and heard that many neighbours were upset.

Around a dozen had written to the council to object to the plans, among them Jane Fifield, who lives next door. "I wonder how much loss of privacy and enjoyment of our homes we have to take. I don't know how many objections have to be put forward before they carry any weight."

She also slammed the council for not sending letters to neighbours about the new application.

Members opted to side with bulk of the residents, and refused the application by nine votes to five.