House too modern for Monkleigh?

After the Surveyor (Mr L J Dunn) had confessed: “I am a bit of a square when it comes to architecture”, Bideford Rural Council on Tuesday refused planning permission for a house which a nurse wishes to build in the Monkleigh locality.
The Surveyor told members that it was a two-storey building with a mono-pitch roof covered with aluminium. The external walls would be painted white with black plinths. The design was the first of this modern type in the district, he said. Although internally the house was very functional, it would be out of keeping with the neighbourhood.
He recommended that the plan be refused on the grounds that the house would be an intrusion in the rural landscape.
That would not prevent the erection of a reasonable house, pointed out the Chairman (Sir Dennis Stucley). A design of this nature would be out of harmony in the countryside.
Mr J Wickett, who said that the site was very suitable, pointed out that this was the second application.
It was agreed to suggest to the architect that he ‘tone down’ the design to suit the neighbourhood.
Gazette article dated 25 November 1960