COUNCILLORS have again been disappointed after finding that a decision on a planning application had already been made before they had had chance to comment on it.

Planning permission had already been granted for Mr and Mrs Mugridge to make alterations and build an extension to an outbuilding at their Linden Cottage home in Linden Hill, Wellington, to form a residential annexe.

But Wellington Town Council’s planning committee still had to give its thoughts on providing listed building consent for the work to go ahead.

Only last month the committee had expressed its dismay at finding that Taunton Deane Borough Council had approved some planning applications before local councillors had had a chance to make their observations.

Cllr John Thorne said: “This listed building consent application has already been approved by Taunton Deane which just emphasises what we were saying at our last planning meeting.”

Cllr Janet Reed said, in defence of the planning officers at Taunton Deane, they were under a lot of pressure to get decisions on applications made as quickly as possible.

But Cllr Mark Lithgow said that was ‘no excuse’ to ignore proper planning procedures.

Town clerk Greg Dyke admitted that the listed building consent application for Linden Cottage should have been held at the previous meeting along with the application for the actual work.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

Wellington Mayor, Cllr Gary James, said: “We are where we are with this.”