Chris Wilson had applied for a larger home extension on the back of his Astley Bridge house under permitted development rules. But Bolton Council planners said that the extension on the Sharples Avenue home did not qualify because the eaves height was too large. They explained that eaves height is measured from the ground level of the base to the point where the wall would meet the upper surface of the flat roof. If within two metres of the boundary of a neighbouring property, only extensions up to three metres in eaves height can be considered permitted development. The eaves height of the extension would be 3.27m, so the council rejected the application.