A BID to brick up two windows on Sidmouth s Dove Gaming centre has been rejected by district council planners, who deemed it a drastic solution to solve an ordinary problem.

A BID to "brick up" two windows on Sidmouth's Dove Gaming centre has been rejected by district council planners, who deemed it a "drastic solution to solve an ordinary problem."

Plans to permanently block two ground-floor windows in Dove Lane, which sits in a conservation area, had been recommended for approval by an East Devon District Council planning officer.

However the proposal, submitted to fulfil a licensing condition so children are not "invited" to observe gambling taking place inside, fell foul of development control committee members who labelled the suggestion "a gross oversight" which wasn't in-keeping with the area's "traditional character."

While members praised Dove owner George Symonds for "smartening up a dilapidated property" they felt permanently blocking the windows would make Dove Lane "look worse" and urged him to "find a screening alternative".

Cllr Chris Gibbins, chairman of Sidmouth town council's planning committee, told members: "Windows need to be retained so we don't get the tunnel affect of walls in an alley way- you would think twice about going there. That's not want we want in a conservation area."

Cllr Ann Liverton described the alleyway as a "dismal local street" and saw no problem with the plans.

Cllr Mike Green felt retaining the windows was "quite important" and said: "To block them up you will make it even more dismal. Conservation areas are made up of certain features-every one you take away is one lost.