A decision on a proposal to build two houses on a patch of garden land in between two rows of houses has been put back for a second time.

Councillors on Swindon Borough Council’s planning committee deferred the discussion on Lotus Properties (SW) Ltd’s proposal to build two larger detached houses on the gardens of two semi-detached cottages at 77 and 78 St Philip’s Road, in Stratton St Margaret.

The original houses will be retained as studies and extra bedrooms for the main houses.

In reality, the cottages stand alone in their own grounds between the backs of houses in Orchard Grove and Haig Court.

At the March planning committee meeting, the matter was put back a month to allow neighbours notice of the application coming to committee.

With all assembled at this month’s meeting, and having heard from nearby residents who said the lack of visitor parking on the site would increase problematic parking in Orchard Grove, one councillor, Dan Smith raised the issue of whether Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service were happy with the plan.

He said: “I understand that a fire engine cannot get down an access narrower than 3.3 meters. The driveway into the site is about three metres wide. Has the Fire Service said whether it's happy with this or not?"

Coun Smith added: “I’m particularly concerned about the access to the westernmost house.”

Discussions brought to light the fact that the fire service is not a statutory consultee, and that the council’s highways officers consider things like access for emergency services when responding to planning applications.

Further inquiries showed the fire service had not made a comment on a previous application for the site which had been approved.

It also came to light that the developers proposing the scheme do not own the land that the access lane to the site uses.

Councillor Dan Adams asked the planning officer, who had recommended approval of the scheme what would happen if the owner revoked access later, depriving anyone living in the houses of a way of getting to them.

He was told that was a private matter between the landowner and the developer and not one the committee could take into account.

Another committee member Jane Milner-Barry suggested the matter be deferred for another month with the council asking the fire service to comment, but with the matter to return to committee in June even if the brigade does not respond.