by Dan Bloom

A couple have been ordered to take down a decked balcony after a former Bishop of Rochester complained.

Jamie Beadle spent more than £5,000 putting up the 10ft-high wooden decking at the home he shares with his wife Nicola and three children in The Ridgeway, Chatham.

But it sparked the ire of next-door neighbour Dr Michael Nazir-Ali (pictured below), who was the 106th Bishop of Rochester until he stepped down in 2009.

The 63-year-old and his wife Valerie spent almost £1,500 extending their own fence so the decking wouldn’t overlook their conservatory.

When the Beadles were told to apply for retrospective planning permission, the Nazir-Alis lodged the only formal complaint.

In a letter to Medway Council, they said: “We have serious concerns for the loss of privacy to our home and garden, with potential attendant security concerns and we fear these may additionally have implications for the value of our property.”

Now councillors have defied their own experts to agree – and have ordered the Beadles to remove their decking.

Cllr Adrian Gulvin (Con) said: “I wouldn’t like it next to me. It’s totally over the top.”

Cllr David Carr (Con) added: “My God, what’s it going to look like when it’s got screening on?”

The Beadles, who both work for insurance firm Lloyds of London, said they were “shocked” at the backlash and never wanted to break the rules.

Jamie, who spent months building the decking, said he had been in contact with the council throughout the scheme.

He has lodged a complaint, and questioned whether there could have been a conflict of interest on the committee.

The 44-year-old said: “When the planning officer came round I said ‘is this going to be a problem?’ and they said it would probably be more of a box-ticking exercise. That was six months ago and it’s dragged on since then.

“I feel quite strongly that every citizen has an equal right to fair treatment, and in this case I feel I have not been treated equally.”

Councillors unanimously denied planning permission for the decking, which was recommended for approval by their own planning officers.

The officers would have had the final say, but the decision was taken out of their hands after ward councillor Trevor Clarke escalated the issue to the planning committee.

Cllr Clarke, a Churches Together in Medway columnist who has publicly supported the bishop on other issues, referred the application as part of standard planning rules.

None of the 15 committee members declared an interest at the meeting.

A council spokesman said they did not have to by law, but added: “Members are advised they should also consider declaring an interest and if necessary excluding themselves from considering and voting on a planning application where they are either biased, have a conflict of interest or have pre-determined the application.”

Speaking after the decision, Mr Beadle said the decking extended a narrow concrete walkway on the first floor, which he said was dangerous.

“We need safe access from the door at the rear of the house,” he said. “I’m not trying to build a supermarket on a bit of green field. I’m just replacing some dangerous landscaping and making it safe.”

Mr Beadle said he planned to appeal.

The Nazir-Alis declined to comment further when approached at their home.