The conversion of a three-bedroom home into flats for disabled occupants has been refused due to ‘substandard’ living conditions.

Inspiring Aspiration had applied retrospectively to divide a three-bedroom home in Civic Drive into two self-contained flats.

The flats would support two vulnerable adults with severe learning disabilities who could not mix within the house and required full-time supervision.

The plans came back before Ipswich Borough Council's planning committee last Wednesday who upheld officers recommendation for refusal after first discussing the plans in May.

Concerns had been raised the property had poor sound insulation and it would mean the loss of a family home. Councillors decided to defer the decision to allow for further discussions to take place.

According to the applicant, it would be impossible to carry out noise insulation works while the residents were still living at the house.

As a compromise, the applicant suggested carrying out the works when one of the residents vacated the property, although this was deemed inappropriate by officers.

Cllr Carole Jones told the meeting: “This is a problem of the applicant’s making — we cannot, as a committee, approve substandard accommodation, that would be a dangerous precedent.”

In May, a statement provided on behalf of the applicant stated the officer’s assessment was ‘incredibly disappointing’.

It added: “The council’s planning department seems to have come to the, quite frankly, shocking conclusion that the need to retain a three-bedroom family dwelling should come at the expense of those with disabilities that require safe and suitable accommodation in the town centre.

“Refusing permission for this application is in essence creating a very serious safeguarding issue which the planning department does not seem to have grasped the implications of.”