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Roofline extended

Gosford Council has approved a plan to extend the roof of a house in Koonora Ave, Blackwall, despite objections from the owners of Blossoms Bed and Breakfast next door.

The owners of Blossoms have told Gosford Council that the extension would take away their view of Brisbane Water, the main reason why they bought the business recently for $700,000.

While addressing a council meeting, they claimed that they will have to lower their guest tariff, that the business will not grow because of the lack of views and ultimately they will go out of business as a result of the extensions to the house next door.

They also claimed that their property value would be reduced by at least $100,000.

The council recently inspected the site of the proposed extensions, but did not inspect the view from Blossoms Bed and Breakfast.

Cr Geoff Preece said the council inspection party had not been invited onto the property.

Photographs of the current view and an altered photograph depicting what Blossoms' proprietors expected their view would look like after the extension were tabled at the council meeting.

If accurate, the current view of Brisbane Water from Blossoms will be totally obstructed.

Council staff pointed out that the altered photographs showed the roof 750mm higher than the actual extension, because they were based on plans that had since been changed to lower the roof height.

Mayor Cr Robert Bell said: "The owner has a right to put up two storeys on the house and with the extension, the house is still only one storey."

Cr Lynne Bockholt said: "There are no winners here tonight.

"Blossoms itself is two storeys high, the applicant has tried to keep the height down and we should approve the DA (development application)."

Jonathan Reichard, Council Agenda DH.045, April 2