Appeal Filed Over 'Substandard' Flat Planners Rejected Due To Carbon Monoxide Fears

A developer has filed an appeal over a flat proposal Isle of Wight planners rejected as ‘substandard’ due to carbon monoxide fears.

Deven Thakrar’s statement refutes safety concerns the council cited in its refusal of his proposed two-bedroom flat behind a new launderette on Sandown’s High Street.

Mr Thakrar sought a change of use of the rear of Island solicitors Jerome and Co’s former ground floor offices at 11 High Street in Sandown.

Last year, he gained council consent to open a new launderette business at the High Street end of the ground floor.

The statement says:

“The refusal centres around the concerns expressed that the discharge of the dryers through the high-level flue to the external air would discharge carbon monoxide near the proposed residential development.

“The appellant, in consultation with the environmental health officer, agreed to seal off the nearest window to the flue to comply with the requirement to have a minimum distance of two metres from the flue outlet.

“The refusal was based on the expressed concern that carbon monoxide would be a possible hazard to the future residents.

"The appellant contacted the UK supplier of ADC Dryers (Mr Simon Arch) who supplied him with the technical information on the dryer which indicates that because of the air mix it is not possible to create carbon monoxide.

“ADC is the world’s largest manufacturer of dryers and thousands have been installed in the UK.”

The statement says ADC’s dryers ‘meet the requirements and exceed all safety standards of the Department of Health HTM 01-04 and the Care Quality Commission guidelines’.

Justifying the flat’s refusal, planners wrote:

“The proposed development would result in a substandard residential unit on the grounds that the exhaust discharge point of the adjacent launderette would be positioned close to the proposed bedroom windows.

“Specifically, there is concern over carbon monoxide. The proposed development would therefore fail to provide a good living environment for future occupants.”