THURROCK Council planning officers have met with defeat in their bid to force a Tilbury resident to knock down a gym built in a back garden.

Nub News reported earlier this year on the officers' decision to reject a retrospective application for the building on Stephenson Avenue.

The officers said the new building was too large and "impacts adversely on neighbouring dwellings, and results in detrimental impact to the amenities enjoyed by the immediate neighbour."

However, at an appeal, a planning inspector sided with the resident and allowed the building.

The inspector's decision says: "A suitably sized garden would be left for the occupier taking into account the size of the outbuilding and other exiting extensions. Given the distance from neighbours and the orientation of the windows there would not be a harmful impact on the amenities of neighbouring residents."