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Plans by well-known artist Mr Doodle to build a home covered in his own designs on the Kent coast could be given the green light.
Doodler Sam Cox, from Tenterden, Kent, is seeking to replace an existing home with a unique, three-bedroom property in Dungeness, incorporating existing railway carriages and laser-cut doodles on the outside.
But residents have commented on the plans objecting to it as a “vanity project” with no connection to the local area of the beach location dubbed as “Britain’s only desert”.
Concerns have also been raised about wildlife within the area’s site of special scientific interest (SSSI), and Lydd Town Council objected over concerns that “the metal facade would not be in keeping with the historical value of Dungeness”.
Mr Doodle previously covered his Tenterden home in his signature drawings and said the completion of the project called Doodle House in 2022 was the beginning of his childhood dream to “doodle the entire planet and to encourage the art world to recognise doodles as an art form”.
At Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s planning committee meeting on Tuesday, councillors were recommended to approve the application, before deciding to defer it until residents and neighbours were given the full time to comment.
Explaining the deferral, committee chairwoman Jackie Meade said the decision was “to ensure the full process is followed to its full extent to allow neighbours and residents to actually comment on this”.
Councillors will also request clearer illustrations of the outside cladding designed for the property.
Architects Holloway Studios, which has submitted designs on behalf of Mr Cox, had said the replacement house “embodies a thoughtful response to its context”.
A design and access statement read: “The rustication of the facade panels draws upon the influence of rusting structures and objects scattered across the Dungeness coastline.
“We believe that this design will enrich the architectural fabric of Dungeness while providing a comfortable and environmentally responsible living space for its occupants.”
The plans also said the exposed railway carriages celebrate the heritage of the site and include solar panels and a biodiverse garden for the site’s special ecosystem.
One supporter of the plans wrote that the removal of the existing home was welcomed, adding: “This proposal is a much higher quality design and makes some innovative attempts to fit into this very sensitive and visible site.”
In planning documents for the council meeting, the plan had been recommended for approval subject to conditions.
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